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!
Soup season has come and gone, but a bowl of clam chowder can really be eaten in any kind of weather, especially when it comes to the homemade version.
If you didn’t know, clam chowder is actually a very simple soup to prepare with a few pantry ingredients. Now some recipes call for fresh clams but I actually prefer to use canned clams for several different reasons.
1. It’s certainly easier – all you have to do is open up the can. Done.
2. It’s budget-friendly at $2.99 per can versus $9.99 per pound.
3. Last but not least, it brings in a lot more flavor when you use both the canned clams and juices, not to mention the abundance of clams as well, something you don’t really get when you order out.
Now what I love about this recipe is that you have absolute complete control over the creaminess of the soup. You can make it as thick as you’d like, or a little bit runny if that’s how you prefer your soup. Just be sure to have those oyster crackers ready to go because this soup is guaranteed to disappear from your dinner table!
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
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.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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I made it, so delicious and so easy! I love that you can take control of the creaminess, the amount of vegetable and clam. I didn’t have bacon so I skipped, and I only have frozen clam meat, still so good but I’m sure using bacon and canned clam would be even better! I also added carrot for the vegetable, maybe I’d also include celery next time.
The recipe
This was so easy and fun to make. I followed it exactly as written and it was incredibly delicious. Even my picky toddlers gobbled it up! I will definitely make it again and again! Thanks for sharing!
Very good, just not sure why the recipe says to reserve 1 tablespoon excess fat from the bacon ?
This turned out AMAZING. For those of you looking for a good clam chowder that you can convert to dairy-free, this is a winner. We used Ripple Milk (made from peas), Original Unsweetened flavor, and I used Thai Kitchen Coconut Milk instead of half and half, and it was delicious. We couldn’t taste the coconut milk at all, and everyone raved about it. I made this in an Instant Pot, and after sauteeing onions and celery, I added in the thyme (plus some red pepper flakes), salt and pepper, and flour… stirred for one minute… then added broth and Ripple milk, then the potatoes, and set it to cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Then I released the pressure and added in the clams and coconut milk (and Hormel’s Real Bacon Pieces) and stirred. Then served. It was PERFECT. Thanks for an amazing recipe!
Amazing! I ended up with adding smoked trout and scallops instead of potatoes and clams, my potatos had gone bad and due to enlglish not being my first language I thought I was supposed to use scallops. Anyway, the recipe is really good, thankyou! Even tho it didnt turn out like it was supposed to, the soup taste amazing and can’t wait to try it again with the right ingredients
Easy to make, heavenly to eat, Thank You
What am I doing with that 1 tbsp reserved bacon fat???
Just a note, leave the table spoon of bacon grease in the pot and add the butter
Almost the same as one I make. I use corn starch instead of flour, I find flour makes cream soup taste chalky. I add it with the half and half. I also add a cup of kernel corn, sweeter the better.
Very good recipe.
This is my go to recipe! It’s really delicious, thank you so much for sharing it! (Sometimes if I have a bottle of clam juice or seafood stock, I use that instead of the veggie broth.)
Shhhhh….I also add 1/4 cup sherry.
I added celery and carrots to the onions and it was delicious! My spouse said I should sell bowls of it. Will definitely make again.
This is so quick to make but really flavorful. My granddaughter loved it!
So good! I added carrots and celery to the garlic and onions for extra texture and flavor. I doubled the recipe anf it was the right amount for my family of six.
It was quite tasty. I added celery and carrots. One suggestion I would make for this posting: Rinse your claims after draining the juice to remove sand. Mine was full of sand and made things quite crunchy, and not in a good way. I didn’t know to rinse them. 🙁
Otherwise, great flavor!
I made this today, with just a couple of embellishments.
I added a small amount of wasabi, maybe half a teaspoon, and also a couple of slops of Clamato juice just for the hell of it.
I will definitely bookmark this recipe!
This receipt was great! . I added more potatoes and more liquid , I think maybe next time more garlic less thyme and maybe heavy cream.
It really was so easy to make 🙂
First time I’ve tried to make clam chowder, couldn’t believe how easy and yummy it was. I added celery after the onion browned and added some cayenne after the stock simmered. Total hit with the fam, and will def make again. Thank you for the recipe!.
Thanks so much for this recipe. My family has been enjoying it for a few years now!
So tasty! Elevated flavors yet homey and comforting! And easy to make! Will definitely stay in my recipe stack, thanks! Used smoked ham, added a little sliced celery and used baby clams.
Fabulous! Rich and thick
Outstanding and easy. Made as written. My family loves clam chowder and this disappeared faster than most things I make for dinner. Double the recipe. Trust me 🙂
Thank you!
This soup was delicious! The first time I made it I didn’t have vegetable stock so I used chicken. The second time I used bottled clam juice. Both times I doubled the recipe and I also used fat free half and half instead of the milk and half and half. Didn’t miss the fat because the flavor was excellent! Thanks!