This New England Clam Chowder recipe has a creamy broth that’s loaded with delicious clams, savory bacon, simple seasonings, and perfectly cooked potatoes. You’ll think this came from a restaurant!
Be sure to pair this with my crusty, airy, No Knead Bread for dipping!
Clam Chowder
I am a New England native, so it is my honor and privilege to present this incredible, restaurant-worthy clam chowder to you. If you’re new to this recipe, don’t worry. The process is simple. (I promise!)
I’ve outlined how to use fresh OR canned clams in this recipe, and I swear- the canned clam version is great. Using canned clams is not only super easy, but it allows you to put a plentiful amount of clams in the chowder without spending a ton of money.
It’s really easy to control the consistency of this chowder too, I know some people like their chowder to be super thick, and others, not so much. The longer this soup simmers, the thicker and more concentrated it will be.
New England Clam Chowder vs. Manhattan Clam Chowder
- New England Clam Chowder is white and creamy, (as shown in this post). Manhattan Clam Chowder has a tomato base with no cream.
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Cook bacon and set aside, reserve bacon drippings. Chop bacon once cooled.
Add bacon drippings, butter, onions, and celery to the pot and soften for 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings. Cook for 1 minute. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and half and half in small splashes, stirring continuously.
Add the chicken bouillon, clam juice, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Simmer and reduce for 20 minutes. Add the potatoes and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, 20-25 minutes.
Add the clams and heat through for 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf. Garnish with parsley, chopped bacon, and freshly cracked pepper. Serve!
Using Fresh Clams
- 1 heaping cup of chopped fresh clams can be used in this recipe along with 1.5 cups of clam juice. (1.5 cups = the 8 oz. jar + reserved juices from the can.)
- Make sure the clams are cleaned and steamed prior to chopping.
Pro Tips
- Clams: I use Bar Harbor Chopped Clams and Clam Juice for this recipe.
- 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.
- Bacon: Salt Pork can be used instead of bacon if preferred!
- The longer this soup simmers, the thicker it gets, so you can control the consistency with that in mind. I always let it simmer, reduce, and concentrate for at least 20 minutes before I add the potatoes. Once you add the potatoes, you don’t have as much flexibility with cooking time, as you don’t want to overcook them.
- The Hot Sauce is a flavor enhancer that you can’t taste outright and it won’t make the soup spicey. I use Frank’s Hot Sauce.
- The Worcestershire Sauce adds umami and also can’t be tasted in this soup. Soy sauce can be used as a substitute if needed.
- Be sure to pair this with my crusty, airy, No Knead Bread for dipping!
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-5 days. The flour in this soup helps it maintain it’s original consistency a little bit better when reheated.
- While you can freeze this soup, it likely won’t restore back to it’s exact consistency as dairy-based soups don’t reheat as well. (But that doesn’t stop me from freezing it.)
- It’s best to let it thaw completely in the fridge before reheating it in the microwave or on the stovetop.
- Make sure you don’t overcook the potatoes if you plan on freezing it, as you don’t want them to be crumbly when reheated.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- 4.5 Quart Dutch Oven– This is the one I use that’s pictured in this recipe.
- Food Storage Containers– These are what I use to store leftovers!
- Better Than Bouillon– This is what I always use for broth in my recipes. It takes very little space and makes it easy to measure out customized amounts of broth.
- Silicone Spatula– To “clean” the pot throughout cooking, which incorporates flavor into the broth. It’s nice and gentle on the surface of your cookware.
- Measuring Spoons– I have these magnetic ones which stay nice and organized in my utensil drawer.
- Pinch Bowls– For measuring seasonings, etc. ahead of time.
- Soup Ladle
- 16 oz. storage containers I use these to store/freeze my soups. They have 8 oz. sizes as well. They’re stackable, leak proof, and dishwasher/microwave safe.
Try These Next
- Honey Glazed Salmon
- Chicken a la King
- Chicken Parmesan
- Shrimp Pasta
- Shrimp Alfredo
- Shrimp Fra Diavolo
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Tried This Recipe?
Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
![A soup pot filled with creamy New England Clam Chowder with bacon and parsley on top.](https://thecozycook.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Clam-Chowder-f-200x200.jpg)
Clam Chowder Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 strips thick-cut bacon, can sub salt pork
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce, or ½ tsp tabasco sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 3 cups Half and Half
- 8 oz. clam juice
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 ¼ lbs. potatoes, see notes
- 3 (6.5 oz. cans) chopped clams, juices reserved
- Fresh parsley & Freshly cracked pepper, for serving
Seasonings
- ½ teaspoon EACH: dried oregano, dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon EACH: dried thyme, salt
- 1/8 teaspoon EACH: smoked paprika, pepper
Instructions
Prep Work
- Cook the bacon in a 4.5-quart soup pot slowly over low heat. (I cut my bacon in half, it’s easier to fit it in the pan and have it cook evenly.) While the bacon cooks, measure out remaining ingredients. Once the bacon is cooked, set aside on a paper towel lined plate. Chop once cooled and reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings.
- Wipe any dark spots from the pot but leave as much bacon remnants as you can, as that will add flavor to the soup.
