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Clam Chowder Recipe

Homemade clam chowder is easy and a real treat. It's creamy, but light and so satisfying. This creamy clam chowder recipe is loaded with tender clams, silky potatoes, and crunchy bacon.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8 people
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 6 slices lean bacon cut into 1/2" strips
  • 2 medium carrots sliced into thin rings or half rings
  • 2 celery ribs finely diced
  • 1 small onion finely diced
  • 4 Tbsp all-purpose flour or GF flour
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
  • 1 1/2 cups canned chopped clams drained with juices reserved, from 3 (6.5 oz) cans
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper or to taste
  • 1 1/2 lbs 6 medium potatoes Yukon gold or russet, peeled
  • 2 cups milk any kind
  • 1 cup whipping cream or heavy whipping cream
  • 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro optional for garnish

Method
 

  1. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over med/high heat and add the chopped bacon. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Keep 3zsa Tbsp of bacon grease in the pot (discard excess if desired).
  2. Add veggies – toss in chopped carrots, onion, and celery and continue cooking over med/high heat, stirring occasionally until soft and golden (7-8 min). Sprinkle in flour and saute another minute, stirring constantly.
  3. Build Broth – Add chicken broth, reserved clam juice, bay leaf, Worcestershire, Tabasco sauce, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Bring the soup to a light boil.
  4. Add Potatoes – While the soup is heating up, chop potatoes into bite-sized pieces about 1/4" thick. Add potatoes to pot, then stir in milk and whipping cream. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and lightly boil until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork (about 20 min).
  5. Add Clams – When potatoes are tender, add chopped clams, return to a light boil, and remove from heat. Don't overcook clams or they will get tough*. Season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve, garnish with cooked bacon and fresh cilantro if desired.

Notes

  1. The soup will thicken more as it cools. If needed, you can thin it out by adding more milk or chicken broth and bringing it to a boil once more.
  2. Add the clams at the end and be sure you just bring to a boil then remove the soup from the heat. Overcooking the clams will make them chewy and rubbery.
  3. Don’t skip the bacon. That little bit of bacon adds so much flavor, both in the soup and as a topping, and makes every bite completely irresistible.
  4. To Make this Gluten-free, make sure the Tabasco and Worcestershire are FG, then replace the flour with GF flour or create a cornstarch slurry with 2 Tbsp cornstarch and 1/4 cup broth. Add slurry with the clams.
  5. To use fresh clams, you’ll need 7 pounds of clams. Be sure to clean them very well and steam them until they open. Then chop the meat. See more tips in the post above.
  6. Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-5 days. Freezing is not recommended because the texture changes when frozen.