Easy Clam Chowder
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Clam chowder is easier to make than you think – and the homemade version is unbelievably creamy, flavorful and chockfull of clams!
Featured Comment
why i love homemade clam chowder
- Cozy soup season vibes, perfect for fall and blistery 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 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?
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I need to make chowder for 18 people. Can I just triple this recipe? any modifications to spices?
Very quick and easy recipe. Also very delicious. I followed the recipe as written but added a dash Worcestershire sauce and a little extra broth. Thanks for the great recipe.
Absolutely delicious.. I used pork salts and bacon fat. Very rich and creamy.
Good but one onion is wayyyy to much. Otherwise texture is spot on.
Absolutely delicious! I’ve tried other recipes but this one hits the spot! The only thing I changed was I used chicken stock instead of vegetable, and I cooked the bacon with the soup rather than using it as a garnish
Best clam chowder recipe! Better then a certain restaurant here in the great PNW. It’s a keeper.
Forgot to mention, my daughter substituted Better Than Garlic roasted garlic base for the veggie broth. So good!
Very good!
So good. I also added scallops, shrimp, and crab to make it a seafood chowder. And then deliciously top it off with Frank’s :p
I made this recipe. Added fresh chucked shrimp, corn, extra bacon
This is a very delicious recipe, but I have a suggestion to make it much easier. Don’t add the flour until after the potatoes are cooked, and then just add a simple roux. I dissolved 2 tablespoons of Wondra flour in a little water and then added that to the soup at the very end. It turned out just as delicious as always. I didn’t like standing over a hot stove stirring it constantly until the potatoes were cooked to prevent sticking. It’s hot here in southern AZ!
Don’t you want the flour to be cooked, or not?
Wondra is pre cooked
Your tone seemed a bit snippy there, so try to be sure we post in as friendly of a manner as possible, as I’m sure you were trying only to be helpful, eh? 🙂
This is a good tip flour will be cooked as long as it’s bubbling for a couple of minutes
This was really good and very easy to make. I ended up using some additional broth because it was creamier than I like. The flavor was outstanding. Both of my young children loved it.
I made the clam chowder tonight.(my first time) it came out good. Thanks for the recipe.
This was delicious. I would recommend doubling if you have a large family or want leftovers. I did substitute clam juice for the vegetable broth.
Came out amazing! Substituted chicken stock for veggie stock and used twice as much. This is my new go to clam chowder recipe.
I made this last night, exactly as it is written and it was fantastic! Can’t wait to make it again, thanks!
This was my second time ever making chowder and it was delicious! It was so easy to make, even for a novice, and still one of the best chowders I’ve ever had. I substituted bacon grease in for the vegetable stock because I’m a glutton. Also, I really love that it had crispy bacon bits as a garnish instead of adding it directly to the chowder. This gives it an added element of texture and a more intense flavour. Thanks for sharing your amazing recipe!
Thank you. This was a real good and easy to make.
Lovely taste to this! I made one addition at the very end- a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to offset the sweetness of the onions. Completely gave it depth and we ate the entire batch of soup in a day!!
Oh, this was so easy and so delicious. I followed the recipe exactly as written. My family loved it!!
I just made this recipe and it is everything I wanted and more. I was craving my Grandmother’s clam chowder, but nothing I found could compare, until I made your recipe! I love this soup and it is such a crowd pleaser; everyone loves it! Thank you for sharing this and helping me get over my fear of making chowder! I did add some corn, but otherwise, it was all you!
Great reference fir build your own chowder