The Best Clam Chowder Recipe (2024)

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Tim H

I live in Arizona, so I substituted canned clams and a bottle of clam juice, but followed the recipe exactly otherwise. And it was delicious.

John April

We made this while vacationing in Lynn using fresh clams procured in Chinatown's Happy Family Food Market. This was the best NE clam chowder I've ever tasted. We altered the recipe's Step 1 slightly in that we cooked the clams with wine, herbs, and a chopped shallot. We used wine and herbs again, per the recipe's Step 3, but my wife, being a French person, could not imagine cooking clams without wine, shallots, and herbs. New York take note.

Rainmaker

Awesome! I used 4 - 6.5oz cans of canned chopped clams. I had enough broth when reserved from the cans to negate the need for any extra clam juice although I had bought a bottle just in case. Other than that I followed the recipe precisely and it turned out amazing! Just finished the last bowl. FYI this made 5 large bowls of soup.

Gail Cowan

Great Recipe. How could it miss? - bacon, butter, cream.

I made some adaptations. Cherrystones were $1 each so I only used 6 of them and supplemented with frozen clam meat already in my freezer. 24 cherrystones would have been better for sure. And I used up the cup of heavy cream that I already had and added some half-and-half. Not as rich, but the soup was delicious and not quite as rich, but nice and thick. Oh, and I added a stalk of chopped celery to the leeks.

MNL

Used only butter (2T) and not any of the pork. I used a California Pinot Gris and substituted some cod and scallops for some of the clams. The result was more like a fish chowder. and Excellent !!!

The tempreture and time is way off

That this only takes 1 hour to make is a total under estimate . Just washing everything and cutting all the vegetables takes more then 30 minutes . Yes the clams only take 15 minutes to cook , but then you have to separate the liquid and the clamps . Wait for the clams to cool , and then chop in 1/2 .And that is only one of the 6 steps .I would say this takes more then 2 hours to make.

Lisa Laskin

This is a great chowder recipe, although I don't love the addition of the wine - gives it a more metallic taste than I like. Also, I make it with whole milk instead of cream and sometimes just onions instead of leeks.

Lynn

I have made this recipe exactly as is and I've added celery and omitted the wine. I prefer no wine and added 1/2 C chopped celery. But, both are delicious, it is Clam Chowder how can you go wrong!

Catherine

In the 80s, I tended bar at The Bluepoint in Providence, RI, the best seafood restaurant in many a RI-er's memory. Chef's trick for clam chowder was to sub fresh (never dried) tarragon for the thyme. Exquisite. Staff would mix the red chowder with the white for a pink chowder that was incredibly delicious--still my preference for a chowder, and lower-cal to boot.

A Gray

At the risk of whining, it would be so helpful if recipes would say what size leek, and how many inches of white before the green, will do the job. Failing that, a volume measure for the cleaned sliced leeks would do. Finding grocery store leeks that are fresh enough and have a decent length of white stalk can be a snipe hunt, and I want the effort to pay off!

George

Delicious!!! Made this exactly as written. Just a shopping note: quohogs are not cherry stones . Quohogs are large sea clams... We use them for chowder, fried clam strips or casino, chopped. Cherry stones are often served raw... We also serve them fried ( bellies and all )

Charles Meade

I think this recipe, as is, is totally world class. And there is no doubt it gets much better after a day or two in the fridge.

Carey

That sounds tasty but it's not even vaguely clam chowder. I would think the clams would be totally overwhelmed by all that sausage, ham, and garlic.

Teddy29

Made this with Maine clams following the recipe exactly. Best clam chowder I've ever had. This was my first up-close-and-personal cooking clams... I had to Google "why do my clams have penises" for guidance and for more detailed instructions on clams (like soaking in salted water so the little bi-valves can discharge debris with their syphons). Not my fault - I'm from the midwest.

Betsy

I had 1/2 cup heavy cream left over from the Summer Squash Casserole and a bag of clams (not quahogs, but still) and pretty much all the other ingredients on hand, so I filled in for the rest of the cream with whole milk. This is a delicious recipe. It feeds 8 to 10, you say? Not at my house! (But we were pretty hungry.)

Courtney

Not too complicated, I used 3 6.5oz cans of clams instead of fresh + juice and it turned out great.

DachshundMom

I wanted this to be lower in carbs so I subbed out cauliflower rice for the potatoes and thickened the broth with 2 tbsp of corn starch. Also used canned clams and added some chopped up fresh shrimp. It was terrific.

JM in SF

Fairly easy and delicious. Halved recipe and used 2 cans of bar harbor ocean clams and their broth. Was barely enough for me and my husband! I might add an extra cup of either chicken stock or clam juice, just because my husband and I like brothier chowder. But delicious as is. Oh, I don’t like bacon, so didn’t use that.

Mark Mikolas

Used the ingredient list for my shopping list. Started to make it and found it called for 3 cups of clam broth, which I didn't have because it wasn't on your ingredient list. Whoooops.

Roger & Carol Craine

This is the best clam chowder and we made it with canned clams.

ks

Market left out my white wine so I substituted Japanese Mirin. Very nice!

HKS in SF

Incredible. As other reviews have noted, the best clam chowder I've ever had. I followed another reviewer's suggestion of adding tarragon: 1 tbsp chopped, added to the potatoes and wine. The perfect hint and not too strong. HIGHLY recommend!

ann j

Used 4 cans (6.5 oz) of clams, reserved juice and added 1 small bottle of clam juice. Added celery (one stalk) with the leeks & a half cup of dried wild rice to the simmer.

