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    Home » Recipes » Soups and Stews

    Sheepshead - A Very Fine Catch for Fish Chowder

    Recipes, Seafood/Fish, Soups and Stews

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    A seafood chowder that's easy to make and so creamy and tasty you'll think you're sipping on rich clam chowder. Spicy and hearty the fish chowder is one of our family's favorite. Have the fish soup for lunch in a large cup or a big bowl for dinner. You can make this ahead and it is so tasty that you'll want to serve it for company. #sheepsheadrecipe #fishchowder, #fishsoup #seafoodchowder

    Sheepshead Fish Chowder was the first recipe we posted on All Our Way. We thought it would be great to bring forward. It is a fantastic seafood chowder and very easy to make. With Fall fast approaching this is a hearty satisfying soup. Try it -- we guarantee you'll love it as much as we do.

    For this recipe, you will need fish fillets, chicken broth, clam juice, hot pepper flakes, red potatoes, leeks, celery, unsalted butter, flour whole milk, bay leaf, heavy cream, fresh dill, lemon juice, salt, pepper.

    A fisherman dressed in blue shirt and blue shorts holding a sheepshead which is a black and gray striped fish.
    Sheepshead Catch 
    Jump to:
    • A white fish for a delicious fish chowder
    • Fish chowder is just one soup in our roster
    • Recipe
    • Sheepshead (Fish) Chowder with Leeks, Fresh Dill and Lemon

    A white fish for a delicious fish chowder

    You might ask,"Sheepshead! What can I do with that funny looking fish that looks like a zebra?"

    There is quite a bit that can be done since it is a very mild, firm-fleshed fish. You can use it for:

    • a fish chowder.
    • bake it.
    • fry it.
    • use it for sashimi.
    Sheepshead Fish Chowder in a brown bowl with green dill garnishing the side and slices of baguette bread on the side of the bowl.
    Sheepshead Fish Chowder with Dill

    We decided to make a recipe for fish chowder but later we'll post the secret to frying the best, the crunchiest fish or chicken you ever ate.

    Yes, we're bragging! But it's THAT good!

    You will notice that in Italian cuisine they use lemon quite often. The reason is that Italians love the fresh taste and brightness the lemons give their food.

    Two brown bowls filled with sheepshead fish chowder with a green sprig of dill on the side of the front bowl, 4 baguette slices surround the bowls that are placed on a green dish towel.
    Sheepshead Fish Chowder with Lemon and Dill

    Fish chowder is just one soup in our roster

    We enjoy making soups. They are satisfying nourishing, and economical. You can take a piece of meat and add barley some liquid to it and you have an old-fashioned stick to the ribs Beef Barley soup.

    And if you don't have time you can purchase a rotisserie chicken and make soups in no time like Roasted Chicken with Vegetable Soup and Chicken Spinach Tortellini Soup.

    Don't let the list of ingredients of this seafood chowder scare you! The Sheepshead Fish Chowder goes quickly and it's a matter of just tossing them in. After all, the entire recipe takes 30 minutes.

    You can't go wrong with a spicy fish chowder!

    Next time try our Louisiana Seafood Gumbo Recipe made with Shrimp.

    If you like fish, check out these reader favorites

    Sea Trout Baked In Spicy Lemon Butter Sauce

    Southern Italian Grilled Tuna Steaks

    Baked Cod Puttanesca | Seafood With An Italian Spicy Sauce

    These are just a sampling of all the wonderful seafood recipes we have. Be sure to take a look!

    Tutti a tavola è pronto! 

    Collage of the sheepshead fish chowder in a brown bowl with a sprig of green dill on the side and baguette slices surround the bowl.

    Un caro saluto e alla prossima. YOU MAY NEED . . . The following are affiliate links. As An Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    This is the exact size Dutch Oven we use all the time. Its home is on our stove top. If we aren't making soup we're using it for some other dish. We'd be lost without it. We added some other items we used.

    Recipe

    Sheepshead (Fish) Chowder with Leeks, Fresh Dill and Lemon

    A wonderful tasty chowder made with a firm white fish - Sheepshead. It is seasoned with leeks, celery, dill and lemon
     
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 410kcal
    Author: All Our Way
    As An Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ pounds fresh sheepshead fillets or any firm-fleshed white fish
    • ½ cup chicken broth
    • 2 8- oz bottles clam juice
    • ½ teaspoon Italian hot pepper flakes
    • sea salt and pepper to taste
    • 2 small red potatoes diced in ½ inch pieces about 1 ½ cups ( no need to peel)
    • 2 medium leeks white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, rinsed well and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
    • 2 large ribs celery thinly sliced, about ¾ cup
    • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • ½ cup all purpose flour
    • 2 cups whole milk
    • 1 bay leaf
    • ½ cup heavy cream
    • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
    • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
    • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • ½ cup corn  (optional)

    Instructions

    • Cut fish into chunks and set aside.
    • In a large Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and celery, and cook stirring, until veggies are tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring for about 2 minutes. You don't want the "raw" taste of flour.
    • Slowly whisk in the milk, broth, clam juice, hot pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and bring to a simmer. Add the potatoes and bay leaf, simmer gently until the potatoes are tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. The last two minutes of simmering add the sheepshead and the corn.
    • Finally add the cream, dill, and lemon juice, and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with the sea salt and the freshly ground black pepper or additional red pepper flakes.

