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Easy Homemade Oyster Chowder

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I would be grateful if you shared this recipe :-)

This gluten-free smoked oyster chowder is quick and easy to make, and full of rich flavors. The unexpected smokiness from the smoked oysters adds so much flavor to this creamy chowder. No flour or Roux needed!

A white bowl of Cod and Smoked Oyster Chowder. The bowl is on a yellow napkin and there is a spoon next to the bowl.

This easy gluten-free smoked oyster chowder is absolutely delicious.

My son has been asking me to make a gluten-free chowder since we went gluten-free six years ago. I made a few attempts at a gluten-free roux, but none really worked the way I had hoped. (Talk about recipe fails!!)

Creating a chowder without a roux might be easier. Potatoes would add a lot of substance and thickness to this soup…but I wasn’t sure if these potatoes could thicken this soup enough that I could skip the roux. If you have been reading my blog for a while, you will know I love a food chemistry challenge!!

This experiment worked!! You will find this is one of the best chowders out there…and it was made in one pot. Nice and easy!

(I have a lot of delicious gluten-free soup recipes on my blog like this Shredded Chicken Taco Soup, Cold Busting Chicken Turmeric Soup, and my kids’ favorite, Lentil Bacon Soup.)

Smoked Oysters

The star of this recipe is the smoked oysters. I often wondered what to do with smoked oysters, but this article has so many great ideas. The smoked oysters added a smokey richness to this gluten-free chowder recipe that is hard to duplicate. This soup isn’t quite thick enough to be an oyster stew, but with more potato and seafood, it could come close!

This soup isn’t quite thick enough to be an oyster stew, but with more potato and seafood, it could come close!

And even better, my son LOVED this chowder.

Close up picture of a bowl of Cod and Smoked Oyster Chowder

This chowder is full of cod, smoked oysters, and potato chunks….and even better, gluten and wheat free!

Types of Chowder

This chowder recipe is made based on New England Clam Chowder. I love the milky creaminess of these types of chowders. New England chowders have a heavy cream base. You can also find chowders based on Manhattan Chowders. This type of chowder has a tomato base.

You can also use my reaux free recipe to create a seafood chowder. Just use your favorite seafood!

Cod and Smoked Oyster Chowder with paprika and fresh sage garnish on top of the chowder

Click here to see all of the soup recipes on this blog.

More Delicious Soup Recipes to Try:

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Things You Need to Make This Recipe:

  1. A big soup pot.
  2. This chopper helps get those potatoes chopped in no time.

How to make gluten-free chowder:

Cod and Smoked Oyster Chowder

Yield: 10 people
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Easy creamy roux free seafood chowder recipe.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound fresh cod
  • 1 can smoked oysters in olive oil
  • 3 cups water
  • 3 cups milk
  • 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • avocado or olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh sage, thinly sliced
  • 2 large leeks, sliced and washed
  • 1/2 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
  • 1 teaspoon yellow miso paste
  • 1 teaspoon salt, more if you like
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  1. In a large pot, brown leeks in oil for 4 minutes.
  2. Add cod and water.
  3. Cover and bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes until cod is cooked.
  4. Add potatoes, oysters, paprika, sage, miso, salt, pepper, and milk.
  5. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
  6. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking to bottom of the pot.
  7. Serve hot.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: g
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 265 Saturated Fat: 3g Cholesterol: 51mg Sodium: 194mg Carbohydrates: 31g Fiber: 3g Sugar: 13g Protein: 21g
© Sandi Gaertner
Cuisine: American / Category: Appetizer

For a recipe idea to go with this soup, check out these fritters:

Gluten Free Delicata Squash Cheddar Fritters found at http://www.fearlessdining.com

Gluten Free Delicata Squash Fritters

Would you like to try another soup? How about this Shredded Chicken Taco Soup?

Chicken Taco Soup http://fearlessdining.com

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I would be grateful if you shared this recipe :-)

Reader Interactions

Comments

  4. I don’t know how I missed this one; it literally caused my stomach to growl and it’s not even noon here yet. I love seafood chowders and yours looks sublime. I’m also interested in knowing if you would be interested in a temporary son exchange; I so wish we could get our kids to eat this! Great job, once again.

    Reply

  5. Oysters are delicious, but I find them hard to incorporate into meals, since they have such a pungent taste. This cod and smoked oyster chowder recipe you shared may be a great way to begin eating clams more. Cod has a light taste, so combined with the oyster, it will be delicious. Thank you for sharing a great and inspiring recipe with those of us who live off of others food recipes for yummy meals.

    Reply

  7. Doesn’t make you feel so happy and proud when a recipe you’ve been trying to create eventually is a success? It does to me! This is a great chowder and I am sure my family would love it too!

    Reply

  8. Sage and paprika, how divine! What wonderful flavor additions to this soup, which looks so hearty and creamy and wonderful.

    Reply

  12. I’m so glad you figured it out, what an accomplishment, it looks beautiful. I’m not that familiar w/ smoked oysters but I’m interested to try. We love chowders, I’ll have to try adding smoked oysters one of these times. Thanks!

    Reply

  15. I can’t wait to try this recipe, but with non-dairy milk. I’m trying to decide between coconut milk and a lower fat option. Do you think milk fat is key to the creaminess here? Just weighing my options … 🙂
    Thanks for the recipe inspiration!
    ~jules
    gfJules.com

    Reply

    • That is a great question Jules. I would think coconut milk because it is creamier…but you may need to adjust the seasonings so the coconut doesn’t over power the chowder.

      Reply

  19. So glad to hear this works with potato instead of a roux, looks like it would be easier to cook that way which is always good 🙂

    Reply

  21. I love making chowder in the summer. As a New Englander, summer is all about the chowder and fresh seafood!

    Reply

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