Recipe Background
3-Onion Chowder is a delightfully savory and sweet creamy soup with plenty of onion flavor to love! Chunks of tender potatoes and bites of salty, succulent pancetta make this soup wonderfully hearty and enticing. Topped with herb oyster crackers for a crunchy contrast, 3-Onion Chowder is a bowl of wintertime happiness!
3-Onion Chowder is a delightfully savory and sweet creamy soup with plenty of onion flavor to love! Chunks of tender potatoes and bites of salty, succulent pancetta make this soup wonderfully hearty and enticing. Topped with herb oyster crackers for a crunchy contrast, 3-Onion Chowder is a bowl of wintertime happiness!
Ingredients
For the soup:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 ounces pancetta diced 1/4-inch-thick
- 2 cups yellow onions sliced very thinly
- 4 shallots sliced very thinly
- 1/3 cup celery diced 1/4-inch-thick
- 2 leeks thoroughly rinsed, white parts only, sliced into half-moons
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 3 russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon Italian parsley minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives chopped
For the herb oyster crackers:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup oyster crackers
- fine sea salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon Italian parsley minced
Directions
- In a 3-quart Dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of the butter and the pancetta and cook, while stirring, until some of the fat has been rendered from the pancetta, about 3 minutes.
- Add the onions, the shallots, and the celery to the pancetta and cook, while stirring, until the onions are just golden, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the leeks, the garlic, and the thyme to the onion mixture and cook, while stirring, until the leeks are just softened, about 3 minutes.
- Add the bay leaf and the chicken stock and stir to combine.
- Bring the soup mixture to a boil.
- Add the half-and-half and the potatoes to the soup mixture and bring the soup back to a boil.
- Immediately turn off the heat and cover the pot.
- Allow the soup mixture to rest, about 30 minutes.
- When ready to serve, reheat the soup, but do not let it boil.
- Check the potatoes for doneness. If they need more cooking, cook the soup mixture on low heat until they are fork-tender, about 15 minutes.
- Taste the soup mixture for seasoning and add the salt and the black pepper.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the parsley and the chives to the soup mixture and stir to combine.
- Keep the soup warm.
- In a small sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt the remaining butter until it has stopped bubbling, but is not brown.
- Add the oyster crackers to the melted butter and toss to coat.
- Season the crackers with the salt and the black pepper.
- Add the remaining parsley to the seasoned crackers and toss gently to coat.
- Transfer the herb oyster crackers to a baking sheet to cool.
- Serve the soup with the herb oyster crackers.
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