New England Clam Chowder is thick and creamy and loaded with tender potatoes, sweet clams, and, smoky bacon classic comfort in every bite!
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Chilly winter weather means it is time to bring out all the soups and chowder recipes because it's soup season. If you want more thick, creamy, and rich recipes, you need to try my Loaded Potato Soup and this Sweet Corn Chowder.
Why this soup works
This creamy New England Clam Chowder is wonderful on a cold night and even better the next day. You'll love how simple this easy clam chowder recipe is and that it comes together in under an hour served with some crusty No Knead Artisan Bread or my Ciabatta Garlic Bread.
Ingredients needed
- Bacon: I like to use a thick smoky bacon.
- Clam juice:
- Celery Stalks: diced
- Onion: White or yellow.
- Garlic: Fresh minced is always best.
- Herbs and spices: Bay leaves, thyme, fresh parsley, salt and black pepper.
- All Purpose Flour: helps make thicker chowder.
- Dairy: heavy cream and whole milk or you can use half n half.
- Clams: use frozen clams or canned whole clams.
- Potatoes: red potatoes. But you could also use russet potatoes or Yukon golds.
How to make the best clam chowder recipe
- Step 1: Add diced bacon to a large pot and cook, remove to a paper towel to drain.
- Step 2: Add diced celery and onions to the pot with the bacon fat and cook until soft. Add minced garlic and cook.
- Step 3: Add flour to the pot, stir together and cook.
- Step 4: Add the clam juice, water and stir.
- Step 5: Toss in diced potatoes, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender.
- Step 6: Pour in milk, cream and cans of clams to the pot. Simmer until it's nice and thick. Salt and pepper to taste, add garnish, and serve.
Recipe Tips
- I like to use smoky thick-cut bacon.
- Make this ahead of time to give your homemade clam chowder more time to meld the flavors.
- Next time, serve this creamy soup in a bread bowl with fresh chives and a little bit of hot sauce for a kick.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Recipe Faq's
Yes, I like to get the frozen clams but you can use canned clams
if you prefer. You can substitute 2 cans of whole clams plus juice or 3 cans of chopped clams
plus juice.
Fresh tender clams can be used in this creamy clam chowder recipe, but you'll need to steam them first.
New England Clam Chowder is known for its creamy and rich texture. It is made with a base of potatoes, onions, and clams, cooked in a combination of clam juice and milk or cream. Rhode Island Clam Chowder is a clear broth-based soup. It is lighter in texture and flavor compared to its New England counterpart. In Rhode Island Clam Chowder the clams are cooked in a clear broth made from clam juice vegetables, and doesn't usually use tomatoes. It typically does not contain milk or cream either.
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Thick and Creamy New England Clam Chowder
Ingredients
- 6 slices smoked bacon cut into pieces
- 3- 8 oz jars clam juice
- 3/4 cup water
- 3 celery stalks diced
- 1 small onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 1/2 lb red potatoes about 4-5 peeled and diced
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1-10 ounce pkg frozen clams or 3 cans whole clams
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- In a large heavy bottom pot cook bacon and remove to a paper towel
- Discard all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat and add celery and onions and cook until softened about 5-6 minutes, add garlic cook another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add flour to veggies and cook a couple of minutes using a whisk to stir.
- Pour in clam juice and water, whisk until smooth. Add potatoes, bay leaf, and thyme and bring to a low boil and cook 15 minutes until potatoes are just getting tender
- Add milk, cream, and clams simmer another 15 minutes until thickened
- Sat and pepper to taste
- Garnish with bacon pieces and fresh parsley.
- Serve with oyster crackers or crusty bread.
I made this and it turned out excellent.
I used 4 bottles of clam juice instead of the water.
I used a little more garlic too.
Next time I would add more clams but that is just my preference.
My son and wife loved it!
Serve with a drop of tabasco for a little tang.
Can I substitute frozen mussels?
Depends if they are whole or chopped. But 2-3 cans of clams, the recipe card gives the info you need.
Haven't tried to make this yet, so I cant really rate it, sounds like my grandfather's recipe, I just dont have his recipe card. But what sized canned clams should I use? I don't want to over kill the flavor entirely with the "clam water" if I use 3 10oz "Bumblebee Whole Baby Clams". I live in a rural town where Walmart is the only place to buy clams, but they are canned. I'm glad to see you respond to this recipe years later. Thank you in advance.
Good to know about the substitution. 🙂
I just finished making this and it is delicious. I used frozen clams. Didn’t have clam juice so I substituted 2-fish and 1-shrimp bouillon. I also added some low sodium Old Bay. It turned out amazing.
No it's not necessary 🙂
Do you thaw the frozen clams before adding them to the soup?
Fantastic Pascal!
Very good recipe. Because I’m French I’ve added some crème fraîche to the recipe, a bit of Old Bay and spring onions. Was very very yummy.