• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Kelly Neil

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Recipes
  • Portfolio
    • Horizontal Portfolio
    • Vertical Portfolio
  • Work With Me
  • Contact
Home » Blog » Soups & Stews » Cape Breton Seafood Chowder

Cape Breton Seafood Chowder

February 2, 2015 By Kelly 9 Comments

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Pin
  • Email

When I saw Cabot Links’ Cape Breton Seafood Chowder recipe I knew I wanted to try it. Being from the East Coast of Canada, this may sound like an anomaly, but I didn’t really eat seafood until I was in my 30s. Combined with a scallop allergy this means not only had I never made seafood chowder, but I’d never eaten it either. I asked Cabot Links if I could share their seafood chowder recipe and they graciously said yes. I substituted shrimp for scallops, and doubled the lobster.

This post was first published February 2, 2015 and was last updated September 5, 2019.

A close-up shot of Cape Breton seafood chowder.

What Makes A Great Cape Breton Seafood Chowder Recipe?

My partner Chris Harper is from Inverness, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Inverness is a former coal mining town, and these days it’s recognized as a summer golf and beach destination. Despite the closing of the coal mine many years ago one thing remains constant in Inverness – lobster fishing. If you do make this seafood chowder recipe I would recommend at least doubling the lobster, and if you can buy your lobster straight from the fishermen at the dock in Inverness like we do, well even better. In my opinion, fresh, rich lobster meat, cooked in ocean water, is the key to a great seafood chowder!

Ideas To Take Your Seafood Chowder To The Next Level:

  • Use a rich chicken or seafood stock as the base of your chowder instead of water.
  • Add shrimp. Simply remove the shells and devein 1/4 pound of fresh or thawed shrimp. Add them to your chowder when you add the scallops.
  • Use thick cut double smoked bacon. You can sometimes get this from your local butcher or specialty shop!
  • Nova Scotia seafood chowder is best served with homemade rolls or tea biscuits! You can find my Nanny’s easy cheese tea biscuits recipe here.

Pin This Recipe For Later:

A bowl of Nova Scotia seafood chowder.

Looking For More Soup Recipes? Try:

Grilled Corn Soup With Bacon

Easy Minestrone Soup With Chickpeas And Rice

Tom Yum Soup With Chimichurri Marinated Shrimp

A close-up shot of Cape Breton seafood chowder.
Print Recipe
5 from 6 votes

Cape Breton Seafood Chowder

A hearty, rich Cape Breton seafood chowder recipe from Inverness' Cabot Links. Recipe shared with permission.
Course: Lunch, Soup
Cuisine: Canadian
Keyword: seafood chowder, Nova Scotia seafood chowder, Cape Breton seafood chowder
Author: Cabot Links

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 cups water
  • 1 1/2 cups potatoes peeled, diced
  • 1/2 cup leeks cleaned, diced
  • 1/4 cup carrots peeled, diced
  • 1/4 cup celery diced
  • 1/4 pound scallops
  • 1/2 pound haddock cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1/6 pound lobster cooked or uncooked
  • 1/2 cup cooked crumbled bacon
  • 3 cups heavy cream
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Place water, potatoes, leeks, carrots and celery in a large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 15-20 minutes until vegetables are tender.
  • Add scallops and simmer 5 minutes.
  • Add haddock and, if using uncooked lobster, add it here. Simmer 5 minutes.
  • If using cooked lobster add it here with the bacon and cream. Simmer 10 minutes.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Did you make this recipe? I would love to see how you made out! Let me know on Instagram by tagging me  @baconandbaileys and hashtag it #baconandbaileys so I can take a peek and re-share it in my Instagram stories! You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Pin
  • Email

Filed Under: Soups & Stews Tagged With: bacon, Cape Breton, chowder, haddock, heavy cream, lobster, Nova Scotia, scallops, seafood

You Might Also Like:

A small bowl of Whipped Brown Butter Spread With Cardamom And Vanilla.

