Easy Clam Chowder
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our privacy policy for details.
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?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!
do you add in the clams along with the clam juice? just double checking 🙂 Thanks!
The clam juice is added in step 3 and the clams are added in step 5. 🙂
3. 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.
4. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 12-15 minutes.*
5. 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.
The absolute best I’ve ever made. Everyone loved it!
Made this tonight. Rich and hearty, coupled with a sourdough bread ~ muah!
I used a can of whole baby clams and 6 finely chopped razor clams (which I have a surplus of)! Added a tablespoon of old bay seasoning and lemon pepper!
Great recipe & lends itself well to customizing.
I did not need the flour; I used my hand immersion blender to break up most of the spuds and left some chunks. I used some paprika at the end. Very easy recipe. Don’t skimp with the butter!
Can you please tell us the brand of clams you use? I am a newbie at making clam chowder. Thank you!
Hi Carol! Any store-bought brand should work just fine here. 🙂
I made this early for dinner tonight. I added Umami seasoning and a couple splashes of dry sherry. Excellent!
I love clam chowder, This recipe sounds exceptionally yummy!! You state serves 6. My concern is I am making for myself only. Can the prepared leftover soup be frozen? Of course that would be the easiest way to do it, as I believe trying to cut the recipe in half would possibly deviate from the desired taste. Any suggestions. Thanks.
Unfortunately, soups that contain milk or cream, like chowders and bisques, do not hold up well in the freezer as they tend to take on a grainy texture and separate when defrosted and rewarmed. 🙁
I love clam chowder. Could you help me keto size this recipe please. To taste just as good.
When I search for a recipe, you are one of my 5 favorite sites. Dependably delicious every time. I appreciate you and your work so much. I wanted to make clam chowder on this frosty day, and you were the only one among my favorites, who specified russet potatoes. I was thinking I probably needed to go get red, but I think the russets will help thicken the soup much better.
I am a huge fan of clam chowder and feel like a lot of restaurants don’t offer it where I live. If they do offer it, it’s only on Fridays(which is dumb). So I came across this recipe and made it today….OMG..it is soooooooo yummy!!! It was super easy and I will be making this again, especially during the colder months!
I made this tonight for supper and LOVED it! It tasted like something from a gourmet restaurant! I substituted water for the vegetable broth and evaporated milk for the half and half. It will be added to my very favorite recipes for sure!
Amazing!! I changed it a touch and added fresh clams.
I will be making this again!
Fantastic
Just wondering why my clam chowder is more of a brown color rather than white?
Maybe u browned flour too long
Mine was also brown. It was white until I added the vegetable stock. I used the Kitchen Basics brand which is very dark. Tasted ok but the color was off putting.
Thank you for this recipe! Made tonight and was absolutely delicious! Used 1less can of clams and bit more milk but turned out wonderful! Will be making again and adding different seafood as other reviews mentioned!
Have made this for a several times already! Loved it every time!
Have tried adding scallops, mussels, or salmon. They all turned out great!
This is my go-to clam chowder recipe!
This recipe is AMAZING!!!! Thank you for sharing. My husband Loved It! He said Dukes Chowder house should watch out…lol… I used heavy cream instead of half and half. I tripled the recipe and added more clams. I’ll definitely make it again.
I made this for my family of 7 and it was delightful and delicious. Even my five children ate it all up! Definitely putting in my recipe box for another cloudy and chilly evening for dinner!
Great soup! I added crab meat, shrimp and crab boil (maybe half a Tsp), old bay and some cheese and soup crackers on top! DELICIOUS!!
Such great homemade soup on a cold wet spring day! So easy to make! I put in an etxra can of clams and more potatoes to make it even thicker and more delicious! Will definitely make this again!