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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A keeper. I added two stalks of celery and used half of a medium onion. Served with baguette and Cesar’s salad for my husband and myself. Will definitely be added to my soup collection.
This Clam Chowder Soup …. Oh My Gosh! My husband loves this soup. I have made this before. Just didn’t have a chance to rate it. Thank you so much for your recipe. For extra meaty I had 4 cans clams and I buy some fresh clams on shells at the seafood market. Everything else stay the same.
Delicious!!! I added celery and baby potatoes. Perfect!
I agree with you, i did it and oh my God it was delicious. I made enough for 15 people, a lots of clams and I added shrimps and white fish. it was to die for.
now my friends expect to have it in all my invitation. I will be making for sure
I used 6 slices of bacon and kept the grease in the soup. Yum. I also used fresh clams and added a small bottle of clam juice. Absolutely delicious!
6 servings ? Recipe good but def not 6 servings
Very good but I’m only giving four stars because it fed me and my husband only. Had to make something different for my kids. Definitely not 6 serving.
I think they’re going by 1-cup serving size.
THANK YOU FOR POSTING THE RECIPE…NOT EASY TO FIND AS SIMPLE AND EASY AS THIS ONE…GREAT JOB!
Delicious
I made this recipe and it turned out great. I cooked the mirepoix in the leftover bacon fat and then added the flour to that – cooking the flour here is the key to not having the dish taste floury like someone else commented. Then you can add garlic, milk, clam/chicken stock, potatoes etc. Could have added some corn too but it was thick enough already with lots of veggies. Great recipe! Other than chopping vegetables it doesn’t take much time either.
Delicious.
Hi Chungah, thank you for this wonderful recipe. Clam Chowder soup is by far my favorite of all soups. I followed your instructions, though after reading some of the reviews, I decided to add imitation crab, also, I added 1 1/2 Tbs of sugar. It was delicious, tasty and very filling.
Love this recipe. The only change I made was to add a can(drained) of whole kernel corn.
Great directions and very easy recipe to follow.
Thank you for all the recipes you share with us.
Very delicious and easy. I threw in celery, somehow I can not make a soup without celery. Will be making this every Friday for a while because my husband just loved it.
Thank you for a great recipe.
Best clam chowder we ever had my family loved it.
Thanks for your easy to follow recipe.
This is my go to recipe…so easy and delicious!
This recipe is so delicious! It was perfect the first I made it. Now I add fresh imitation crab and use Yukon potatoes instead of russet. I also don’t remove the bacon. That sits in there the WHOLE time and I love it this recipe is one of the first ones I’ve tried that has got me cooking more at home. Thank you so much!
Like mine a little thicker so I added 2 tablespoons more rue. Taste wonderful!
I made this dairy free with extra creamy oat milk, oat and coconut half and half. It was amazing!
Absolutely love this recipe, easy to make and delicious!
I made it twice. It is fabulous.
Very easy to make but tasty.
I’ll make it often. Thanks for the recipe.