TK

Delicious!! I use four potatoes and mash some for a little thicker consist consistency. I also never add the bacon to the chowder in the pot (I don't like it soft) but rather sprinkle on top after serving.

Margaret Miller

I have a home in Tokeland, Washington which has several razor clamming beaches going up and down the Pacific coast from Willapa Bay. I grew up with razor clams, in chowder and fried, when the winter tides were lowest and we would get up at 5 a.m and sleep in the back of the station wagon on our way to "a dig." This recipe most closely jibes with the chowder of my childhood. And, yes, the beloved oyster crackers were part of it 70 years ago. Thanks!

blend before last step

Blend potato mix in a blender, then add cooked clams and bacon. Sub whole milk for 1 cup cream.

Queenbfor3

Made this in a 1.5 batch.I used dried thyme about 2T and about 1T of pepper for this size. I also didn’t realize it called for non-smoked bacon and used smoked bacon ends that I had on end from my butcher. Turned out great! I did blend several potatoes and added a bit of wondra flour to it to make it a little thicker as that is what we preferred! Very delicious and a nice warm hug of a meal with some crust bread.

Kathy G

Absolutely delicious! but ..... it served four of us with no repeats and no leftovers. In no was does this serve 8-10.

Lisa B.

Delicious! I followed the recipe to the T! I was able to find fresh Cherrystone clams and up'd the quantity to 30, wish I had done more. The clam to potato ratio was off for me. I'd prefer more clams than potato. The flavors were excellent! Will make again with more clams!

Paola Repetto

Delicious! I substituted oyster crackers with crackers made by mixing semolina flour, a bit of chopped parsley, ground black pepper, a pinch of salt and the remaining clam broth. I rolled the dough very thin and baked until puffy. Give it a try!

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The Best Clam Chowder Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to make can clam chowder better? ›

directions
  1. Pour soup into 2 quart sauce pan.
  2. Add chopped clams and 2 tablespoons of juice from clams.
  3. Add thyme, salt and pepper.
  4. Stir all together and heat over medium heat until bubbly then let simmer on low for 20 minutes.
  5. Place in individual bowls and sprinkle with crumbled bacon and serve.

What is the most popular clam chowder? ›

New England Clam Chowder is the most famous and most popular clam chowder. It's been around for centuries, so it's possible its longevity has contributed to its popularity. It's also thick and velvety, making it a comforting palate-pleaser, particularly on cold days.

What is the best thickener for clam chowder? ›

This clam chowder recipe should produce perfectly rich soup. If you'd like your chowder a little thicker, though, you can thicken it with a cornstarch slurry. Simply stir cornstarch into a small amount of cold water (or another liquid, such as wine or stock), then stir the mixture into the simmering chowder.

What two ingredients must be present for the soup to be called a chowder? ›

Chowder is a soup with cream or milk mixed with ingredients such as potatoes, sweet corn, smoked haddock, clams and prawns, etc. Some cream-style chowders do not use cream, and are instead prepared using milk and a roux to thicken them.

How do you jazz up a can of clam chowder? ›

The shortcut to making anything taste good is sizzling some onions and garlic in oil, and canned clam chowder is no exception. Sauteed alliums (onions, garlic, and other related vegetables) will add complexity, savoriness, and sweetness to your canned soup, lending it just a touch of homemade flavor.

Is it better to thicken chowder with flour or cornstarch? ›

The most classic and surefire way to thicken a broth-based soup is with a cornstarch slurry. Whisk together equal parts cornstarch (or arrowroot) and water or broth, then whisk it into the pot of soup. A good ratio to get to a pleasant thickness without your soup tasting goopy or heavy is one tablespoon.

What's the best potato to use for clam chowder? ›

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.

What is the correct way to cool 5 gallons of clam chowder? ›

Use ice water bath

An ice water bath is effective for cooling soups. This method helps decrease the food temperature quickly and safely. Fill a large container or clean sink with ice and a small amount of water. Place the kettle of soup into the ice bath.

What ingredient does chowder always have? ›

Customarily, chowder included onion, potatoes, and cream.

What are the three types of clam chowder? ›

Many regional variations exist, but the three most prevalent are New England or "white" clam chowder, which includes milk or cream, Manhattan or "red" clam chowder, which includes tomatoes, and Rhode Island or "clear" clam chowder, which omits both.

What is the most important ingredient in soup? ›

For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.

Can you add water to condensed clam chowder? ›

Just add the appropriate amount of water, then simmer and serve for a deliciously filling soup in an instant. VERSATILE STAPLE: It's excellent as is, you can add your favorite ingredients to make this soup your own or you can use as a base to one of your signature creations.

How to improve canned cream of mushroom soup? ›

There are several herbs and spices that can enhance the flavor of canned cream of mushroom soup. Popular options include thyme, rosemary, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and paprika. These additions can add depth and complexity to the soup's overall taste.

How to cook progresso clam chowder? ›

Simply heat in a microwavable bowl on high for 2-4 minutes, let cool for 1 minute, and prepare to savor the spice.

How do you cool down clam chowder? ›

Use ice water bath

An ice water bath is effective for cooling soups. This method helps decrease the food temperature quickly and safely. Fill a large container or clean sink with ice and a small amount of water. Place the kettle of soup into the ice bath.

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