    Notes

    • Delicious served with crusty Artisan bread.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 410kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 377mg | Potassium: 945mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1283IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 152mg | Iron: 2mg

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      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Liz

        March 15, 2022 at 7:02 pm

        5 stars
        We have lots of frozen sheets that my husband and I caught. Just finished this chowder and it was amazingly delicious! Thank you for finding a different way to use our fish.

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          March 16, 2022 at 2:46 pm

          Hi Liz. !'m so glad you like the chowder recipe. We really enjoy the flavor and it is a good way to use up that fish in the freezer. Happy cooking. xoxo

          Reply
      2. Susie

        March 09, 2020 at 10:56 am

        Delicious, hearty and comforting! A HUGE plus to have Honey catch fresh seafood for recipes......Keep the fish coming for return trip home.....All good at our end.....keeping busy with family......Spring is here and we’re busy preparing yard for summer. Xoxo

        Reply
      3. Jovina Coughlin

        March 08, 2020 at 10:56 am

        Does that ever look good and I bet it tastes so delicious with all that fresh seafood.

        Reply
      4. Mahy Elamin

        August 21, 2018 at 12:59 pm

        5 stars
        Yum Yum Yum! This is absolutely fantastic! Looks so vibrant and lovely! I can't WAIT to try this! Thank you for this great recipe!

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          August 22, 2018 at 7:00 am

          My pleasure, Mahy! It is really a very tasty recipe.

          Reply
      5. Tammy

        August 21, 2018 at 11:29 am

        I've never had sheepshead before but the fresher the fish, the better the chowder and yours looks fantastic! What a comforting bowl 🙂

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          August 22, 2018 at 7:01 am

          Thank you, Tammy! You can use any mild firm flesh fish in the recipe. It will be very good.

          Reply
      6. Veena Azmanov

        August 21, 2018 at 8:00 am

        5 stars
        I love chowder but I must admit I have never had fish chowder. I'd had seafood - not really the same as fish, is it? You are so lucky to go fishing and catch such amazing fresh fish.

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          August 22, 2018 at 7:04 am

          You can make the fish chowder out of any mild firm-flesh fish, Veena. The chowder tastes like a light version of New England Clam Chowder.

          Reply
      7. Claudia Lamascolo

        August 20, 2018 at 7:27 pm

        5 stars
        oh how lucky to catch such a beautiful flaky white fish. We love this one, not easy to come across but if we ever catch one again this will be the first thing I make with it! awesome job!

        Reply
      8. Joanna @ Everyday Made Fresh

        August 20, 2018 at 2:54 pm

        I love seafood, but something I've never tried is a fish stew. This looks like it's loaded with flavor, and perfect for the upcoming fall/winter season.

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          August 22, 2018 at 7:10 am

          I hope you give it a try, Joanna! It's easy to make and so delicious!

          Reply
      9. Wajeeha

        August 20, 2018 at 1:30 pm

        This fish chowder looks so delicious and comforting...can't wait for the cooler weather to try this! 🙂

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          August 22, 2018 at 7:11 am

          Hi, Wajeeha! We too love the fall dishes.

          Reply
      10. Valerie

        August 20, 2018 at 10:38 am

        5 stars
        There's no wrong time of year for a bowl of good soup. Hubby's a fish person and I'm sure he'd be up for trying this.

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          August 22, 2018 at 7:12 am

          Hi, Valerie! If he doesn't get any fish -- just pick some up at the store. Get a mild firm-fleshed fish for the chowder.

          Reply
      11. swathi

        August 20, 2018 at 9:17 am

        5 stars
        Looks like filling rich and creamy fish chowder good to start as fall soup recipe. . I haven't tasted sheephead, I think I need to look for it.

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          August 22, 2018 at 7:12 am

          Hi, Swathi! I don't know if you'll find sheepshead in a store but you can substitute.

          Reply
      12. Ciao Chow Linda

        August 17, 2018 at 5:18 pm

        I never heard of or saw a sheepshead fish but that chowder sure looks good.

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          August 18, 2018 at 7:46 am

          Ciao, Linda! Sheepshead is popular on the Atlantic coast and Gulf. It's a mild fish - for the recipe you can use any firm white flesh fish. We love New England clam chowder but that's heavy on the cream -- we prefer this way. It's much lighter and still very tasty.

          Reply
      13. Gloria

        July 10, 2018 at 8:08 am

        5 stars
        See...now how I wish I lived closer to FRESH fish and seafood. I love clam chowder, and this version sounds delicious too. This is the perfect bowl of comfort food....and although I LOVE the summer...once the cold sets in...meals in bowls is where I turn.

        Reply

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      I’m Marisa Franca, a home chef, food writer, and photographer who believes that you can make gourmet quality food at home with simple seasonal ingredients. I’m passionate about family, food, friends, everything Italian, and happy endings.

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