Ward off the winter chill with this easy Smoked Salmon Chowder! It features creamy low carb broth filled with chunks of smoked salmon, zesty capers, and red onion.
Soup season is here and I have been digging into my archives to make all of my favorites. If you’re looking for warm, comforting recipes, you definitely want to try this Smoked Salmon Chowder!
The chilly rain has set into the Pacific Northwest, so recipes like Chile Relleno Soup and Loaded Cauliflower Soup are high on my list. But I almost forgot about this delectable chowder until a reader emailed me about how much she loved it.
I originally created this recipe for my Easy Keto Dinners cookbook. I adore smoked salmon and will eat it any time I can (and when I can afford it!). So this recipe holds a very special place in my heart.
Why you need to try this recipe
This recipe has all the hallmarks of a classic chowder, but with far fewer carbs. Most chowders take potatoes and flour to thicken them, but this easy keto version relies on cream cheese.
And it takes only 20 minutes to make! It’s the sort of thing you can make easily after a long day at work. It’s rich, creamy, and super comforting.
Have some salmon skeptics in your household? Well this one seems to please even those who swear they don’t like it. Check out the rave reviews below!
Reader Reviews
“I’m really disappointed that I can only give five stars for this dish. OH! MY! GAWD!!… YYYYUUUMMMMMMMMM!!!!!(I don’t know about this being six serves though … I might end up eating the lot tonight!)” — Natalie
“My husband and I hate salmon. Period. But hot smoked salmon? Had to try it. This recipe is AMAZEBALLS!!! I just asked my group the other day for any salmon ideas for salmon haters and you magically appeared. I will repost this for you to the others who were looking for one. You are a goddess!” — Tammy
“This was so delicious! Even the salmon haters in our family gobbled this up, and asked for seconds. Didn’t change a thing.” — Katie
Ingredient Notes
- Smoked salmon: I use hot smoked salmon, which is usually a thicker single piece of salmon. You can use cold smoked as well but it changes texture a bit in the hot broth. You can also use regular cooked salmon, for a non-smoked option.
- Celery: Celery is high in fiber and low in carbs, so it’s a great addition to keto soups.
- Onion: I keep the onion to a minimum, as they have more carbs than you might think.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic for the best flavor.
- Chicken broth: You can also use seafood stock or vegetable broth instead.
- Cream cheese: Cream cheese adds thickness and creaminess. .
- Capers: Smoked salmon and capers go hand in hand. Drain the capers before adding. You can skip this if you don’t like them.
- Red onion: This is optional, but I garnish my soup with a little red onions.
- Pantry staples: Butter, heavy cream, tomato paste, salt and pepper.
Step by Step Directions
1. Sauté the vegetables: In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and celery and sprinkle with salt. Sauté until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Simmer the soup base: Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, another minute. Stir in the chicken broth and the tomato paste and bring to a simmer, whisking to combine.
3. Blend the cream cheese: Place the cream cheese in a blender and add the hot broth mixture. Blend until smooth.
4. Add the fish: Return the soup to the saucepan and add the cream, salmon, and capers. Bring back to a simmer over medium low heat, to warm through.
4. Garnish and serve. Sprinkle each serving with chopped red onion and a lemon wedge.
Tips for Success
Some people prefer the chowder to be a little thicker. If so, I recommend adding ½ to ¾ teaspoon glucomannan. You can remove a little of the broth at the end, whisk in the konjac root powder, and stir it back into the pot of chowder.
You can also use one of my favorite tricks for thickening soup… cauliflower! Add 8 to 12 ounces of frozen cauliflower in step 2. Simmer the broth a little longer to make sure the cauliflower is nice and soft before blending. Now you’ve got added veggies too!
Frequently Asked Questions
Many chowder recipes rely on flour or cornstarch to thicken the broth. But this low carb chowder uses cream cheese and/or glucomannan. You can also add some cauliflower before blending for a healthier thicker soup.
As with all fish based soups, this salmon chowder is best when it’s freshly made. However, if you have leftovers, you can heat them gently the next day and it is just as good. Store it in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing this soup as cream based soups split and don’t reheat well.
