Shrimp Chowder (New England Style Recipe)

This New England shrimp chowder recipe is the perfect meal to enjoy on a summer evening. Get your delicious on with this mélange of shrimp, oysters, and veggies in this dish that’s creamy and comforting. You won’t have the oven heating the house, and everything cooks in one-pot for easy cleanup. Did I mention that bacon is also involved here? Oh yessss.

Did you ever eat something soooo good and felt trying to create a “better-for-you” version would not be worth it? That’s how I feel about this New England-style shrimp chowder.

We’ve got heavy cream, bacon, and a little butter going on in this one. It’s got a significant amount of saturated fats from added fat sources, but I would not change a thing.

Wondering how this recipe came to be? A few weeks ago, I was looking for a way to use up some conch that I had in the freezer. I ended up substituting conch for the clams in this Spend with Pennies New England clam chowder recipe.

My goodness, it was heavenly. I knew I needed to make it again. Since I was out of conch, I used a combination of shrimp and oysters, and switched up some of the seasonings.

Before long, this *amazing* New England-style shrimp chowder (AKA Boston shrimp chowder) was born. It needs to be shared. Good thing I have this website to spread the word!

I love Crown Prince smoked oysters in olive oil for this recipe. I’ve been having trouble finding them locally lately. Luckily, Amazon carries them for less than I was buying them for in the stores.

Purchasing a bulk pack was no problem for me. I’ve been known to eat them straight out of the can. Haha

Jump to:

• 🍤 New England Shrimp Chowder Recipe
• ➕ New England Shrimp Chowder Recipe Nutrition
• 👨‍🍳 More Shrimp Recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💭 Expert Tips from a Dietitian
• FAQs
• 💬 Comments

🍤 New England Shrimp Chowder Recipe

Here’s what you need to make this thick and hearty recipe for shrimp chowder:

• 1 lb. shrimp, chopped small (454 grams; tail-off, peeled)
• 3.5 ounces smoked oysters, packed in olive oil, drained, chopped small (99 grams)
• 16 ounces clam juice (480 mL)
• 6 strips bacon, chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1¼ lbs. Yukon gold potatoes, chopped (567 grams; do not peel)
• 4 cloves garlic cloves, minced
• sprinkle of red pepper flakes (or Cajun spice)
• ⅓ cup spelt flour
• 2½ cups chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ teaspoon dried parsley
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 cup heavy cream
• parsley, chopped (optional garnish)

Get a printable recipe card for this shrimp and potato chowder below!

Make this into shrimp and clam chowder by substituting the oyster for clams in this recipe. You could also make shrimp clam chowder by swapping out some of the shrimp for canned clams.

How to Make New England Shrimp Chowder

Here are the step-by-step instructions for how to make clam chowder with shrimp instead:

1. In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon. When cooked, remove half of the bacon from the pot and set aside. Add the butter to the bacon and bacon grease remaining in the pot.

2. Sauté the onion and celery in the pot until softened.

3. Add the potatoes, garlic, and spelt flour to the pot. Stir the ingredients together over medium heat for approximately 30 seconds.

4. Add the chicken stock, clam juice, bay leaves, red pepper, black pepper, parsley, oregano, and thyme. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.

5. Add the shrimp, oysters, and heavy cream. Heat until the shrimp is cooked through, approximately 5-10 minutes.

6. Remove the bay leaves from the pot and discard.

7. Put the chowder into bowls and garnish with the cooked bacon that was set aside and the parsley.

➕ New England Shrimp Chowder Recipe Nutrition

If you LOVE chowder, don't miss my Instant Pot seafood chowder recipe as well. It's just a tad less indulgent than this shrimp chowder with the heavy cream, butter, and bacon.

That said, through the years, I’ve determined that enjoying occasional meal indulgences helps to prevent me from feeling deprived. As a result, I am less likely to snack later. The net result is that I get to enjoy fully satisfying meals AND maintain a healthy weight.

Is this the strategy that you should use? I can’t answer that question as I don’t know you, your goals, or your medical history.

Something to keep in mind is that replacing saturated fat with refined carbohydrates does not reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. If I chose a shrimp and oyster stew that is lower in saturated fat but ended up snacking on 130 calories of cookies later, I most likely did not make a healthier choice.

(P.S. Two Oreos are 130 calories. Most of us do not stop at two. Choosing the lighter meal followed by cookies in this case may also lead to excess calorie consumption.)

The Dietary Guidelines permits <10% of our calories to come from added sugars and <10% from saturated fats. They recognize that (for most people) there are “not enough calories available after meeting food group needs to consume 10 percent of calories from added sugars and 10 percent of calories from saturated fats and still stay within calorie limits.” Thus, the 80/20 rule doesn’t really work if you want to have a balanced diet AND maintain a healthy weight.

👨‍🍳 More Shrimp Recipes

There are so many ways to prepare shrimp beyond shrimp chowder recipes! Try these next:

• Frozen Shrimp in Air Fryer
• Keto Coconut Shrimp
• Frozen Popcorn Shrimp in Air Fryer

📖 Recipe

FAQs

What makes New England clam chowder different?

New England clam chowder stands out for its creamy white base, which is made with milk or cream. It features tender clams, diced potatoes, onions, and sometimes bacon. Its rich and hearty flavor is distinctively comforting and creamy, setting it apart from other chowder variations.

What is the thickener in New England clam chowder?

What thickens seafood chowder? The best thickening agent for chowder is the starch from the potatoes that are cooked in the soup. As the potatoes break down during cooking, they release starch, which naturally thickens the chowder and gives it a thick and creamy consistency. You can also use cornstarch slurry to thicken New England chowder more.

What New England state is known for chowder?

Massachusetts, particularly Boston, is renowned for its seafood dishes, including New England clam chowder. Coastal proximity and historical ties to the fishing industry contribute to its reputation as a chowder hub. Maine shrimp chowder isn’t thickened with flour and has the thinner consistency of soups. Rhode Island chowder is also thinner because it has a broth base and no cream.

What’s the difference between Manhattan and New England chowder?

The main difference between Manhattan and New England chowder lies in their base. While New England clam chowder has a creamy, milk or cream-based broth, Manhattan chowder features a tomato-based broth. Manhattan chowder typically includes tomatoes, vegetables like celery, carrots, and onions, and does not contain dairy.

How to make dairy free shrimp chowder?

For shrimp chowder with no dairy, substitute vegan stick butter for regular butter and this vegan cream for heavy cream. This is an easy way to make creamy shrimp chowder without the dairy.

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