Here’s the REAL Difference Between Chowder and Soup
Updated: Feb. 05, 2021
What is chowder? Is it really all that different from soup?
When I went to culinary school, we spent a lot of time discussing soup. It started by mastering stock before moving on to producing consomme, brothy soups with simple additions, thick pureed soups and chunky stews. By the time we finally tackled chowder, I certainly felt like a soup expert!
What Is Soup?
There are a lot of subcategories of soup, but at its most basic, it’s a liquid made with water or broth. It can be clear (like chicken noodle soup) or thick (like bisque and other cream-based soups). Some soups contain solid ingredients, including vegetables, meat or fish, while others are pureed after combining the ingredients to create a smooth concoction. If the soup contains more chunky ingredients than liquid, it’s often referred to as a stew instead of a soup.
Soup is usually cooked and served hot, although there are several cold soups that don’t require any cooking (we’re looking at you, gazpacho).
What Is Chowder?
Chowder is a rich, creamy soup that often contains clams and potatoes. Seafood chowders are typical in the Northeast, with New England clam chowder being the most famous. Other seafood chowders skip the clams and swap in scallops, shrimp, lobster, crab or even fish like cod or smoked salmon.
Southwestern chowders, on the other hand, feature Mexican spices and usually contain corn. Since seafood isn’t abundant in this part of the country, these chowders tend to use meats like bacon, ham, chorizo or chicken instead.
Of course, meat and seafood aren’t requirements when making chowder. You can create a robust vegetarian chowder by combining hearty vegetables like potatoes or sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, winter squash or mushrooms.
Chowder vs. Soup: What’s the Difference?
While soups can be thin and light, a chowder is characterized by being rich and thick. Like stew, it contains large chunks of meat or seafood and vegetables, notably potatoes. Regardless of the ingredients used, chowder is always chunky, and most variations are creamy (although Manhattan clam chowder breaks from the mold and uses a tomato base instead of cream or milk). Finally, it’s always served hot. Cold chowder would be…weird.
The Best Chowder Recipes to Keep You Warm
Simple Shrimp ChowderShrimp fans will be bowled over by this tasty take on chowder. The creamy broth is chock-full of vegetables. Chop up leftover cooked potatoes or use canned ones. —Carolyn Schmeling, Brookfield, Wisconsin
Ramen Corn ChowderThis tastes so good—as if it simmered for hours, but it’s ready in 15 minutes. I thought the original recipe was lacking in flavor, so I jazzed it up with extra corn and bacon bits. —Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon
Cheddar Seafood ChowderShrimp and scallops make this thick, cheesy and chunky chowder extra special. It’s packed with veggies, and the crispy bacon makes a yummy garnish. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Halibut & Potato ChowderSeveral times a year I invite both my retired and current teaching friends to a dinner party with their spouses. I've served this halibut chowder at those parties, and it's always a big hit. —Teresa Lueck, Onamia, Minnesota
Carrot ChowderMy husband's grandmother passed this recipe on to us, and it's just wonderful—especially with a basket of warm, fresh bread on the side. This soup freezes well. —Wendy Wilkins, Prattville, Alabama
Coconut Shrimp ChowderAfter eating a coconut soup at a Thai restaurant, I added coconut milk in my fish chowder recipe. The fresh, simple ingredients allow the seafood to shine. —Michalene Baskett, Decatur, Georgia
Seafood Chowder with Seasoned Oyster CrackersChock-full of fish, shrimp and scallops, this comforting chowder has been pleasing my family for many years. The seasoned oyster crackers add a bit of spice.—Virginia Anthony, Jacksonville, Florida
Cheesy Chicken ChowderI like to serve this hearty chowder as a meal with garlic bread and a salad. It's a wonderful dish to prepare for any occasion. The rich, mild flavor and the tender chicken and vegetables appeal even to children and picky eaters. —Hazel Fritchie, Palestine, Illinois
Bean Counter ChowderThis hearty chowder is one of our favorite vegetarian dishes. Loaded with beans, noodles and bright herbs, it's so comforting on a chilly day. —Vivian Haen, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin
Country Fish ChowderYou'll think you're on Cape Cod when you taste this thick, wholesome chowder made from a recipe I've treasured for many years. It's one of my husband's favorites. He likes it more and more because over the years I've "customized" the basic recipe by including ingredients he enjoys. —Linda Lazaroff, Hebron, Connecticut
Broccoli ChowderSue Call of Beech Grove, Indiana serves this comforting soup on chilly stay-at-home evenings. Nutmeg seasons the light creamy broth that's chock-full of tender broccoli florets and diced potatoes.
