The best, creamy New England clam chowder recipe uses tender potatoes, bacon, and plenty of cooked clams in a rich, creamy broth with a slightly smoky flavor. It’s what we call comfort in a bowl!
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Creamy Clam Chowder
Traditional New England Clam Chowder is one of a several chowder recipes I like to dive into during soup season, especially since I live in NH.
The tomato-based version, of course, is otherwise known as Manhattan clam chowder, but I also adore a shrimp corn chowder and a simple chicken corn chowder too. In fact, give me all the chowders, because there is nothing better than a flavorful, hearty bowl of deliciousness on a cold night.
This homemade clam chowder recipe is hearty and incredibly satisfying. It has chunks of tender clams, potatoes, carrots, and celery simmering in a flavorful broth along with smoky bacon to round out the flavors.
This creamy soup is known for serving with oyster crackers but I love it with a piece of sourdough bread on the side too!
New England Clam Chowder Ingredients Notes
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this great recipe. Scroll down to the full recipe card with amounts
- Bacon: Diced into small pieces, you’ll cook this first and then use the rendered fat to add flavor to the chowder. I have even made it with turkey bacon.
- Butter: Combined with the bacon fat, can you imagine the flavor?!
- Veggies and aromatics: You’ll need sliced carrots, diced celery, finely chopped onion, and minced garlic. I use a white or yellow onion.
- All-purpose flour: Helps to thicken the chowder broth.
- Seasoning: Fresh thyme, salt, pepper, and a bay leaf.
- Chicken broth: I prefer to use unsalted chicken broth for this recipe because canned clams and the clam juice they are kept in can be salty all on their own. That plus the bacon, and possibly salted butter, and salt as a separate ingredient, you’re all set!
- Potatoes: Dice your favorite kind of potato for this recipe. I use russet potatoes, but you can use red potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes too.
- Clams: Chop up canned clams and reserve the juice. You’ll be using both. I use Bar Harbor Chopped Clams.
- Heavy cream: This is what makes the broth creamy!
Variations
1. To lighten this creamy New England clam chowder recipe a bit, swap the butter with olive oil or other favorite oil, and use full-fat whole milk or coconut milk instead of heavy cream.
2. You can also use seafood stock or vegetable stock over chicken stock if you prefer.
3. Although canned cans are cheaper, you can use fresh clams if you’d like. You’ll need ½ cup of bottled clam juice as well, and make sure the clams are well cleaned.
4. Salt pork can be used in place of the bacon.
5. Add half a cup of dry white wine for extra flavor.
How to Make this Clam Chowder Recipe
This recipe comes together with just 10 minutes of prep time, making this chowder ready to eat in just 40 minutes total.
Step 1: Cook the diced bacon in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Stir often until nice and crispy.
Step 2: Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the grease in the pot.
Step 3: Melt the butter in with the bacon fat and then cook the carrots, celery, and onions until tender.
Step 4: Sprinkle in the flour, garlic, and thyme and stir to coat the veggies. Then, pour in the chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping up any brown bits for extra flavor.
Step 5: Add in the potatoes, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Then, add the chopped clams and juice. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
Step 6: Finally, stir in the heavy cream and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring often. Garnish with remaining bacon crumbles and fresh parsley too if your’d like, and enjoy!
Tips
- If you don’t have a Dutch oven, any large, heavy pot will do.
- For thicker chowder, you can sprinkle in some instant mashed potato flakes.
- While you can swap out the heavy cream, for light cream or milk, just know it will make a difference in the consistency.
- Garnish with oyster crackers if you like a little crunch.
- Serve with biscuits or dinner rolls.
How to Store Leftovers
Refrigerate: Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freeze: When you freeze anything with dairy and potatoes, there is a risk of the consistency being a bit funny once it has thawed again. So, I say you can freeze it, but keep in mind that the potatoes might crumble (especially if they were overcooked), and the broth might separate once thawed.
Reheat: Heat the soup back up on the stove or in the microwave.
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FAQ’s
While both are so tasty, Manhattan Clam Chowder uses a tomato-based broth without any cream.
If you like the texture of whole clams, I’d say you can use a combination of chopped and whole clams. Just be mindful not to overcook them, because that’s when they can start to get chewy. And whole chewy clams are not pleasant!
If you like this recipe, please leave us a comment and rate it in the recipe card. We would love for you to join us and over 300,000 followers on Facebook as well as on Pinterest and Instagram too!
New England Clam Chowder
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon diced into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¾ cup carrot sliced, about 2 large carrots
- ¾ cup celery diced, about 2 stalks)
- ¾ cup onion finely diced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups chicken broth unsalted
- 2 cups potato diced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 13 ounces chopped clams (2) 6.5 ounce cans
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Add the bacon to a large Dutch oven (or soup pot) and cook over medium-high heat until crispy, stirring oftten.6 slices bacon
- Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon or fork and place it on a plate lined with paper towels.
- Add the butter to the bacon drippings in the pot and let it melt.2 tablespoons butter
- Then add the carrots, celery and onions and cook for 5-7 minutes until they are tender.¾ cup carrot, ¾ cup celery, ¾ cup onion
- Sprinkle in the flour, garlic and thyme. Stir to coat the vegetables with the flour and cook for another minute or two.¼ cup all-purpose flour, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- Add in the chicken broth and deglaze the pan by scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.2 cups chicken broth
- Then add in the diced potatoes, salt, pepper and the bay leaf.2 cups potato, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 1 bay leaf
- Add both cans of clams along with the clam juice and simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.13 ounces chopped clams
- Lastly, stir in the heavy cream and cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring often.1 cup heavy cream
- Garnish with the cooked bacon crumbles and fresh parsley, if desired.2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclosure
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
Deb
Love this!!!