New England Clam Chowder Recipe (2024)

55 minutes

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4.85 from 89 votes

by Lisa Longley

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posted: 02/06/19

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New England Clam Chowder Recipe (1)

by Lisa Longley

|

posted: 02/06/19

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy

Jump to Recipe

This New England Clam Chowder is the absolute best! This easy chowder recipe is perfect comfort food for a cold night.

Made with bacon, plenty of potatoes, and with just the right amount of cream, you will be a chowder master with my instructions for how to make clam chowder.

New England Clam Chowder Recipe (2)

THE BEST NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

This recipe has been a favorite in our house for ages! It is far and away Nathan’s favorite dinner recipe.

What makes this the best clam chowder recipe you ask? Simple. The roux starts out with bacon! A roux is the mixture of fat and flour to create a thickening agent.

That fat is often butter, like in my Chicken Noodle Casserole, but in this amazing clam chowder, it is bacon fat. The bacon fat works perfectly to make a nice creamy base for this soup while adding tons of flavor.

New England Clam Chowder Recipe (3)

HOW TO MAKE NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

It was actually my husband who first started making this soup. I had never been a big fan because the broth was so liquidy and thin. New England Clam Chowder should have a nice and thick creamy broth.

And then one day I watched Nathan make it. After combining the bacon fat and the flour, he just poured in the clam juice in one big fell swoop. (Cue the horror face emoji.)

The key to this recipe working well is to add the clam juice really slowly. I’m talking like two tablespoons at a time when you first start adding it. You want it to be a nice gummy mess with the little bit of clam juice being absorbed each time before you add in more.

Do you see how creamy it is in the photos? That’s what you are going for.

MAKING THE BEST NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

  1. Add the diced thick cut bacon to the preheated stock pot.
  2. Cook until crisp. Add in the onions and celery, cooking until they are tender. Add in the garlic, cooking for 30 seconds making sure not to burn it.
  3. Mix in the flour.
  4. Very slowly stir in the clam juice. Start with about two tablespoons at a time, whisking it in until the liquid is absorbed and then adding more. At the end you can add more at a time and more quickly.
  5. Add the thyme, potatoes, and two bay leaves. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes.
  6. Stir in the clams and heavy cream and enjoy!

Once you have made it a few times, you’ll be able to make it in your sleep!

New England Clam Chowder Recipe (4)

NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER SUBSTITUTIONS

  • My husband hates onions and isn’t a huge fan of celery or parsley, so when I’m making it for just him, I leave all of that out.
  • He loves potatoes, so I add a few more of those than this recipe calls for.
  • You can substitute chicken stock for the clam juice. It lessens the clam taste a little, but saves a bundle as clam juice can be expensive. On the other hand, I’ve had people tell me I’m a heathen for this. It’s your call.

DO I HAVE TO USE BACON?

I guess that you can do this without bacon. (But WHY?!?)

Start your recipe by melting 3 tablespoons of butter, and then start sautéing your vegetables. Carry on from there as normal. It is very likely that you will need to season your final soup with a bit of salt.

CAN I USE REGULAR MILK INSTEAD OF HEAVY CREAM?

Please don’t. Without heavy cream, you just aren’t going to get that final creamy soup that I know you want.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH CLAM CHOWDER

This recipe is great with bread for dipping. These one hour dinner rolls or my homemade beer bread would both be perfect.

I also love having a salad with my soup. Either this spinach salad or my winter salad would be delicious on the side.

If you make this soup or any of my other recipes, I’d love to hear from you!

New England Clam Chowder Recipe (5)

New England Clam Chowder Recipe (6)

4.85 from 89 votes

New England Clam Chowder

Serves: 6 bowls

(tap # to scale)

Prep: 15 minutes minutes

Cook: 40 minutes minutes

Total: 55 minutes minutes

This New England Clam Chowder is the absolute best! This easy clam chowder recipe makes perfect comfort food for a cold night. Made with bacon, plenty of potatoes, and with just the right amount of cream, you will be a chowder master with my instructions for how to make clam chowder.

