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Bowl of Nova Scotia seafood chowder with shrimp, scallops, and fish in creamy broth

Easy Nova Scotia Seafood Chowder Recipe | Creamy Atlantic Coast Comfort Food

Creamy, hearty, and brimming with fresh Atlantic flavors — this Nova Scotia Seafood Chowder is a classic East Coast dish. Packed with tender shrimp, scallops, clams, and flaky fish in a rich cream base, it’s a comforting recipe that celebrates the best of coastal cuisine.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main Dish, Starter (for festive meals)
Cuisine Canadian (Maritime), Comfort Food
Servings 6
Calories 420 kcal

Equipment

  • Large soup pot or Dutch oven
  • Cutting board & sharp knife
  • Ladle
  • Wooden spoon
  • Measuring cups & spoons

Ingredients
  

Seafood:

  • 1 lobster tail, chopped
  • 8 scallops
  • 8 shrimp, peeled & deveined
  • 1 fillet haddock (6 oz), cubed
  • 1 fillet cod (6 oz), cubed
  • ½ cup clams (fresh or canned)
  • Optional: ½ cup crab meat

Vegetables:

  • 2 medium potatoes, diced
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 onion, chopped

Base:

  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp flour (optional, for thickening)
  • 2 cups seafood or chicken stock
  • 2 cups cream or milk

Seasonings:

  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ tsp thyme
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp parsley, chopped

Optional accents:

  • 2 slices bacon, diced
  • ¼ cup white wine
  • ½ tsp dill

Instructions
 

  • Prep seafood: Clean, shell, and cut seafood into bite-sized pieces.
  • Cook aromatics: Melt butter in a large pot. Sauté onion, celery, and carrot until softened.
  • Add potatoes: Stir in diced potatoes. Add stock and simmer until tender.
  • Build broth: Stir in cream or milk. Add bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper. Simmer gently.
  • Add seafood: Begin with firm fish (haddock, cod). Once nearly cooked, add lobster, clams, shrimp, and scallops. Simmer gently until just cooked through.
  • Finish: Remove bay leaf. Garnish with parsley. Serve hot with crusty bread or biscuits.

Notes

  • Make-ahead: Store chowder base up to 3 days; add fresh seafood when reheating.
  • Storage: Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days.
  • Reheating: Warm gently on stovetop; avoid boiling.
  • Freezing: Freeze base without seafood; add fresh seafood later.
  • Common mistakes: Overcooking seafood, adding all seafood at once, making chowder too thick, overseasoning.
  • Customization: Dairy-free with coconut milk, smoky with bacon, spicy with paprika or cayenne.
Keyword creamy soup, lobster, Nova Scotia, scallops, Seafood chowder, shrimp