Crab Corn ChowderNo time to make a homemade soup? Think again! You'll be ladling out steamy bowls of satisfying chowder in no time. Canned corn and crab blend beautifully in this creamy, colorful soup. —Sarah McClanahan, Raleigh, North Carolina
Cheddar Potato ChowderI only made this soup occasionally because the original recipe was quite high in fat. I doctored it up a bit, using healthier ingredients, and now we eat this rich flavorful chowder more often.—Ellie Rausch of Goodsoil, Saskatchewan
Corn Chowder with PotatoesI developed this soup out of two others to create my own low-calorie recipe. It turned out so well that I entered it in my county fair and won a blue ribbon. —Alyce Wyman, Pembina, North Dakota
Beefy Bacon ChowderRave reviews are sure to follow when this creamy chowder appears on the table. Bacon makes it rich and hearty. It's a favorite with my whole family. —Nancy Schmidt, Center, Colorado.
Cheeseburger Broccoli ChowderI invented this soup accidentally! Actually, it came about when I was new to cooking, and didn't know that "chowder" was a kind of soup—so I made mashed potatoes to go with the dish I was making. We ended up dunking our mashed potatoes into the soup as "gravy"—and it was delicious!—Karen Davies, Wanipigow, Manitoba
Chicken Fajita ChowderThis south-of-the-border chowder is one of my favorite slow cooker recipes, and it's a winner at family dinners and potlucks alike. We like ours topped with fresh avocado, shredded cheddar cheese and chili cheese corn chips. —Nancy Heishman, Las Vegas, Nevada
Hearty Manhattan Clam ChowderThis veggie-packed clam chowder is savory and satisfying. Butter up some crusty bread and you'll have yourself a complete meal. —Carol Bullick, Royersford, Pennsylvania
Potato Clam ChowderI ran across this recipe in one of my antique cookbooks. It's a timeless classic I like to prepare for friends and family throughout the year, but especially during the holidays. —Betty Ann Morgan, Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Fresh Corn & Potato ChowderThis corn chowder recipe was one of my favorites as a child in upstate New York, and I still love it today. For extra depth, place the spent cob in the soup, simmer, then remove. —Tracy Bivins, Knob Noster, Missouri
Chicken, Asparagus & Corn ChowderChicken and asparagus make a light, comforting soup that’s easy to do with common ingredients. If we have rotisserie chicken, it goes into this soup. —Jennifer Vo, Irvine, California
Potato Bacon ChowderThis chowder is like a bacon-topped baked potato in a bowl. On cold winter days, my family is thrilled to see this meal on the table.—Jacque Manning, Burbank, South Dakota
Ham & Potato-Rutabaga ChowderThe ingredients in this dish are a nod to my mother's tasty potato and rutabaga side dish, which was always paired with baked country ham; dishes she served during the cold months when I was a child. Whenever I make this chowder it brings me back to a time when life was just a little bit simpler. —Cheryl Perry, Hertford, North Carolina
Bacon-Cheeseburger ChowderThe taste of a good bacon cheeseburger is hard to beat until you try this cheeseburger chowder! It's hearty, convenient and family-friendly. —Kristin Stone, Little Elm, Texas
Originally Published: February 05, 2021
