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New England Clam Chowder is the ultimate comfort food, born from the rocky shores of the Northeast. This creamy, hearty soup has been a coastal staple for generations, with tender clams, chunks of potato, and smoky bacon swimming in a rich broth!
Making New England clam chowder from scratch might seem daunting at first, but trust me when I say it is worth it (and actually pretty easy)! I love ordering clam chowder at a restaurant, but making it at home means I can control the ratio of clams to potatoes, adjust the thickness of the broth to my liking, and ensure that every flavor is exactly how I like it. And honestly, I think my version is even better than getting it at a restaurant! This homemade New England clam chowder recipe has the perfect balance of briny clams, creamy broth, and tender vegetables.
This is one of my go-to recipes during the winter months when we need a cozy, comforting meal. I even made it extra easy to throw together by using canned clams! Not only are they budget-friendly, but they come packed in a brine that adds loads of flavor to the broth. Served with some crusty bread, this clam chowder is the perfect cold-weather meal that always satisfies!
Nikki’s Recipe Rundown
- Taste: Creamy and savory with the perfect balance of briny clams, smoky bacon, and fresh herbs!
- Texture: The texture here is smooth and creamy, with tender clams and bite-sized potato chunks.
- Ease: Making clam chowder is a simple process that requires paying attention to timing!
- Pros: Better than restaurant versions with more clam-to-broth ratio and customizable thickness.
- Considerations: It takes a few steps, so keep in mind that you will need to prep everything beforehand and cook the ingredients in the order listed in the recipe (it’s still easy, though)!
- Recipe Repeatability: New England clam chowder is a great meal for cold weather, but you can make it year-round since it uses easy-to-find ingredients.
Ingredients Needed for New England Clam Chowder
- Bacon: Thick-cut bacon provides a smoky depth that enhances the entire dish! We will save some of the bacon drippings for added flavor.
- Butter: Some butter will help to cook the vegetables and flour to create a rich, thick broth.
- Onion & Celery: Diced, these two vegetables add a lovely flavor and aroma!
- Garlic: For an added depth of savory flavor.
- Ground Pepper & Kosher Salt: To taste!
- Paprika: For a warm, slightly sweet flavor.
- Flour: Flour will help to thicken up the clam chowder!
- Canned Clams & Clam Juice: This clam chowder is made with canned clams to make things super easy. We will also add the clam juice from the cans into the soup! It adds loads of flavor!
- Whole Milk & Heavy Cream: To make things super creamy!
- Herbs: I used fresh parsley and fresh oregano here. You can opt to use dried if you have that on hand, though!
- Tabasco Sauce: For just a little kick!
- Bay Leaves: To infuse some additional flavor into the broth.
- Russet Potatoes: Russet potatoes are great here since they have a high starch content and will help thicken up the chowder. You can also opt for Yukon gold potatoes.
- Oyster Crackers: Top off each bowl of clam chowder with some oyster crackers and a sprinkle of fresh parsley if desired!
Variations and Substitutions
- Bacon-Free: Skip the bacon and use extra butter plus a dash of smoked paprika to maintain that smoky element.
- Gluten-Free: Instead of flour, you can use a cornstarch slurry by combining about 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water and then adding it to the soup after the potatoes are tender. You can add more if you want it thicker, but it is important to mix the cornstarch with a liquid before adding it to the soup to avoid chunks.
- Dairy-Free: Replace the dairy with unsweetened cashew cream or full-fat coconut milk (though this will add a subtle coconut flavor).
How To Make The Best Clam Chowder
✱ Be sure to see the recipe card below for exact ingredients and full recipe instructions!
Step 1 | Cook the Bacon
Open the cans of clams and drain the juice into a liquid measuring cup. You should get about 2 cups. If you don’t have 2 cups, you can add more clam juice from a jar or add a few tablespoons of water or chicken broth to make 2 cups.
Cook the bacon in a 4 ½ quart soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Cook until crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and pour out all bacon grease except 3 tablespoons.
Add the butter to the pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape the bacon remnants from the pan. This will help get lots of flavor into your soup.
Step 2 | Sauté the Vegetables
Add the onions and celery. Increase the temperature to medium and cook until soft, about 4-5 minutes.