This keto smoked salmon chowder recipe has 4.6g of carbs and 0.5g of fiber per serving. That comes to 4.1g net carbs per bowl.
More delicious fish recipes
Smoked Salmon Chowder Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- ¼ cup chopped onion
- 1 rib celery chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 8 ounces smoked salmon hot smoked, chopped
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
Instructions
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and celery and sprinkle with salt. Sauté until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, another minute. Stir in the chicken broth and the tomato paste and bring to a simmer, whisking to combine.
- Place the cream cheese in a blender and add the hot broth mixture. Blend until smooth. Return to the saucepan and add the cream, salmon, and capers. Bring back to a simmer over medium low heat, to warm through.
- Sprinkle each serving with chopped red onion.
Sacha Nelson says
I think instruction 2 should reference the garlic, not the onion (?). Love your recipes!!
Linda says
For years we’ve had salmon chowder on Christmas Eve. We always bought it vacuum packed from a company in the Northwest. Then they stopped making it. I went searching for a suitable replacement and found this recipe. I should have known Allday would have it. Her site is my “go to” for all recipes.
The assessment of the family is 100% positive so now this recipe is used every Christmas Eve and sometimes other dinners in the winter. So easy, so tasty and low carb as a bonus. Just writing about now makes me want to have some. YUM!
Allison says
I LOVE this recipe and make it often, it’s so delicious and filling and helps to meet my macros.
I did want to point out that step 2 should read add the garlic, not onion again.
Katie says
This was so delicious! Even the salmon haters in our family gobbled this up, and asked for seconds. Didn’t change a thing.
Katie says
Oh, there was a couple of typo. Onion was said to be added twice – the second time was supposed to be garlic, I assume.
Carolyn says
Thanks for the heads up!
Carolyn says
Great to hear!
Beth Healey says
I am making this. I love you and all your recipes. You have made my life liveable.
I did notice in the directions that it says onion twice. It says to add “onion” cook til fragrant. I think it should say “garlic”. Just wanted to help. You are so busy. You don’t need to post this. Just wanted to tell you. 🙂
Stacy says
I had some leftover smoked salmon and tried this recipe. I didn’t have any capers but the soup was really good without them. Thanks for sharing!
Kristeena Maloney says
Getting ready to make this for the first time and the instructions are confusing:
#1. says melt butter and add onion and celery with salt and cook until tender
#2. says add onion and cook until fragrant.
Should we go with instruction #1?
Thank you!!
Laura T. says
Guessing #2 should read garlic instead of onion.
Shery says
This soup is wonderful .
Anna Foley says
This recipe is fantastic! So versatile too. I doubled it and subbed half the stock for lobster stock and added shrimp to the salmon. Wow!
Pam Lazenby says
How do you make the salmon hot smoked?
Carolyn says
You don’t make it… you buy it. There is cold smoked, which is the thinly sliced nova lox style, and then there is hot-smoked, which is usually a thicker single piece of salmon.
Natalie says
I’m really disappointed that I can only give five stars for this dish.
OH! MY! GAWD!!… YYYYUUUMMMMMMMMM!!!!!
(I don’t know about this being six serves though … I might end up eating the lot tonight!)
Natalie says
Line 2 … add the garlic?!?
Geoffrey Comer says
Amazing Soup! I forgot how much I missed the flavor of Lox since going Keto, but that’s a thing I no longer have to worry about. I had sour cream lying around so I used that in lieu of heavy cream FYI, and I don’t think I used Hot Smoked Salmon (I’m not even sure what kind I used, lol). Also, I immersion blended before adding salmon and capers for smoothness. I will be making this as often as I can afford to. Thanks a bunch!
Carolyn says
Glad it worked out!
Natalie says
Darn!! Wish I’d thought of the immersion blender instead of getting the whole glass blender and base out of the back of the pantry! LOL! (Much less washing up, too)
Amy says
Soooo goooood! I can’t believe how easy this was to make. I used regular smoked salmon, but I will definitely try hot salmon next time! This is a must try!!!