Easy Clam Chowder
by Chungah
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Clam chowder is easier (and much better) to make right at home! So unbelievably creamy, flavorful and chockfull of clams!
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Why you’ll love this easy clam chowder recipe
- Quick, weeknight super hero. Yes, homemade restaurant-quality clam chowder can be made in 30 min or less right at home, an absolute weeknight staple around here!
- Hug-in-a-bowl. This soup just hits right during soup season, perfect for fall and blustery winter nights, or any time you need a soul-warming soothing soup to warm you from the inside out.
- Pantry-friendly recipe. This is also a great budget-friendly recipe using pantry staples like canned clams, adding even more clam flavor goodness (and an abundance of clams!) to your chowder.
What is clam chowder?
Clam chowder is an American soup made with clams, potatoes, onions and broth, often times served with oyster crackers or saltines. There are two regional variations worth mentioning below.
New England Clam Chowder (white)
New England is a thick and creamy white soup, typically made with milk or cream.
Manhattan Clam Chowder (red)
Manhattan is a tomato-rich red soup without milk or cream, and typically includes more vegetables than New England.
How to make clam chowder
- Cook the bacon and aromatics. Cook a few slices of diced bacon in a stockpot or Dutch oven, sautéing the aromatics directly in the rendered bacon fat for all the smoky goodness. Reserve the cooked bacon for topping.
- Create the roux. Whisk in the flour for about 1 minute. This will help thicken the chowder, creating that favorited velvety-rich consistency.
- Stir in liquids and potatoes. Add in milk, vegetable stock, reserved clam juice (from the canned clams), bay leaf and potatoes, simmering until the potatoes are tender. The longer it simmers, the more it will thicken.
- Add half and half (or heavy cream) and clams. Stir in the half and half with the clams until heated through over low heat, working carefully not to boil the dairy (or else it will separate), seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve. Remove the bay leaf and serve warm with the reserved crispy bacon, oyster crackers and cornbread.
why use canned clams in clam chowder?
- Convenience
- Budget-friendly and economical
- Extra clam flavor, especially when using the canned 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, we opted for russet potatoes here – they are naturally very starchy, ideal for creating a thicker, chowder-like velvety, rich consistency.
what to serve with clam chowder
Tools For This Recipe
Dutch oven
Easy Clam Chowder: Frequently Asked Questions
The most popular chowder is New England (white) made with milk or heavy cream and associated with Boston. There is also the Manhattan (red) made with a tomato-based broth and commonly associated with Manhattan.
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.
Overcooking the clams can cause them to be rubbery. Always add the clams (fresh or canned) at the very end, cooking for just a few minutes so they stay tender.
Clam chowder is commonly paired with oyster crackers and cornbread.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Leftover clam chowder can be reheated on the stovetop over low heat until warmed through, adding a splash of milk or stock to thin it out as needed.
We do not recommend freezing this as cream-based soups tend to separate when frozen.
Easy Clam Chowder
Video
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 or heavy cream
- 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.*
- Reduce heat to low. 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.
Equipment
Notes
- Start with a smoky base. A good clam chowder starts with a smoky base, beginning with the bacon and sautéing the aromatics (garlic and onion) right in the bacon fat.
- Use the reserved juices. The juices from the canned clams add all the extra, deep clam flavor.
- Russet potatoes serve as a natural thickener. The potatoes will release starch into the broth to create that velvety, restaurant-quality richness.
- Use half and half or heavy cream. Half and half will yield a thinner soup whereas heavy cream will result in more of a rich, velvety, indulgent clam chowder.
- Always add the dairy at the very end. Avoid boiling the half and half or heavy cream, adding it in at the end of cooking time (or else it will curdle).
- Avoid overcooking the clams. Similar to the half and half, add the clams during the last few minutes of cooking. Overcooked clams can be rubbery!
- 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 or cornbread for dipping, sopping and dunking!
- Reheat gently. Leftovers can be reheated gently over low heat, adding a splash of milk, half and half or stock as needed.
Did you make this recipe?
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this recipe was easy and delicious
Picked this recipe for first time try in making Clam Chowder.
Turned out fantastic, no leftovers!!
Did add some diced carrots, celery and fresh thyme/ garlic out of the garden!
SO GOOD. Another hit from Damn Delicious. I’m gonna crank up to 4 cans next time and still add all the clam juice from 4 cans. This was perfect consistency. Added: corn, mushrooms, Italian seasoning, chicken stock (out of veggie stock).
Delicious! I used a few more bacon slices and also 3 cans of clams instead of 2. Had heavy cream to use up so substituted the half and half with 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1 1/2 cups of milk. Turned out great. My husband said “Please keep this recipe!”
We love hearing that. Thank you for sharing, Sharon!
Hi Sharon! Can you please help me? I made this and it was overly overly overly salty. I added more cream, etc. and could not cut the salt flavor. Any thoughts? I used Delallo canned clams. THANK YOU!
You can can this recipe and it works very well, you leave out all dairy products and flour when canning and only add those ingredients when you open and reheat the chowder, if canned and stored properly the canned clam chowder base can last for 2 to 4 years (possibly longer as per the USDA)
Added white wine and corn starch at the end to make a little thicker.
Sounds amazing!
Loved it! My changes, based on not running to the store, but still fabulous! Used chicken stock instead of veggie stock, used Italian seasoning instead of just thyme (accidentally spilled the thyme) and used bacon fat but no bacon as I didn’t realize hubs ate all the bacon! Loved it!
This is such a simple recipe chock full of flavor and it is so comforting on a cool rainy day. It’s the only clam chowder recipe you need in your repertoire!
Thank you for sharing, Megan! We love a cold, rainy day chowder at home.
Best clam chowder I have ever made!
Best clam chowder I have ever made, delicious! Beyond words.
Excellent clam chowder i did not have the cream so i used evaporated milk .
I did not use flour only corn starch my friend is allergic to flour.
Tried this recipe few times now and have to say it’s the best recipe out there! Always turns out amazing and soo delicious!!
I made this recipe twice and it turn out good, I put only one potato and add carrot and celery, every time I make this is always no leftover, but I wonder if I can make this ahead or if it make any good leftovers, did anyone else know??? Thanks in advance.
The leftovers are delicious!
Best clam chowder ever!! Have made it multiple times and everyone loves it!! Definitely a recipe to keep.
This recipe is better then any restaurants clam chowder!
The recipe suggest draining the bacon fat after cooking the bacon. I keep the bacon fat in the pan and skip the butter. I also add 3/4 of a can of sweet corn.
Thank you for your amazing recipe! The chowder is so comforting on a cold snowy day.
I make this receipe over and over again. I normally use 6 can of clams. I like lots of clams. I also only use the clam juice only and no vegetables stock since I have a ton more clam juice. I also put the bacon back in the soup once I get done putting everything in. It is amazing with toasted sourdough bread!!!
This was so easy and quick to make. Most of all, it was delicious! I will definitely make this again.
Absolutely delicious soup! Made it at a friend’s for dinner, not a drop left. It was a big hit.
Wish I could give this recipe more than 5 stars. Will be making again!
I’m going to make this very soon but I need to know if I can freeze any leftovers. I only cook for myself & don’t want to waste what is obviously the very best clam chowder ever!!! TIA.
Usually clam chowder doesn’t reheat too well texturally but if you don’t mind that then I’d recommend thawing it in the fridge first before slow simmer back to temp on stove top.
Add more clam flavor – use clam juice instead of vegetable stock.