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Ingredients

  • 4 slices of thick cut bacon diced into small pieces
  • 3 cups clam juice or chicken stock see note
  • 4 6.5 oz cans of chopped clams, liquid reserved (see step 2)
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 3 stalks celery diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic minced
  • 1/3 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 pounds red potatoes about five medium diced into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 8 oz heavy cream
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 TBSPs well minced parsley
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  • In a large stew pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, stirring often.

  • While the bacon is cooking, drain the clam juice from the canned clams into a measuring cup. You will need approximately 3 cups more of clam juice or chicken stock to get a total of 4 1/2 cups of liquid.

  • Add the diced celery and onions, cooking until they are translucent and very soft.

  • Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds, being careful that the garlic doesn't burn.

  • Stir in the flour, coating all of the veggies and the bacon. Continue cooking about a minute until the flour begins to brown.

  • EXTREMELY gradually, pour in the clam juice (or clam juice/chicken stock mixture). Pour about two tablespoons at a time (no need to measure, this is just an estimate), whisking it into the flour veggie mixture. There should be no visible liquid between each pour. The veggies should look like a gummy mess. Continue this way until you use all the liquid, pouring more quickly at the end.

  • Add the potatoes, thyme, and bay leaves and increase the heat to high and bring to a boil (you are looking for big bubbles at the surface). Then reduce to a simmer (the lowest you can go heat wise and still see bubbles) and continue cooking for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.

  • Stir in the cream and chopped clams, and let heat through for a minute. Remove from the heat stir in the fresh parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

As mentioned in the post, if you are looking for a budget friendly version of this recipe you can use the clam juice from the clams and get the rest of your liquid from chicken stock.

Calories: 359kcal (18%) Carbohydrates: 34.2g (11%) Protein: 13.2g (26%) Fat: 16.1g (25%) Saturated Fat: 8g (50%) Monounsaturated Fat: 4.7g Cholesterol: 50.8mg (17%) Sodium: 1207.4mg (52%) Potassium: 487mg (14%) Fiber: 2.8g (12%) Sugar: 2.1g (2%) Vitamin A: 113IU (2%) Vitamin C: 34mg (41%) Calcium: 31.6mg (3%) Iron: 2.8mg (16%)

Author: Lisa Longley

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

New England Clam Chowder Recipe (7)

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New England Clam Chowder

I'd love to see what you made! Tag me @lisasimplejoy and hashtag it #simplejoyrecipes!

New England Clam Chowder Recipe (8)

New England Clam Chowder Recipe (9)

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New England Clam Chowder Recipe (10)

Hi! I'm Lisa Longley, and I am committed to giving you simple dinner ideas and recipes that are easy to make; recipes that will fill your home with joy. I am the owner and author of SimpleJoy.com and I'm so glad that you are here.

Reader Interactions

    LEAVE A COMMENT

  1. Amy, says

    Will russets do instead of red potatoes? Or yellow?

    Reply

    • New England Clam Chowder Recipe (11)Lisa Longley says

      It will be a bit of a different flavor and texture, but it will work.

      Reply

  2. Melissa Sanchez says

    New England Clam Chowder Recipe (12)
    First time making New England clam chowder. I did not use bacon, since I didn’t have it in the house. I fried the veggies in 2 tbsp of butter. I used Bobs 1:1 all purpose gluten free flour. It was still a bit liquidy (my fault, I added 5 cups of clam juice) I used cento clam juice (24 ounces) and juice from 4 canned clams.I also used yellow potatoes. Very flavorful and delicious.

    Reply

    • New England Clam Chowder Recipe (13)Lisa Longley says

      I’m so glad you liked it, Melissa!

      Reply

New England Clam Chowder Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What does New England clam chowder contain? ›

It's simple—only clams, clam juice, onions, potatoes, and cream. This is New England in the summer! The origins of the New England clam chowder go back to early settlers, who made it with salt pork, clams, and the broth they were cooked in, thickened with crushed ship biscuit. It hasn't changed too much since then.

What is the best thickener for clam chowder? ›

This clam chowder recipe should produce perfectly rich soup. If you'd like your chowder a little thicker, though, you can thicken it with a cornstarch slurry. Simply stir cornstarch into a small amount of cold water (or another liquid, such as wine or stock), then stir the mixture into the simmering chowder.

