Authentic New England Clam Chowder Recipe

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New England clam chowder is my home base when it comes to soups. I grew up within walking distance of the fishing docks, and I know what a great bowl of chowder should be: thick and creamy, with spoon-sized pieces of potato and plenty of chunky clams in every bite. That’s exactly what this recipe delivers, right down to a creamy broth thick enough to float oyster crackers on top.

The first meal I ever bought myself was a bowl of clam chowder at Gilbert’s Chowder House. Ever since, clam chowder has been my comfort order whenever I’m out to eat and can’t find anything else that sounds good.

A good clam chowder should be thick enough to hold crackers on top, but never so thick it’s spreadable. I use a combination of a roux and heavy cream to get the perfect thick but spoonable consistency.

Each bite needs more chunky clams than potatoes. I add the clams towards the end of cooking so they don’t shrink or get rubbery by the time the chowder’s done. As for potatoes, they’re just filler in a chowder and should never be the star. I cut mine small enough to fit comfortably on a spoon and use waxy potatoes so they won’t turn into mashed potatoes in the chowder.

My chowder calls for crispy bacon instead of salt pork. I do this to add smoky flavor and savoriness without the extra salt and to prevent biting into surprise chunks of fat disguising themselves as clams.

Clam chowder is a year round menu item here in Maine, right alongside lobster rolls and whoopie pies. Now you can bring a proper bowl of chowder into your own kitchen whenever the craving strikes.

Why This Clam Chowder Recipe Works

• Using canned clams keeps you from having to steam clams before making chowder. Adding the canned clams toward the end of cooking keeps them from getting rubbery and shrinking into tiny bits. With this chowder, you’ll get a big chunk of clam in every bite.
• The texture of this chowder is thick and velvety, not starchy. The combination of the roux thickening the clam juice keeps the consistency stable, while the heavy cream adds richness and creaminess without thinning the broth.
• The potatoes matter. I use red or Yukon Gold potatoes because they don’t need peeling and hold their shape, even when cut into small pieces, simmered, and reheated.
• Salt pork is traditional in New England chowders, but I use bacon because it’s easier to find, I always have it on hand, and it won’t leave little fat chunks in your chowder.
• The salt goes in at the end of cooking. Because we’re using canned clam juice and clams, tasting the chowder first before adding the salt and pepper ensures the final meal is not too salty.

Homemade Clam Chowder Ingredients

• Chopped clams – I use canned chopped clams and reserve the juice. Don’t use minced clams because they’re too small, and I don’t recommend whole clams (bellies are gross). Chopped clams save you from cooking fresh clams and leave you with big enough pieces for a chunky bite of chowder.
• Clam Juice – I use bottled clam juice, but if you can’t find it, use seafood stock or veggie stock. The chowder will just have a lighter seafood flavor. You can swap stock for clam juice 1:1. You can find bottled clam juice in the seafood department or in the same aisle as the tuna fish.
• Bacon – diced and uncooked. Traditional clam chowder recipes use salt pork, but since bacon is much easier to find (and less salty), I prefer to use that. If you love salt pork, feel free to swap it for the bacon in this recipe!
• Large yellow onion – diced
• Celery stalks – diced
• All purpose flour – the flour will thicken up the clam juice base and help with the thick consistency of the chowder at the end.
• Red or Yukon potatoes – I like a thin skinned, waxier potato for chowders and soups. They hold their shape during cooking, and the skins are so thin that they don’t need to be peeled. I don’t recommend a russet potato because you have to peel it, and russets break down and turn to mashed potatoes in a chowder.
• Heavy cream – this is the last step to making this chowder thick and velvety smooth. It can hold up to heat longer without breaking, and is great for thickening and making chowders richer. You can use milk or half and half, but your chowder will be soupier instead of thick.
• Kosher salt and Black pepper – this is the most seasoning you’ll get out of a New England recipe.
• Fresh parsley – minced fine, to be fancy.

How to Make Clam Chowder (New England Recipe)

Step 1

Drain the clams into a large measuring cup, reserving the juice. Add the two bottles of clam juice to the reserved clam juice and set aside.

Note: If there is not enough bacon fat to coat the bottom of the pot, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil or salted butter.

Step 2

While the bacon cooks, cut the potatoes into bite-sized cubes (about 1/2” to 3/4”) in size and set aside.

Step 3

Step 4

Simmer the potatoes until almost tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

A fork should pierce the potatoes with a little resistance, rather than slide all the way through easily. They’ll finish cooking during the final simmer, so don’t overcook them now.

Step 5

Simmer for another 10-15 minutes to slightly thicken the chowder, let the flavors blend, and finish cooking the potatoes. The chowder should be creamy, thicker than straight heavy cream, and the chunks of veggies and clams shouldn’t sink to the bottom as you stir.

Tips For Making The Best New England Clam Chowder

• Keep the chowder at a gentle simmer. Do not bring to a rolling boil after the cream is added. This prevents the potatoes and clams from overcooking and the cream from separating.
• Cut the potatoes into ½- to ¾-inch cubes. This size keeps the potatoes from being too big to eat on the spoon, and cutting them the same size will help them cook evenly.
• Wait until the end of cooking to salt the chowder. Depending on the brand, the bacon, clams, and clam juice can be really salty. So taste at the end and add more salt if necessary. 
• Don’t add the clams too early in the cooking process. They’re already cooked when you get them in the can, so you don’t want to overcook them and make them rubbery.
• The potatoes will finish cooking while the chowder is on its last simmer. Don’t overcook the potatoes at the beginning of the recipe, or they’ll turn mushy and break down.
• If your chowder gets too thick: add a little water to the empty clam juice bottle and thin out the chowder until you get the consistency you like.
• If the chowder is too thin: let the chowder gently simmer for 10-15 minutes longer, uncovered, to thicken.

Substitutions & Variations

• Vegetable broth or seafood stock can be swapped 1:1 for the clam juice. The flavor won’t be as briny, so if you can find it, I highly recommend using clam juice.
• Add a couple of bay leaves or sprigs of fresh thyme to the soup as it simmers for extra flavor.
• For a pescatarian version, omit the bacon and add another can of clams. Use salted butter to sauté the veggies.
• Swap the heavy cream for half and half for a lighter chowder, or use a combination of whole milk and heavy cream (I do this for my fish chowder recipe).
• Frozen can be used. You’ll need about 1-1 ½ cups of chopped clams. Thaw frozen clams before using.

What to Serve with Clam Chowder

Serve this easy clam chowder as a starter to a main meal, or make it a meal all on its own.

Bread and Crackers – Serve this creamy chowder with oyster crackers, saltines, or some homemade cornbread, Parker House rolls, garlic crostini, or a crusty chunk of bread.

Salad – This chowder pairs so well with an apple walnut salad or cobb salad on the side. 

Roasted Veg – Maple brussels sprouts, oven-roasted cauliflower, or even homemade french fries are all great options with this soup.

How to Store and Reheat This Clam Chowder Recipe

Allow the chowder to cool completely before storing. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Do not freeze.

Reheating

Because this is a New England clam chowder recipe and made with cream, I highly recommend reheating it on low on the stovetop. Warm until just heated so that the chowder doesn’t break.

Single serve portions can be reheated in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or until warmed through. But if you can, I recommend reheating on the stovetop, because it heats more evenly and won’t overcook your clams.

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