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.
Lynn Davis says
About 6 weeks ago I saw this video one morning. I thought about it all day at work. That evening I made it. I didn’t have smoked salmon so I used canned. Didn’t have tomato paste either so I used sugar free ketchup. It was so good. I’m from the south and had been missing salmon stew. I’m getting ready to make it again .????????????????
Carolyn says
So glad to hear it!
Donna says
Can this be made with regular salmon, not smoked?
Carolyn says
I can’t see why not!
Lupe says
HUGE winner at our home. Thank you. My husband just smoked two salmon filets and o wasn’t sure how I’d use it. This recipe fit the bill. Delicious.
Carolyn says
Wonderful! Lucky you!
Sue says
Love this chowder! I add bacon and radishes for even more chunkiness, yum. However, I think in step 2, the onions referenced should be garlic since the onions were added in step 1. This recipe is fast and perfect comfort food. I own several KETO cookbooks and Carolyn’s is not only my favorite but the one I recommend to everyone.
Jocelyn says
Such a comforting recipe for cold days!
Taylor says
So creamy and delicious! Love that this takes only 30 minutes!
Julie Blanner says
This looks awesome! Perfect for the winter.
Toni says
I loved how comforting this is! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Allyson Zea says
Wow this chowder looks TOTALLY amazing!
Tammy Kaylor says
Carolyn,
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!
Carolyn says
Thanks, Tammy!
MG says
I don’t have tomato paste, anything else I could use instead? Don’t want to go buy a can and not use all of it :s
Thanks
Carolyn says
Just skip it.
Jane Augustine says
OMG! You hit this recipe out of the park! So good.
Thanks for your recipes, they are so good!
Sandi says
This was so good when I made it last week that I am making it again today. I am also adding shrimp and scallops to that hot smoked salmon. My mouth is watering just writing here. Thanks for this!
Liz says
I made this last week and it’s quite possibly one of the best things I ever made. Thank you so much for this!! I do have one question though. I divided mine into four servings as well, but when I added all my ingredients together my calorie information was very different from yours. I followed your recipe to a T with the exception of doing 8oz salmon instead of 6oz, and not including capers. My calories per serving ended up being 580/each. Any suggestions? I’m thinking it was probably the heavy cream, so now I’m wondering which kind you used so I know if there’s one lighter on the calories than mine. I’d love to eat this more often but at almost 600 calories a pop, I can’t! Thanks again!
Carolyn says
I am so so sorry…it’s supposed to be 6 servings. It’s correct in my book but not on my blog, I sincerely apologize. I am using a recipe plug in that sometimes does funky things to my serving sizes (sometimes they disappear entirely) and so I fixed this one on the fly and didn’t double check it. I will be switching to a new plug in very soon!
Liz says
That makes a lot more sense! It’s okay 🙂 I don’t think I could’ve split it up into 6 servings – it was just way too good!! But I certainly feel a lot better now that I know what happened. Thanks for responding!
Carolyn says
I know, I know…it’s so good. But it’s also super filling and very low carb so if you eat it with a salad, then you can feel pretty full.
Carolyn says
So I just checked again and my serving size was gone entirely. I didn’t have anything in there, which is really frustrating. I am trying to find the time to convert my whole recipe plug in but it could be a long process.
Mary says
I think you mean garlic not onion in step 2 🙂
Looks delicious BTW
Stephany says
I’m allergic to dairy and my husband is lactose intolerant. Would you have a recommendation for substitutions?
Carolyn says
Just the usual… dairy free cream cheese and coconut milk.
Joan Springer says
Absolutely wonderful! I doubled recipe and for the two of us we will get two meals. My husband raved!
Carolyn says
Oh yay! Thanks, Joan. I am in love with this one myself because I adore smoked salmon.
Koshie says
how many servings is this?
Carolyn says
It’s 4 servings. I am switching recipe plug-ins soon because this one keeps leaving out my serving sizes even when I deliberately type them in. It’s about 1 1/4 cups per serving.
Melinda says
Sounds good! What’s the serving size? I see the total recipe makes 5 cups, but the nutritional info doesn’t indicate how many servings or serving size. Thx!
Carolyn says
It’s 4 servings. I am switching recipe plug-ins soon because this one keeps leaving out my serving sizes even when I deliberately type them in. It’s about 1 1/4 cups per serving.
Erica says
Of course I’ve ordered my copy of Easy Keto Dinners! ? Is there a particular brand of salmon you recommend or use frequently, Carolyn? I don’t have much experience with hot-smoked salmon.
Carolyn says
I just get one from Whole Foods in their refrigerated section. It might be their brand? Not sure, I can’t remember!
Erica says
Thanks!