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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Have you tried making a Manhattan clam chowder (this one for reference https://www.recipestroupe.com/recipe-traditional-manhattan-clam-chowder-50950.html)? I was talking to a colleague at work and we were trying to work out the difference between a chowder and a soup. I thought chowders were creamy, but the Manhattan style isn’t. Do you know the difference?
I actually haven’t made a Manhattan clam chowder just yet but it’s on my bucket list!
It’s delicious, I highly recommend it (although I do often prefer creamy kind for full on flavor)
This is the best! I’ve made it a couple of times including today and my family loves it. I add extra like red & green peppers and corn & peas but still stick to the original way of making it. Delicious!
I made this soup today. It was absolutely delicious. The only change I made was I an extra cup of vegetable stock. My kids loved it and asked for seconds. Thank you for another spectacular recipe.
I absolutely loved this recipe! I highly recommend it!
I’ve made this numerous times and we love it the best clam chowder I’ve ever had. Might be weird but we eat this with grilled hot dogs. Other chowders I’ve had are to thick and gloppy, this is perfect!
Not weird at all! 🙂
I will be making this tonight wish me luck!
Made this tonight and it was DELICIOUS! Next time I’ll add another can of clams, but other than that, the flavors were perfect. As a New Englander currently residing in the Midwest, this recipe satisfied my cravings for a warm bowl of Maine clam chowder. Thank you!!
I did it today, oh, very yummy; but next time I’ll add flour at the end since too theack for boiling potato in it
not into dairy can this be made manhattan syle with a red sauce. Thank you.KAR1218@hotmail.com.
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
Yes! Just omit everything except the clams 🙂
Kidding aside, I’ve been surfing for a clam chowder recipe that isn’t a fish-flavored white sauce and this looks like the winner. **May add some canned clam juice with the broth. Will be back with a review.
This was fabulous! I skipped the cream and bacon, since I didn’t have any. It still had my entire family licking their bowl clean! Even my picky eater ate the entire bowl. So delicious…. damn delicious 😉 Thank you!!
If I add some chucks of white fish, when should I do that and how long should I leave them cook? Had a fabulous clam chowder in Ireland that had them. We tried 3 places. The first was tops but they won’t share the recipe..
I recommend adding the fish with the potatoes, letting it simmer until it’s fully cooked through and opaque. But as always, please use your best judgment.
A lot of people went on vacation during Memorial Day Weekend, but I didn’t. So, I decided to explore the culinary world a bit. I eventually got tired of eating all the foods like Cup Noodle and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. And in addition, I needed to start trying out a bunch of new recipes that I could then use at college. I came across your site last week, and I’ve got to say: all these different recipes look amazing! Anyway, (I decided to make this soup yesterday…) thank you for sharing such a delicious, easy recipe! The soup tasted so good, and it was all gone by the end of the day. I’ll definitely be making this again very soon. <3
I made this with 1 # cod loins cut in bite size, instead of clams. I also used clam juice instead of vegetable broth. This chowder was easy and tasted amazing.
Can’t have dairy, any advice on making this with almond,rice or coconut milk? Thanks
Almond milk or any other milk alternative like rice or soy milk should work!
Nice recipe, the thyme really provides the overall flavor profile. I followed your recipe exactly, yet I’m looking for a bit more clam flavor. I taste vegetable, thyme, light bay leaf and overall creaminess but the clam flavor it lacking.
Will make again with the addition of extra clam juice.
Thank you
Thank you for this easy recipe! I have been looking for one since I my vacation in Oceano, CA ended. I have to watch my sodium intake so I omitted the bacon. Then, I substituted the vegetable stock with clam juice. Other than that, I kept it the same. It was damn delicious. 😉 My father, who is hard to please, said if he hadn’t know I made it, he would think it was from San Francisco. Kudos to you for a great recipe! Thanks.
this clam chowder recipe is excellent if you are a first time cooker. i added some pancetta instead of bacon, and corn for texture, doubled the recipe and two containers of clam juice was still enough, and used mushroom stock.
it will come out tasty if you season correctly with thyme, bay leaf, rosemary, and italian spices!
^ my version may not be authentic to new england but sure was delcious!
I use to buy my husband clam chowder in the can. I decided to use this recipe. I did chop one stalk of celery very finely. I had a bottle of clam juice on hand, and used about half of it. I used a little dried parsley in the end. He bragged on it. It was awesome. Next time I will use three cans of clams. Also, to speed the cooking time, I put the potatoes in the microwave for six minutes, drained the water off, then added them to the pot.
I am serving 12 for a luncheon this month and looking for a chowder recipe that I think will appeal to all. Sounds like this is the one, and I like Belinda’s suggestions as well. My soup bowls will be red, so needed a white soup to go in them. I fix chowder from a can every Thursday, but this sounds almost as easy.
I, too, am completely “hooked” on your recipes! Have tried many and have always been very pleasantly surprised how wonderful they always turn out…..thank you, thank you and keep ’em coming!!
Made this last night and it was truly excellent! Better than excellent even. Didn’t have bacon. Nor vegetable broth (used chicken broth). Only had 1 can of clams but it was enough. This is now my go-to clam chowder and I live in clam chowder land – Nova Scotia, Canada.