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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Very good. Couldn’t find anything I didn’t like. Will definitely make again. Thanks for the recipe.
Delicious! Doubled the recipe,used clam juice instead of broth added shrimp, when it finished cooking I put it in the blender ladled into bowls and put a generous spoonful of lump crab meat and called it seafood bisque!
Amazing! We love this recipe and have made it before. I like to add small chopped carrots and celery as well. I too kept the grease in the pan, then added the butter and sautéed onion and garlic.
I feel stupid that I’ve never tried to make clam chowder before, so simple and this recipe is amazing! I made this for native New Englanders (and they’re snotty about their chowder) and they asked for the recipe! I did double the clams and had no vegetable stock, used chicken stock instead and the second time I made it I had some leftover corn on the cob and cut the kernels off and threw that in as well-delicious! This recipe is so much better than I’ve had in any restaurant, I’ve already shared it with 3 friends, thank you!
Delicious! I am watching my cholesterol so I didn’t use the bacon or half & half. I only had 1% milk so that’s what I used. Tasted so good I had 2 bowls for supper.
OMGOSH! I’m not believing how simple this was to prepare. Adding to our weekly rotation.
Quick, easy, and delicious.
Great tasting chowder! Easy to make! I thought it would have a more seafood taste. Never made clam chowder before. Next time I will use seafood stock.
I added a ts. Of kelp and extra clam jc to make it more of a sea taste
It’s delicious and filling. In Covid times, when dollars might be tight, this chowder and a loaf of (low cost) good bread is dinner.
Look for no knead bread. Soooo easy and inexpensive and better than France!
Really, really good. Never made clam chowder, so this was an excellent recipe for my first time out. Next time, I will replace broth with more clam juice.
I used one can of chopped and one can of whole baby clams. I also used all half and half (no milk). Regarding everyone’s question about bacon grease, I sautéed the onions in the fat (w/butter) after I took bacon out. Fairly certain that’s what chef meant when writing recipe.
So good! I had never made clam chowder before and was wondering what to do with the cans of clams I’d bought when I was stocking up on shelf-stable milk and meat for the pandemic. Followed the recipe to the letter and it’s really delicious!
We really enjoy this recipe! I think it takes more than 15 minutes of prep time. Definitely remember to cut and peel your potatoes before you start. We used 3 potatoes and 3 cans of clams.
What do you do with the bacon grease that was reserved?
I was wondering the same thing, do you keep in pot when you fry onions and such?
Yes. I cooked onions in the bacon fat along with the butter.
Exactly! Remove bacon and reserve (leave) a tablespoon of the grease and add butter and onion and garlic.
Easy and delicious! I didn’t read the instructions at the end and threw the bacon in the chowder instead of on top. Delicious that way too!
easy and excellent.
This was so quick and easy and hands-down delicious! I made it for the first time and served it to my family on a wet & chilly Xmas Eve. Everyone was raving about it!
This might be the best clam chowder recipe I’ve ever made! I substituted 8 ounces of clam juice for the vegetable broth, and probably substituted more half and half for the milk. It was absolutely delicious!
This made a perfect pot of chowder. I felt like I was as a beachfront restaurant (and I live in Nebraska)! I used locally-grown potatoes, onions, and garlic, locally-produced whole milk, cream, and bacon, home grown bay leaf, and Penzey’s parsley and pepper. Good ingredients helped push this excellent recipe to the apex of soup cooking.
Very good chowder and easy to follow instructions. The only thing I question is what to do with the reserved bacon fat. I may have missed it but I could not see where I was supposed to use it. I would definitely make this again.
How about use it for whatever you like?
My first time with clam chowder. Followed recipe exactly. Used county sausage. My russets we’re very large. So, I doubled the liquids and extra clams. Still Came out rich and tasty. Used rosemary from my garden. My wife added stock & cream for more soupy texture.