Easy Clam Chowder
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our privacy policy for details.
Clam chowder is easier (and much better) to make right at home! So unbelievably creamy, flavorful and chockfull of clams!
Featured Comment
why i love homemade clam chowder
- Cozy soup season vibes, perfect for fall and blustery winter nights
- Restaurant-quality, if not even better
- Pantry-friendly recipe using canned clams (more on that below)
- Quick, weeknight hero made in 30 min or less
new england clam chowder vs. manhattan clam chowder
New England Clam Chowder
New England is a thick and creamy white soup, typically made with milk or cream.
Manhattan Clam Chowder
Manhattan is a tomato-rich red soup without milk or cream, and typically includes more vegetables than New England.
why use canned clams in clam chowder
- Convenience
- Budget-friendly and economical
- Extra flavor, especially when using the juices
- Abundance of clams
which potatoes are best for clam chowder
A lot of recipes recommend waxy potatoes such as Yukon gold or baby red potatoes because they will hold up well in soups. Instead, I opted for russet potatoes here – they are naturally very starchy, ideal for creating a thicker, chowder-like consistency.
tips and tricks for success
- Use the reserved juices. The juices from the canned clams add all the extra, deep clam flavor.
- Simmer, simmer, simmer. The longer it simmers, the more it thickens, making it perfect to cook until the desired consistency is reached.
- Make it clammier. For those wanting extra clam flavor, add an additional can of chopped clams.
- Serve with crusty bread. Serve with all the homemade crusty bread for dipping, sopping and dunking!
what to serve with clam chowder
Tools For This Recipe
Dutch oven
Easy Clam Chowder: Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Substitute 1 – 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh clams along with bottled clam juice to replace the juice from the can. Chopped fresh clams will need additional cook time to cook through.
Yes! Always thaw properly, adding at the end of cooking as they are already precooked.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
We do not recommend freezing this as cream-based soups tend to separate when frozen.
Easy Clam Chowder
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, diced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, diced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 2 (6.5-ounce) cans chopped clams, juices reserved
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 cup half and half*
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Equipment
Instructions
- Heat a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving 1 tablespoon excess fat in the stockpot.
- Melt butter in the stockpot. Add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, vegetable stock, clam juice and bay leaf, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in potatoes.
- Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 12-15 minutes.*
- Stir in half and half and clams until heated through, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. If the soup is too thick, add more half and half as needed until desired consistency is reached.
- Serve immediately, garnished with bacon and parsley, if desired.
Video
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!
This recipe is damn delicious indeed! I had to make some omissions for dietary needs, but it turned out great. I also used seafood stock instead of chicken or veggie and I think that made a huge difference. It had such a great seafood flavor.
It’s definitely not 6 servings though, I only got 3 servings out of it. It could be 6 servings as an appetizer maybe?
For anyone with intolerance of onions and/or garlic — this recipe is delicious even without!
I live at the beach and we dig razor clams so I was a little skeptical about using canned clams but they were great! I didn’t use milk, (didn’t have any) so I subbed 1/2&1/2. I only had one potatoe so I added some cauliflower. Replaced water with clam juice. This recipe is simple, quick and absolutely wonderful. Thank you so much for such a simple recipe. Normally I have to get the meat grinder out and grind clams.. its a messy job that I dread. I will make this recipe over and over, my grown sons will love it too. Thank you for the simplicity.
The best
How many ounces does this recipe make and how many ounces is each serving?
can I use jarred refrigerated clams instead of canned clams and if so, what is the measurement exchange
How would you make this Clam Chowder recipe gluten free? Thanks.
Hi, I absolutely love all of your recipes! This looks fabulous, but I have a question: Since one of my family members is a pescatarian, can you recommend a substitute for the bacon? Or do you think it will taste “almost” as good omitting it in my case? Thank you in advance for responding!!
When my dad makea clam chowder he never adds bacon, cause he hates it. So i beleive this recipe should be fine without
Try diced ham as a substitute!
how is ham a pescatarian substitute?
So good and soo easy! I make this often for my husband who is from the Cape area to he’s super picky about his clam chowder. He loves this recipe too!
Great recipe. To thicken it, I puréed a few of the potatoes from the chowder and added them back in.
Perfection!
This recipe was awesome, I didn’t even screw it up.
Delicious just as written but for a lower calorie alternative I use half frozen cauliflower and half white potatoes. Cauliflower is as nutritious as a green vegetable and once it’s soaked in this creamy broth is a sneaky way to add good nutrition.
Enjoy
Delicious recipe! A few alterations: I omitted the garlic since my husband is not a fan. I used a bottle of claim juice instead of vegetable stock and I used 3 cans of clams: 2 cans of chopped and 1 can of whole clams with bellies. We both loved it.
Wow! This chowder was Damn Delicious, indeed! This will now be my go-to Clam Chowder recipe. I followed the recipe exactly, and the texture and consistency was perfect.
Made a double batch for 12 on a family trip to the coast. The soup was delicious and everyone loved it, even the picky teenager. Only had chicken stock so subbed that for vegetable stock, otherwise followed the recipe pretty exactly.
I made this last night. Flavor was excellent. I was out of thyme, so I subbed Italian herb mix. There was a glaring issue (not a fault of the recipe) that could have been easily corrected. The particular canned clams (from gourmet grocery) had a fair amount of sand particles. I had a granule in nearly every bite. Next time I will use a coffee filter to strain the juice and rinse the clams well in a sieve.
Very yummy!
I made this for a family birthday get together tonight. Rave reviews. This is probably the 20th time I’ve made this chowder, and it’s consistently wonderful. I like to tweek it on occasion, like tonight I added celery. I also like to add clam juice to make it extra flavorful. Definitely my go-to recipe!!!
Double the base and add 1 Can chopped clam meat plus 1 can crab meat , and shrimp for a rich seafood stew.
This is very good. I used clam juice instead of the broth for added flavor.I didn’t want to mess with ingredients the first time, but I will try to double it next time. Comments regarding portions are correct. If it’s meant to be main course, need to make more.