Whipped Brown Butter Spread With Cardamom And Vanilla

Toffee Apple Upside Down Cake With Chai Spices with slices removed on plates.

Toffee Apple Upside Down Cake With Chai Spices

A pie crust filled with roasted butternut squash pie filling.

Roasted Butternut Squash Pie Filling

Previous Post: « Homemade French Meringues
Next Post: Lobster Risotto »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ayngelina

    September 17, 2019 at 12:57 pm

    5 stars
    People come to Nova Scotia for lobster, but there’s nothing more typical than chowder.

    Reply
  2. Leanne

    September 17, 2019 at 5:13 pm

    5 stars
    I love a good seafood chowder!! I’m not able to tolerate a lot of dairy, but it’s worth it when seafood is involved! And I’m like you Kelly. Living in Newfoundland, I was exposed to seafood all my life, but really only started enjoying and appreciating it as an adult! I’d love a huge bowl of this chowder right now!

    Reply
  3. Bernice Hill

    September 17, 2019 at 5:14 pm

    5 stars
    ahhh I’m just dying over this chowder….oh how I would love a bowl. One of these days, I just have to head to the East coast and eat my fill of lobster. Especially if you say boiling the lobster in brine is the best, can’t get that here in Alberta.

    Reply
  4. Colleen

    September 17, 2019 at 8:12 pm

    5 stars
    Being a westcoaster, I am a huge fan of seafood chowders. Lobster is usually pretty expensive here, but this chowder will be worth every penny spent. It looks absolutely delicious!

    Reply
  5. Matt - Total Feasts

    September 21, 2019 at 3:58 pm

    5 stars
    Oh you know I just cannot resist commenting on any recipe remotely connected to my beloved NS! I do love a good seafood chowder, and this recipe looks great Kelly!

    Reply
  6. Terri

    September 23, 2019 at 9:28 am

    5 stars
    I can’t believe that you didn’t eat seafood until your 30’s!? Believe me, I’d be eating so much more if I wasn’t land-locked. I can’t wait to try this when I can get my hands on some decent seafood!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Soul Warming Homemade Soups for Fall + Winter - Piper Cooks says:
    September 30, 2019 at 12:05 pm

    […] and rich, this Cape Breton Seafood Chowder is stuffed with bacon, shrimp, scallops, and potatoes. By Kelly […]

    Reply
  2. 25 Best Ever Seafood Chowder Types – Simply Cook says:
    November 15, 2019 at 1:05 am

    […] Full recipe here. […]

    Reply
  3. 25 Best Ever Seafood Chowder Types - Best Recipes Ideas For Your Inspiration says:
    December 2, 2019 at 11:26 pm

    […] Full recipe here. […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Hi! I’m Kelly Neil.

I'm a food photographer, recipe developer, and freelance writer based in my hometown of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada and I love to bake! If you love simple, classic baking recipes (with occasional healthy or savoury dishes thrown in for good measure) then you are in the right place. My blog is filled with my food photography, and easy comfort food recipes I love. To read more about me and to see who I've worked with check out my Work With Me page...

Follow Me On

Search for recipes

Fall Favourites!

Spicy apple galette with coffee glaze on a wooden table.

Spicy Apple Galette With Coffee Glaze

Mini pumpkin cranberry muffins on a marble board.

Mini Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins (dairy free)

A bowl of apple cider cornflake crisp.

Apple Cider Cornflake Crisp

Sign up for exclusive recipes and tips

Cold Weather Comfort

A hand reaching in to pick up a salt shaker to use on a bowl of minestrone soup.

Easy Minestrone Soup With Chickpeas And Rice (vegan)

Tom Yum Soup with Chimichurri-Marinated Shrimp, and Vegetables

A bowl of Dutch oven beef stew with summer savory.

Dutch Oven Beef Stew With Summer Savory

Copyright © 2019 · Foodie Pro Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in