The Broken Scale · Good food. Plenty of personality.
Shrimp Chowder
Tender shrimp and red-skinned potatoes fill this creamy chowder, with bacon and onion adding savory flavor. A little tomato paste and fresh basil finish the bowl.
- Prep
- 15 minutes
- Cook
- 30 minutes
- Total
- 45 minutes
- Serves
- 4 servings
Add shrimp after the potatoes are tender
Small, evenly cut potato pieces cook more predictably. Keep the creamy broth at a gentle simmer, then add the shrimp for the final few minutes so they stay tender.
Adapted from Food Network Kitchen.
The full recipe
Shrimp Chowder
A creamy shrimp and potato chowder with bacon, onion, a little tomato paste, and fresh basil.
Ingredients
2 Slices Bacon chopped- 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil plus a little extra to finish, optional
- 1 small Yellow Onion chopped
- 1 tsp Tomato Paste
- 3 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour
- 3 Cups Chicken Broth low Sodium
- 2 Cups Half and Half
- 1 lb Red Skinned Potatoes cut into even 1/2-inch pieces
- 12 oz Medium Shrimp raw, peeled, deveined, tails removed; thawed if frozen
- ½ Cup Fresh Basil Loosely packed and torn into pieces
- 1 pinch Kosher Salt to taste
- 1 pinch Ground Black Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook chopped bacon in a heavy 4-quart pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes or until crisp. Add olive oil and onion and cook about 3–5 minutes, until softened.
- Stir in tomato paste for about 30 seconds. Sprinkle flour over the onion and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in broth, scraping the bottom, then stir in half-and-half until smooth.
- Add potato pieces and a little salt and pepper. Bring just to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and partially cover. Cook about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Avoid a hard boil and allow longer if the pieces are larger.
- Gently stir in raw shrimp and simmer about 3–4 minutes, until opaque throughout. Check early so they do not overcook. If the chowder is too thick, stir in a little water. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- Ladle into four bowls and finish with torn basil, pepper, and an optional small drizzle of olive oil. Serve hot.
Notes
Cut potatoes evenly so they cook at the same rate, and make sure they are tender before adding shrimp. Keep the dairy broth at a gentle simmer and stir along the bottom to prevent scorching. Shrimp cook quickly; remove the pot from heat once they are opaque.
