Scallop Chowder

Creamy chowder recipe with bay scallops, bacon, and corn. Make this scallop chowder when you need something comforting, yet light, and quick!

You know what a drab February needs? This lightened-up scallop chowder with bacon, corn (optional – but so recommended), and delicious tender sweet bay scallops. It’s an easy one-pot meal that can be prepared any day of the week. It has delicious yummy veggies, silky creamy broth, and tender scallops.

What is Chowder?

Chowder is a type of chunky thick soup usually made with a white sauce base of either milk or cream. In fact, there are many variations of chowders these days, such as corn, vegetable, chicken, seafood, clam, and so on.

I highly recommend this fresh corn chowder. It’s a readers’ favorite around here.

What Are Scallops?

In the simplest terms, scallops are a type of shellfish. The muscular tissue inside the scallop is the actual meat that we eat.

There are sea scallops and bay scallops. For example, sea scallops are large in size and have a chewier texture. Whereas bay scallops are much smaller in size, about half-inch wide, and sweeter tasting.

For this chowder recipe, you want to use bay scallops.

Ingredients for Chowder Recipe

• Olive oil
• Bacon
• Mirepoix – onions, celery, carrots
• Garlic
• Flour – all purpose
• Clam juice
• Half & half
• Chicken stock
• Potatoes – russet
• Bay scallops
• Thyme – dried or fresh
• Fresh parsley
• Optional: sweet corn

How To Make Chowder Recipe with Scallops

• In a large dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crispy, about 5 minutes. Do not pour off any of the fat.

• Next, add onions, celery, carrots, garlic, thyme, and few pinches of salt. Cook until soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in flour and cook for about 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add stock and bring to a quick simmer. The mixture will also slightly thicken.

• Add potatoes, clam juice, and half and half. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring the mixture to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, partially covered, for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

• Lastly, stir in scallops and corn (optional). Cook until the scallops are tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in parsley before serving. 

How Do You Tell If Scallops Are Done?

There are two easy ways to tell if the scallops are cooked through. First, the scallops should look opaque all the way through and second they should break easily with a fork. Overcooked scallops will be tough and chewy.

What to Serve with Scallop Chowder?

• Freshly baked rolls (love these whole wheat ones!)
• Kale Caesar Salad
• All Veggie Sandwich

If you try this scallop chowder recipe, let me know in the comments below. I would love your feedback, along with a rating.

Scallop Chowder

★★★★★ 5 from 4 reviews

• Author: Katya @ Little Broken
• Prep Time: 15
• Cook Time: 40
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x
• Category: Soup
• Method: Simmer
• Cuisine: American

Print

Pin

---

Description

Creamy veggie chowder with scallops, bacon, and corn. Make this scallop chowder when you need something comforting, yet light, and quick!

---

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 cup each – onions, celery, carrots
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme (or 2 tsp. fresh thyme)
• 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken stock or seafood stock
• 1 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 (8 oz.) bottles clam juice
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 lb. bay scallops
• Fresh parsley, chopped
• Kosher salt and fresh black pepper
• Optional: 1/2 cup frozen sweet corn

---

Instructions

1. In a large dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crispy, about 5 minutes. Do not pour off any of the fat.
2. Add onions, celery, carrots, garlic, thyme, and few pinches of salt. Cook the veggies until soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in flour and cook for about 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add stock and bring to a quick simmer. The mixture will also slightly thicken.
4. Add potatoes, clam juice, and half and half. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring the mixture to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, partially covered, for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
5. Stir in scallops and corn (optional). Cook until the scallops are tender, about 3-4 minutes. Taste the chowder for salt before adding the scallops.
6. Stir in parsley before serving. Serve with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes = delicious!

---

Notes

1. You can substitute equal parts of chicken or seafood stock for clam juice.
2. I found bay scallops in the frozen seafood section of my grocery store. You can use frozen or thawed out/fresh scallops. The cooking time is around the same.
3. Corn adds slight sweetness to the chowder. I highly recommend it!

Keywords: seafood chowder, scallop chowder