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close up view of a ladle of clam chowder
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4.70 from 68 votes

Creamy New England-Style Clam Chowder

Homemade clam chowder is so much better than anything from a can, and easier to make than you may think!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: homemade soup
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 305kcal

Ingredients

  • 6 slices bacon diced
  • 1 cup yellow onion diced (about 1 medium onion)
  • 1 cup celery diced (about 2 stalks)
  • 1 cup leeks sliced thinly (about 1 large leek)
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups red potatoes diced (about 1 lb.)
  • 3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth or stock
  • 3/4 cup clam juice (bottled is fine)
  • 1/2 - 3/4 Tbsp dried thyme
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 4 dried bay leaves
  • 1 1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce or your favorite hot sauce
  • 2 - 3 cans (6.5 oz each) chopped or minced clams drained
  • 4 cups half and half
  • sliced green onions for garnish, optional

Instructions

Prepare

  • You'll need a large pot to make this soup, I like to use my 7 quart dutch oven.

Crisp the bacon

  • Heat a large pot over MED-LOW heat, then add bacon pieces and cook until crispy.  Remove with a slotted spoon (or tongs) to a paper towel lined plate, reserving drippings in the pot.

Soften vegetables

  • Increase heat to MED, then add onion, celery and leeks and sauté about 3-4 minutes, until soft.  Add flour and stir to coat vegetables.  Cook 1 minute, stirring often.

Add liquids and potatoes

  • Add diced potatoes, chicken broth, clam juice, thyme, salt, pepper, bay leaves, and tabasco sauce.  Stir well, then bring to a boil.
  • Once boiling, reduce heat and cover, simmering about 15 minutes or so, until potatoes are fork tender.

Add dairy and clams

  • Add canned clams, and pour in half and half stirring well to combine.
  • Cook over MED heat, stirring often, about 5 minutes, or until heated through and thickened to desired consistency.

Serve

  • Taste, then add salt and pepper if needed.  Serve topped with cooked bacon, oyster crackers, sliced green onions and enjoy!

Notes

  1. Half and half is a common dairy product in the US: https://www.thekitchn.com/what-is-halfandhalf-ingredient-intelligence-205959
  2. In place of half and half, please feel free to use 2 1/2 cups whole milk, and 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream.

To make clam chowder thicker:

  • Feel free to simmer the chowder longer, or mash some of the potatoes with a potato masher.
  • You can also mix about 2 tsp of cornstarch with 1 Tbsp of cold water until smooth, then stir that into the chowder and simmer.

To make clam chowder thinner:

  • You can thin out this chowder by adding more half and half than called for, or adding some additional chicken broth/clam juice.

To Use Fresh Clams:

  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 6 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2 lbs. fresh live clams (scrubbed clean - littleneck or cherrystones are best)
  1. Bring water, chicken broth, and garlic to a low boil in a saucepan (one with a lid) over MED heat.
  2. Once boiling, add clams, cover with lid, and steam for 6-7 minutes, or until the clams have opened up.
  3. Discard any clams that don't open up after steaming.
  4. Drain, then scoop the meat out of the shells, and chop. You'll need about 3/4 - 1 cup of chopped clams for this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 765mg | Potassium: 511mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 742IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 168mg | Iron: 2mg