This dairy-free rainbow trout chowder is light, but filling. With added corn and potatoes. Perfect for Summer soup enjoyment!

rainbow trout chowder in bowl

This trout chowder is a great way to cook with fresh corn, before it disappears for another year. It’s also one-pan easy, so I can still spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying that nice weather.

My Fresh Summer Corn Chowder uses no cream or dairy. Not that I have anything against cream ;) I just didn’t think it needed it. I was in the mood to have the flavours of fresh corn and basil shine through. Besides, the broth does inherit a bit of thickness from the addition of potatoes and I found it just enough for this time of year. If you’d like yours a little thicker or creamier, check out the Cook’s Notes below for some ideas.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Rainbow Trout – I opted for lovely fresh rainbow trout here. I love trout as a delicious (and more economical!) alternative to salmon. That said, you could use salmon fillets in exactly the same way. You can also use frozen rainbow trout or salmon.

Corn – summer fresh corn from the cob is a treat in this chowder, but in a pinch, frozen corn is fine.

Potatoes – baking (Russet) potatoes will perform best in this soup. They soften well and add some starchy thickness to the soup.

Cook’s Notes

There is absolutely no reason you can’t add a splash of cream at the end of cooking this one, if you’d like a creamy chowder.

You can still skip the cream and thicken this soup by pureeing a bit of the soup and adding it back in.

Using a pot with a glass lid makes it super easy to see when the fish is cooked. You can just watch it change colour as it cooks, without having to lift the lid.

Fresh Summer Corn Chowder with Trout - a dairy free corn chowder recipe!

rainbow trout chowder in bowl

Get the Recipe: Rainbow Trout Chowder

A delicious dairy-free rainbow trout chowder, with fresh corn, potatoes and basil. You can use salmon instead of trout, if you prefer. 
5 stars from 3 ratings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 2 people

Ingredients

  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • 1/3 cup red or yellow onion, finely diced
  • 1 Tablespoon flour
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cups potatoes, 1/2-inch dice, baking potatoes recommended
  • 1 1/2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
  • 1 rainbow trout fillet, skin removed and cut in to 1 inch pieces (or salmon)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

For garnish:

  • Fresh basil, chopped
  • Fresh corn kernel strips, optional

Instructions
 

  • In a Dutch oven or large pot (or deep skillet), melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened. Add flour and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Add chicken broth and potatoes. Increase heat to medium high and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, uncovered, stirring once or twice, for about 5 minutes. Add corn kernels and simmer, until potatoes are just tender.
  • When potatoes are tender, place trout pieces on top of chowder. Cover and cook until fish is just cooked, about 3-5 minutes, depending on thickness.
  • Taste and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon in to bowls. Garnish with chopped fresh basil and additional fresh corn kernels.

Notes

Note: If you would like a creamier soup, you can add a touch of cream at the end. For a thicker soup, remove a bit of the soup, puree and add back in.
Be sure to read the "Cook's Notes" in the original post, for more tips, options, substitutions and variations for this recipe!
Cuisine: American, Canadian
Course: Soup
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 289kcal, Carbohydrates: 43g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 2g, Sodium: 891mg, Potassium: 1065mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 215IU, Vitamin C: 40.8mg, Calcium: 58mg, Iron: 5.4mg
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