Add the flour and whisk to coat everything evenly, then add the garlic, pepper, and paprika and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Step 3 | Add the Liquids
Slowly stir in the clam juice, whole milk, and heavy cream while whisking.
Sprinkle in the parsley, oregano, tabasco sauce, kosher salt, bay leaves, and half the crumbled bacon.
Bring the soup to a simmer, then reduce the heat to keep a gentle simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 4 | Add Potatoes & Clams
Add the potatoes and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through about 20-30 minutes.
Stir in the clams when the potatoes are almost cooked through.
Step 5 | Serve
Remove the bay leaves and serve garnished with the remaining crumbled bacon, oyster crackers, and chopped parsley, if desired.
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Recipe Tips for the Best New England Style Clam Chowder
- Don’t rush the bacon-cooking process. Rendering the fat slowly over medium-low heat ensures you get crispy bacon and flavorful drippings!
- Make sure to let it simmer before adding the potatoes! The 20-minute simmer before adding potatoes is crucial for developing flavor and achieving the right consistency.
- Add the clams after the potatoes are tender so that they can warm up without getting overcooked!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Fresh clams can be used in place of canned. Just use about 3-4 cups of chopped fresh clams and supplement with bottled clam juice to reach the 2 cups of liquid needed. Since fresh clams take longer to cook than canned, give them a few extra minutes of simmering time until they’re tender.
There are typically two types of clam chowder. One is New England clam chowder, which is creamy, thick, and white in color. The other is a Manhattan clam chowder, which is brothy and tomato-based.
What to Serve with New England Clam Chowder
I love to serve my bowl of New England clam chowder with a side of crusty bread to soak up the creamy broth! Serving a crowd? Here are a few of my personal favorite sides to serve:
Storage
Storage: New England clam chowder actually improves after a day in the refrigerator, as the flavors have time to meld. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
When reheating, do so gently over low heat, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of cream or milk if needed to reach the consistency you like.
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New England Clam Chowder
Ingredients
- ½ pound thick cut bacon, cut in half
- 3 tablespoons reserved bacon drippings, see note
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 ribs celery, diced
- 5 cloves garlic
- ¼ teaspoon coarse ground pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ⅓ cup flour
- 2 cups clam juice, see note (comes from the canned clams)
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 3 tablepsoons chopped fresh parsley, or 2 teaspoons dried
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon tabasco sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 ½ pounds russet potatoes, about 3-4, peeled and diced into small bite-sized pieces
- 4 6.5 ounce cans chopped clams, reserve the juices
- oyster crackers, for topping
- parsley, for topping
Instructions
- Open the cans of clams and drain the juice into a liquid measuring cup. You should get about 2 cups. If you don’t have 2 cups you can add more clam juice from a jar or add a few tablespoons of water or chicken broth to make 2 cups.
- Cook the bacon in a 4 ½ quart soup pot or dutch oven over medium low heat. Cook until crisp. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and pour out all bacon grease except 3 tablespoons.
- Add the butter to the pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape the bacon remnants from the pan. This will help get lots of flavor into your soup.
- Add the onions and celery. Increase the temperature to medium and cook until soft, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the flour and whisk to coat everything evenly then add the garlic, pepper, and paprika and cook an additional 2 minutes.
- Slowly stir in the clam juice, whole milk, and heavy cream while whisking.
- Sprinkle in the parsley, oregano, tabasco sauce, kosher salt, bay leaves and half the crumbled bacon.
- Bring the soup to a simmer then reduce the heat to keep a gentle simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the potatoes and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through, about 20-30 minutes. Stir in the clams when the potatoes are almost cooked through.
- Remove the bay leaves and serve garnished with the remaining crumbled bacon, oyster crackers, and chopped parsley, if desired.
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Notes
- You get about ½ cup clam juice from each can of clams. If you still need more clam juice to make 2 cups you can use water or chicken broth.
- If you don’t use kosher salt, use ½ the amount.
- You can leave out the bacon if you’d rather a purely clam taste for the chowder. Add 3 tablespoons extra butter in place of the bacon grease
- In place of milk and cream you can use 3 cups of half and half instead.
- Make sure you simmer for 20 minutes before adding the potatoes or the chowder won’t be thick enough when the potatoes are cooked through.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Soulfully Made is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
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Looks Great. I would Add a handful of Green Onions for Taste.
Thank you! You can’t go wrong with some sliced green onion!