Easy Clam Chowder
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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?
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I made this tonight. It was fantastic! I was generous with the bacon, because everything is better with lots of bacon!
Great recipe, but I decide to change a few things. It was my first time making a clam chowder and turned out awesome. My guy said it was awesome. I changed the process and added a few things. It was more of a reference. I used 4 red potatoes instead of russet, they tend to have more starch.
Why rate a recipe that you didn’t make? And maybe you don’t know that starchy potatoes are supposed to be used in creamy soups. The starch adds to the texture and deliciousness.
Just like you say ” Damndelecious ” !! Have made it 3-4 times !!!
can add canned chicken instead? I want to make this for the family, but my mom is allergic to shellfish.
My husband is also allergic, I made it with diced dark meat chicken. I cooked it in the pan before the bacon and poured it (with juices) into a bowl, then used it exactly as the recipe says. Turned out delicious. I’ve made it again since, but adding carrots, frozen corn, and celery with the potatoes. Also swapped in chicken broth, makes a fantastic chicken corn chowder.
This soup is delicious! This is the second time that I have made this in the last two weeks! It has so much flavor and makes the whole house smell wonderful. It is easy to make…even a beginner like me can do it. Thanks for sharing.
I made it! It was great! I added more bacon and used half in the soup and the remainder on top when I served it. You never said where to use the reserved bacon renderings? I guessed that’s it was added to the butter to cook the onion and garlic.
I’m trying to adjust this recipe for twenty. Help
Just multiply each ingredient by 3 to be easy .. or by 3.3 to be more exact !!
Ex 1 cup = 3 cups + 1/3 cup
I could not find when to add the reserved grease so I put it in before the flour. will make it thicker next time
The reserved grease simply stays in the Dutch oven to cook the remaining ingredients. Hope that answers your question, Susan. 🙂
Thank for answering where the bacon grease is to go. Looked like you added it later. Delicious!!
Very good!
A bit different than the thick and creamy clam chowders I’ve eaten in San Francisco and Oregon but quite good. Next time I think I’ll puree the potatoes with an immersion blender, use more half-half and less milk, and add more clams.
I served it with Olive Garden copycat breadsticks and salad.
Excellent. I substituted salt pork for the bacon. Broth was deliciously rich.
Just made this for the family for the first time and it won’t be the last! It was a hit with my husband and three kids. Next time I may add more clams and throw in some celery. But the flavor is amazing. Thank you!
This is the second time I’ve made this receipe because it is soooo delicious. Just like I love it to taste. Thank you for posting this!!!
So good! Whole family were super excited that I was making clam chowder and were 100% satisfied with your recipe. Thank you!
Super duper easy to make 10/10 I even used vanilla almond milk instead of normal milk as well has the heavy cream. Also if u don’t have fresh parsley use the dried kind but only about a third of what the recipe calls for. YUMMY!
No, no, no don’t use almond milk in clam chowder! If you can’t use half and half, use reduced fat milk to keep calories down. Also, not a fan of dried parsley — use the real deal.
Not everyone can have dairy, so using reduced fat milk won’t work for some. And plenty of people like dried herbs. Not sure why you feel the need to criticize the way someone else is choosing to cook.
Nancy’s recipe is as good as it comes and it is HER recipe. I do not see a criticism, she is reinforcing what she has already said about HER recipe.
I personally freaked out when i read VANILLA. That would completely change the taste of the original recipe; perhaps using plain almond milk if the person is lactose intolerant may be ok, but I am making mine Nancy’s style.
This was amazing clam chowder and so easy! I did add a little more spice to it, added celery, used red potatoes, and reduced the milk by half for thicker soup, but the base recipe is awesome and I will definitely make it again!
This clam chowder is delicious! I had left over steamed grouper with the juices I added to the pot at the end. Mouthwatering!
Fantastic and easy soup!! Yummy
I found this recipe very rich so I definitely recommend cutting it with some acidity. We added some vinegar. We also added some paprika and red pepper flakes (if we had old bay seasoning in the house, we would have used that). I enjoyed it after making those changes.
Yummy and super fast! Two thumbs up from this lifelong New Englander.
Love this! So easy and DELICIOUS.