How to make can clam chowder better? ›

directions
  1. Pour soup into 2 quart sauce pan.
  2. Add chopped clams and 2 tablespoons of juice from clams.
  3. Add thyme, salt and pepper.
  4. Stir all together and heat over medium heat until bubbly then let simmer on low for 20 minutes.
  5. Place in individual bowls and sprinkle with crumbled bacon and serve.

What two ingredients must be present for the soup to be called a chowder? ›

In its very basic format chowder is a soup made with a base of broth and thickened cream. You'll regularly find chowders served alongside crackers or biscuits too.

What ingredient does chowder always have? ›

Customarily, chowder included onion, potatoes, and cream.

What's the best potato to use for clam chowder? ›

Potatoes: I use Yukon Gold potatoes for this recipe because I love their creamy consistency, but red potatoes are always a great candidate for soups and chowders because they hold up the best. Russet potatoes may also be used, but they're also the starchiest, which makes them more prone to falling apart.

Is it better to thicken chowder with flour or cornstarch? ›

The most classic and surefire way to thicken a broth-based soup is with a cornstarch slurry. Whisk together equal parts cornstarch (or arrowroot) and water or broth, then whisk it into the pot of soup. A good ratio to get to a pleasant thickness without your soup tasting goopy or heavy is one tablespoon.

What is the most popular clam chowder? ›

New England Clam Chowder is the most famous and most popular clam chowder. It's been around for centuries, so it's possible its longevity has contributed to its popularity.

Can Muslims eat clam chowder? ›

Just be sure to avoid using any prohibited ingredients in cooking, such as wine in fish broth or bacon in clam chowder. For cooking, use whole ingredients like vegetables and grains, and when using partially processed foods like broth or sauces, carefully check the ingredients and look for a Halal seal.

Can you overcook clam chowder? ›

The soup will thicken more as it cools. If needed, you can thin it out by adding more milk or chicken broth and bringing it to a boil once more. Add the clams at the end and be sure you just bring to a boil then remove the soup from the heat. Overcooking the clams will make them chewy and rubbery.

How long is homemade clam chowder good for? ›

Storage: Store leftover clam chowder in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freezer: Cool the chowder in the refrigerator, then pour into freezer containers or heavy-duty freezer bags and freeze for up to 4 months.

What is the most important ingredient in soup? ›

For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.

What are the three types of clam chowder? ›

Many regional variations exist, but the three most prevalent are New England or "white" clam chowder, which includes milk or cream, Manhattan or "red" clam chowder, which includes tomatoes, and Rhode Island or "clear" clam chowder, which omits both.

What is usually a main thickening agent of chowder? ›

A roux is the most common thickener for sauces and soups and comes in three colors and strengths: white, blond, and brown.

What's the difference between New England clam chowder and regular? ›

Many regional variations exist, but the three most prevalent are New England or "white" clam chowder, which includes milk or cream, Manhattan or "red" clam chowder, which includes tomatoes, and Rhode Island or "clear" clam chowder, which omits both.

What's in Campbell's New England clam chowder? ›

WATER, POTATOES, SEASONED CLAMS, VEGETABLE OIL (CORN, CANOLA AND/OR SOYBEAN), MODIFIED CORN STARCH, WHEAT FLOUR, BUTTER (MILK), SALT, SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, YEAST EXTRACT, SUGAR, SPICE, FLAVOUR (CONTAINS COD, CELERY, ONION). Nutritional Information is based on our current data.

Which is healthier Manhattan or New England clam chowder? ›

Manhattan Clam Chowder is healthier than New England Clam Chowder. Manhattan Clam Chowder is lower in calories and fat. It is more nutritious thanks to its vitamin-rich tomato-based broth and abundance of veggies. New England clam chowder is higher in calories and fat because of its heavy cream-based broth.

Is clam chowder good or bad for you? ›

Despite being high in fat, it is an excellent source of protein, vitamins, minerals, and potassium, which can help reduce hypertension. To enjoy its benefits, clam chowder should be eaten in moderation. Clam chowder is high in carbohydrates, so it should be consumed cautiously by individuals with diabetes.

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