Make the Soup
- Add reserved bacon drippings and butter to the pot over medium heat and use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom and sides of the pot. Add the diced onions and celery. Toss to coat and soften for 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes stirring continuously, until the raw flour smell is gone.
- Add the chicken broth in small splashes, stirring continuously, and wiping the pan “clean” again as you do so. Add the half and half in the same manner.
- Stir in the chicken bouillon and add the bay leaf. Add the juice from the canned clams to the soup, but don’t add the clams yet. Stir in the additional ( 8 oz.) clam juice.
- Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer, so that its just gently bubbling. Simmer for 20 minutes, partially covered. Stir occasionally as it cooks.
- Peel and dice the potatoes and add them to the soup. Bring back to a very gentle bubble and let the potatoes cook through for 20-25 minutes, until fork tender. Reduce heat to low.
- Stir in the clams and let them heat through, about 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf.
- Ladle soup into serving bowls and garnish with roughly chopped parsley, freshly cracked pepper, and chopped bacon.
Notes
- Clams: I use Bar Harbor Chopped Clams and Clam Juice for this recipe.
- Using Fresh Clams: 1 heaping cup of chopped fresh clams can be used in this recipe along with 1.5 cups of clam juice. (1.5 cups = the 8 oz. jar + reserved juices from the can.) Make sure the clams are cleaned and steamed prior to chopping.
- 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.
- Bacon: Salt Pork can be used instead of bacon if preferred!
- The longer this soup simmers, the thicker it gets, so you can control the consistency with that in mind. I always let it simmer, reduce, and concentrate for at least 20 minutes before I add the potatoes. Once you add the potatoes, you don't have as much flexibility with cooking time, as you don't want to overcook them
- The Hot Sauce is a flavor enhancer that you can't taste outright and it won't make the soup spicey. I use Frank's Hot Sauce.
- The Worcestershire Sauce adds umami and also can't be tasted in this soup. Soy sauce can be used as a substitute if needed.
- Be sure to pair this with my crusty, airy, No Knead Bread for dipping!
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-5 days.
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per cup. There are approximately 9 cups in this recipe.
Could this be done in the crockpot?
Hi Brandi! Cream based soups run the risk of curdling in the Crock pot. I also utilize various temperatures on the stove top for this in order for the fms irs to meld and the consistency to thicken properly. 🩷
Hi! Looks delicious and can’t wait to make next weekend. What are your thoughts on making the soup the night before?
Fresh is best, especially for creamy chowders like this. But you can make it ahead if needed. ☺️
I made this for my hubs and he said it wasn’t only THE best clam chowder he’s ever had, but his favorite meal ever! Thank You! I’m currently in keto so made another batch for me using roasted cauliflower (with olive oil). Delicious!!
Has anyone ever tried freezing some?
I am so happy to hear that Vivian!! Wonderful! Here is the info in the recipe post about freezing it: While you can freeze this soup, it likely won’t restore back to it’s exact consistency as dairy-based soups don’t reheat as well. (But that doesn’t stop me from freezing it.)
It’s best to let it thaw completely in the fridge before reheating it in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Make sure you don’t overcook the potatoes if you plan on freezing it, as you don’t want them to be crumbly when reheated.
How many does this feed
Hey Shirley! The number of servings are at the top of the recipe card in the middle, this makes 9 cups, that will feed 4-6 people.
Super good, so much richer and flavorful than chowder from a can. I threw some chopped up carrots in there too for extra veggies.
Nice work Taylor! I’m so happy it was such a success! Thanks so much!💖
Loved this recipe. I modified it slightly by adding carrots. By far my favorite clam chowder recipe!
I’m so happy that you loved it Jennifer!! Thank you so much for the review! 🙂
I had to improvise on a few things. I didn’t have the extra clam juice so I added a little more chicken broth. I didn’t have a boullion cube so I added a type of all purpose seasoning I have and it still came out great. Still tasted like clam chowder. I added some shredded carrots as well. Excellent recipe. I will make more next time. It went too fast.
I’m glad that you enjoyed it Nikah!! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review- excited that you plan on making it again (It DOES go fast!) – Stephanie 🙂
My favorite by far!! Thank you!
You’re very welcome Michelle! I’m so happy you liked it. Thanks so much for the great review!💖
First time chowder maker. I was intimidated by clam chowder This was perfection. This will be my go to chowder!
I’m so happy you nailed it Heather! Nice work! Thanks so much for the great comments and review!💖
I’ve eaten hundreds of clam chowder soups in my lifetime, and made a fair few of them. I was so impressed with this recipe. It’s the best clam chowder I’ve had. I think the smoked paprika and the Worcestershire sauce elevate it. I sent the recipe to my one daughter who is an amazing chef because it was good.
WOW! I am soooo thrilled to hear you say that Cori!! Honestly. I couldn’t appreciate it more, I tested this one so many times to get it just right. Thank you so much!! 🩷🩷🩷
This clam chowder is amazing!! So full of flavor and spice. Perfectly seasoned!!
Thanks so much Lee! I’m so happy it was such a success!💕