Homemade Clam Chowder

Wonderfully creamy New England Clam Chowder is way easier than you think to make at home and about to become a new family favorite!  

New England Clam Chowder is hearty, thick, creamy and loaded with tender clams, creamy potatoes and salty, smoky bacon in a rich flavor bursting broth!   Homemade Clam Chowder might seem intimidating but you will be AMAZED at just how quick and easy it is to make at home in just one pot.  Iโ€™ve detailed how to use fresh clams or canned clams to make a New England Clam Chowder to rival your favorite restaurant.  If you’re not sure you love New England Clam Chowder, this recipe will convert you!

New England Clam Chowder Recipe Video

top view of white bowl thick New England Clam Chowder with a spoon with potatoes, bacon, onions, celery and garlic


 

New England Clam Chowder Recipe

I lived in Solana Beach for 5 years (by the Del Mar racetrack in San Diego) in my late teens/early twenties and down the street was the iconic Fish Market with the best New England Clam Chowder.  My friends and I would buy a quart for $8 which came with oyster crackers and a huge slab of bread.

We would drive a few blocks west to the ocean and sit on the bluffs as we devoured our rich and satisfying chowder.  It was then that I fell in love with New England Clam Chowder.  And I fell hard.

I would crave the white creamy chowder bursting with delectable clams, tender potatoes, and salty bacon.  Little did I know just how easy it is to make restaurant quality New England Clam Chowder at home or I would have been making it weekly!

So now that I know how easy it is, I want YOU to know how easy it is!  You will never go back to any canned/carton variety again because this Clam Chowder is perfection.

side view of the best New England Clam Chowder recipe in the world in a white Dutch oven with potatoes, bacon, onions, celery and garlic with a bowl of oyster crackers
ingredient icon

Homemade Clam Chowder Recipe Ingredients

Let’s take a closer look at what you need to make this recipe (measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):

white bowl easy New England Clam Chowder with a spoon with potatoes, bacon, onions, celery and garlic

How to Steam Clams for New England Clam Chowder

Steaming fresh clams is actually quite simple and creates its own clam juice so you will use this clam stock instead of the bottled clam juice listed in the ingredients.  Let’s get to it!

  1. SCRUB your shells very well.
  2. Add 3 cups water to a Dutch oven and bring to a boil.
  3. Add clams, cover, and cook on high heat for 5 minutes. Stir clams, cover and cook an additional 2 minutes. Uncover and remove any open clams. Continue to simmer and remove clams as they open up. Discard any unopened clams.
  4. Drain the clams and reserve stock, scoop out the meat, and coarsely chop.
  5. Set the clams aside to add to the chowder at the very end of cooking. Like the canned clams, we are just HEATING the clams and not cooking the clams.  If you add them any sooner to the chowder then they will become rubbery.
  6. Strain the stock from the pot through a mesh strainer lined with a coffee filter and add to a measuring cup to equal 2 ½ cups. Add additional water to equal 2 ½ cups if needed.
a large ladle of New England Clam Chowder with bacon in a white Dutch oven with potatoes

How to Make New England Clam Chowder 

Now that you have your clams all ready to go, it’s time to make New England Clam Chowder!  You will LOVE how easy this clam chowder is to make with gourmet results.

  1. Simply cook chopped bacon in a large Dutch oven then remove half to garnish the clam chowder with at the end of cooking.
  2. Next, cook your onions and celery in the bacon drippings for dynamic flavor followed by potatoes, garlic and red pepper.  Sprinkle in some flour and cook for one minute to get rid of the raw flour smell then stir in chicken broth, clam juice and all seasonings.
  3. Simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are very tender then stir in heavy cream followed by clams. That’s it for decadently delicious New England Clam Chowder!

Recipe Tips

top view of white bowl of easy New England Clam Chowder recipe with a spoon garnished with oyster crackers

How to serve this Clam Chowder Recipe

To finish the New England Clam Chowder, pile it with some of the reserved crispy bacon and fresh parsley for an added explosion of YUM!

I love serving New England Clam Chowder with a big chunk of bread and oyster crackers.  I love the salty crunch oyster crackers add to the chowder.  If you canโ€™t find oyster crackers than saltine crackers are also delicious.

It is also delicious with a big green salad, wedge salad, breadsticks, dinner rolls and fruit salad.  

Clam Chowder Soup FAQs

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CLAM CHOWDER?

If you arenโ€™t familiar with New England Clam Chowder, then you might wonder what the difference is between New England Clam Chowder and the other varieties.
New England Clam Chowder or โ€œBoston Clam Chowderโ€ is by far the most common and most popular type of chowder.ย  It boasts a rich creamy base and is commonly made with potatoes, onion, and clams; adding tomatoes to THIS chowder is frowned upon. In fact, in 1939, a bill was introduced in the Main legislature to make adding tomatoes to clam chowder illegal!ย  It didnโ€™t pass.
Manhattan Clam Chowder, on the other hand, is where the tomatoes are at.ย  It features a clear tomato broth and is essentially a vegetables soup with clams.
Of both varieties, I canโ€™t pull my spoon away from lusciously creamy New England Clam Chowder and I think youโ€™ll agree!

    white bowl thick New England Clam Chowder with a spoon with potatoes, bacon, onions, celery and garlic

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    top view of white bowl England Clam Chowder with a spoon with potatoes, bacon, onions, celery and garlic

