Name: Corned Beef and Cabbage Chowder
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 large yellow onions (peeled and diced); 3 medium carrots (peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices); 3 cups gold potatoes (peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes); 1 teaspoon salt; 26 ounces beef broth; 1/4 cup butter; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 2 cups 2% milk ((or whole milk)); 3 cups cooked corned beef (diced); Salt and pepper (to taste); 2 cups Dubliner cheese (shredded); 1/4 head green cabbage (shredded)

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Corned Beef and Cabbage Chowder is a delicious dinner full of flavor! It’s perfect for a cozy winter meal or a St. Patrick’s Day feast!

Filled with tender meat and potatoes, hearty cabbage, sweet carrots, and onions, this warm and inviting Corned Beef and Cabbage Chowder is an irresistible Irish stew! The nostalgic flavors of farm-fresh winter veggies meld with the corned beef spices for a fantastic chunky soup even your little ones will love!

bowl of corned beef and cabbage chowder with recipe name at the bottom

So Many Ways to Cook Corned Beef Chowder!

This traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage Chowder is so easy to make! Just 5 minutes of prep work (mostly to make the creamy base) and it’s ready to cook!

I make this chowder recipe in a big soup pot on the stovetop—it cooks in just over half an hour and makes the house smell fantastic! But this chowder can also be made in a roasting pan in the oven or slow-simmered in the crock pot with the same mouthwatering results! Add the cabbage toward the end of the cooking time so it doesn’t get mushy.

Other Recipes to Serve with Corned Beef & Cabbage

I always recommend this Beer Bread for St. Patrick’s Day or with any Irish recipe – it’s just perfect!
Take the Beer Bread concept further for these savory Bacon and Beer Bread Drop Biscuits! SO GOOD!

Ingredients

Meat: Diced, cooked corned beef! If you have leftovers, they will work great in this soup, but don’t be tempted to use canned corned beef – it’s mushy and won’t work well for this recipe.

Veggies: The first vegetables to go into this chowder are fresh or frozen diced carrots, cubed potatoes, and one large chopped onion. In the final step, you will need about a quarter-head of shredded cabbage.

Broth/Base: This chowder recipe starts with a creamy base using butter, flour, milk and beef broth. You will also need a tablespoon of olive oil to start.

Seasoning: A little salt & pepper is all you need. The flavors of the corned beef and onion shine in this recipe!

How to Make Corned Beef and Cabbage Chowder

STEP ONE: Heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium in a large soup pot. Add in the diced onion, carrots and potatoes. Stir in the salt and the beef broth. Cover and bring to a simmer.

beef broth being poured into a pot with diced onion, potatoes, and carrot slices

STEP TWO: Melt the butter in a small saucepan on medium heat. Whisk in the flour and stir for a full minute to cook the flour. Add the milk to the roux and keep whisking over medium-low heat until the white sauce becomes thick and creamy.

STEP THREE: Stir the white sauce into the beef broth. Add the corned beef and simmer for 15 minutes.

white sauce added to a pot with beef broth and veggies

STEP FOUR: Stir in the shredded Dubliner cheese and the cabbage. Cover for 3-5 minutes, just long enough for the cabbage to become tender but not so long that it gets mushy.

corned beef and green cabbage added to a pot of chowder

STEP FIVE: Spoon into big bowls and serve with thick slices of beer bread!

post of corned beef and cabbage chowder with a ladle

Tips for Success

Dubliner cheese is perfect for this chowder, but Gouda or sharp cheddar will work well if you need a substitute!
Add the cabbage during the last bit of cooking time. It only needs to cook long enough to wilt and make it tender.
This recipe is a perfect way to use your St. Patrick’s Day leftovers!
If you’ve bought a pre-seasoned corned beef, rinse it well before using it. Otherwise, it will be WAY too salty.
To kick up this chowder with a little spice or added flavor, try minced green bell peppers or fresh dill.

ladleful of corned beef and cabbage chowder over the pot

Is There a Difference Between Chowder and Stew?

A couple of features distinguish the difference between stew and chowder. Stew has bite-sized pieces and a simple, thin broth base, like chicken or beef stock. On the other hand, Chowder has big, chunky bites of meat and veggies in a creamy, thick stock made of milk, cream, or butter.

bowl of corned beef and cabbage chowder with a spoon next to bread and butter

What Gives Corned Beef its Distinctive Taste?

Corned beef is a “pickled” brisket. The meat is soaked in brine (salt water), and the pickling or “corning” spices are a blend of black peppercorns, bay leaves, mustard seeds, juniper berries, and whole cloves. Sometimes, other spices like allspice, garlic, coriander, and paprika are used. This combination of so many different flavors and seasonings gives corned beef its unique taste!

spoonful of corned beef and cabbage chowder over the bowl

Other Delicious Corned Beef Dinners!

*This post was originally posted on 03/17/2014.