    New England Clam Chowder

    Wonderfully creamy New England Clam Chowder is way easier than you think to make at home and about to become a new family favorite!ย  If youโ€™re not sure you loooooove Clam Chowder –ย  this recipe will convert you! New England Clam Chowder is hearty, creamy and loaded with tender clams, creamy potatoes and salty, smoky bacon in a rich flavor bursting broth! ย Homemade Clam Chowder might seem intimidating but you will be AMAZED at just how quick and easy it is to make at home in just one pot!ย  Iโ€™ve detailed how to use fresh clams or canned clams to make a New England Clam Chowder to rival your favorite restaurant!
    Servings: 6 servings
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes

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    Ingredients

    • 3 (6.5 oz.) cans chopped/minced clams in clam juice*
    • 1 (8 oz.) bottle clam juice*
    • 6 thick center-cut bacon strips, chopped
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
    • 1 large onion, chopped
    • 1 1/4 pounds (3 ½ cups) Yukon gold potatoes peeled and diced into 1/4-1/2โ€ cubes
    • 3-5 garlic cloves, minced
    • pinch-1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
    • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
    • 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
    • 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon (Hold if using fresh clams)
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 1/2 tsp EACH dried parsley, dried oregano, salt (salt to taste if using fresh clams)
    • 1/4 tsp EACH dried thyme, pepper
    • 1 cup heavy cream

    Garnishes (optional)

    • Oyster crackers
    • fresh parsley
    • bacon
    • cheese

    Instructions

    • Drain clam juice from cans into a liquid measuring cup. Add enough bottled clam juice to equal 2 ½ cups. Set aside. (See directions in Notes if using fresh clams.)
    • In a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until fat is rendered and slightly brown. Remove half of the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons grease. To the remaining bacon and drippings, melt in 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat.
    • Increase heat to medium high and add celery and onion. Sautรฉ for 5-7 minutes or until onions are soft. Add potatoes, garlic, red pepper (if using) and sautรฉ 30 seconds. Sprinkle in flour and cook an additional 1 minute. Stir in chicken broth, reserved 2 ยฝ cups clam juice, chicken bouillon, bay leaves and all seasonings. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are very tender.
    • Stir in heavy cream and bring to a simmer to heat through. Discard bay leaves. Remove from heat and stir in clams. Taste and add salt/pepper to taste. (You may or may not need additional salt depending on how salty your clams and bacon are.) For a thinner or less chunky soup stir in additional heavy cream/milk or chicken broth.
    • Top individual servings with reserved bacon and oyster crackers and fresh parsley if desired.

    Video

    Notes

    Don’t miss the “how to make” recipe video at the top of the post!
    *FRESH CLAM ALTERNATIVE* – Replace canned clams with 5 pounds of cherrystone clams in shells, scrubbed. (May sub quahogs clams) – You will use the stock of the fresh clams instead of the bottled clam juice.
    How to Cook Fresh Clams: 1. Add 3 cups water to a Dutch oven and bring to a boil. 2. Add clams, cover, cook over high heat for 5 minutes. Stir clams, cover and cook an additional 2 minutes. Uncover and remove any open clams. Continue to simmer and remove clams as they open up. Discard any unopened clams. 3. Drain the clams and reserve stock, scoop out the meat, and coarsely chop.ย  ย Set the clam meat aside until the end of cooking (see Soup directions). 4.ย  Strain the clam stock through a mesh strainer lined with a coffee filter and add to a measuring cup to equal 2 ½ cups. Add additional water to equal 2 ½ cups if needed.

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    49 Comments

    1. Erica says

      Seriously the best clam chowder Iโ€™ve ever had! And anyone I have made this for completely agrees. For anyone hesitant to try this recipe because they arenโ€™t a big fan of clams and the thought of clam juice scares youโ€ฆ..just go for it! You wonโ€™t regret it. Iโ€™ve served this to a handful of picky eaters and they all gobbled it up. Thanks for yet another wonderful recipe. Iโ€™m on this site at least once a week making one of your recipes.

      • Jen says

        Thank you so much for the glowing review Erica, I LOVE hearing that!

    2. Maria says

      We enjoyed this recipe immensely! My husband and I both agreed that it was better than any chowder we’ve had at a restaurant It was also very easy to prepare, so perfect for a quick meal. Another winner!!

      • Jen says

        Thank you so much Maria- what a generous compliment! ๐Ÿ™‚ I am thrilled this was another winner!

    3. Heather Torre says

      Absolutely delicious! I had 3 cups of leftover broth that I cooked 6 ears of corn in, so I used that instead of chicken broth. It was comprised of whole milk, chicken broth, garlic and a ton of butter. I came here looking for a recipe I could use it in so it wouldn’t go to waste. Clam chowder was a no-brainer! I used leftover coconut milk instead of the extra clam juice and threw in a shucked ear of corn.
      I used red potatoes, and added smoked paprika to the spices. Delicious!

      • Jen says

        Yum! I’m so glad you were able to put your left over broth to good use!

    4. Deb Adam says

      Hi Jen. My sisters got me onto your website and I’ve never turned back. Your recipes are amazing and full of flavor. I want to make this clam chowder recipe for our family Christmas, but we do a lot of crock pot dishes. Could I do this in the crock pot or just keep warm in the crock pot?

      Thanks for your advice.

      Deb

      • Jen says

        Sisters are so wonderful aren’t they?! I’m so glad they helped you find my site! You can definitely keep this warm in a crock pot as long as it doesn’t get too hot and make the dairy split ๐Ÿ™‚ If you do make it in a crock pot, which I haven’t tried yet, you can add everything but the clams and cream. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3 hours. Add the clams and cream and cook on high for 30 minutes. Use corn starch to thicken to the best consistency for you! Hope that helps and you and your family love it!

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