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This classic, Creamy New England Clam Chowder recipe is even better than what you'll find at the best seafood restaurant. Unlike Manhattan Clam Chowder, it’s creamy and filled with bacon, potatoes and tender clams. The flavor is unbeatable!
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Clam chowder is an American classic. The popular versions are named after places in the United States - There's Manhattan chowder, which has a red tomato broth, and its creamy cousin New England chowder, which is my favorite.
There's even a lesser known Rhode Island clam chowder, with a simple clear broth, and the even more elusive New Jersey clam chowder with a creamy tomato base, sort of a combination of New England and Manhattan.
I LOVE clams. They have always been a big part of my life. When I was a baby, my dad worked on clam boats and there was never a shortage of clams at family dinners. Whether they were tossed with pasta like in this classic linguine alla vongole recipe, part of a seafood stew like cioppino, or baked with a garlicky, crunchy topping like in this family favorite recipe for clams oreganata, they were always devoured.
My mom's side of the family is from Gloucester, an iconic New England seaside town on Cape Anne in Massachusetts, and this clam chowder is a family recipe that's near and dear to my heart.
This is a 5 star restaurant-worthy clam chowder, made in the traditional New England style with tender clams and a creamy broth that’s rich and savory thanks to a little bit of bacon fat. Salt pork is more traditional, but it can be tough to find and I like the smokiness of bacon better.
This soup has simple ingredients, but great flavor, and makes the ultimate comfort food, perfect for a cold night.
This authentic clam chowder is a hearty soup and a favorite for our entire family during soup season, as well as for many of the readers here at Coley Cooks– just check the comments! This is the best clam chowder recipe you will find - and bonus - it tastes even better the next day.
Why This Recipe Works
- Made the traditional way with smoky bacon, fresh thyme and tender potatoes.
- Can use fresh or canned clams.
- Done in under 90 minutes.
Clams - Fresh clams are best if you can get them. Because they will be chopped into small pieces, you can use the large chowder clams, cherrystones, top necks, middle necks or little neck clams. If you can't get fresh clams, you can use canned chopped clams instead. You'll need about 6 lbs of whole fresh clams to get 1 ½ cups of meat or three 6.5-ounce cans.
Clam juice - Use the leftover clam broth from steaming fresh clams or bottled clam juice if working with canned clams, plus the juice from the cans.
Bacon - Salt pork is the more traditional pork fat used in an authentic New England clam chowder recipe, but bacon is easier to find in grocery stores and I actually like it better. The bacon drippings add flavor and body to the stock, which gives it incredible depth and complexity, while the cooked bacon makes an excellent crunchy garnish.
Flour - Use all purpose flour. If making a gluten-free clam chowder, use a gluten-free 1:1 replacement. For an extra creamy soup, you can thicken it further wither either a flour or cornstarch slurry.
Potatoes - I like red potatoes, but you can also use russet potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes. Peeled or unpeeled - whatever your preference.
Heavy cream - Heavy whipping cream is what makes a creamy New England clam chowder. Don't substitute for a lighter cream or whole milk - it makes a difference.
Herbs - Fresh thyme, fresh parsley and bay leaves. You can substitute dried, but fresh is best.
*Find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below!
How to make clam chowder: Step by step instructions
- Add the bacon to a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook for about 10 minutes or until done and crispy.
- Transfer the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon and discard most of the fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot. Add the chopped onions and celery and cook for 8 minutes or until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Stir in the flour for an additional minute.
- Add the clam juice, water, thyme, bay leaf, and potatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer. Season with black pepper, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
- Remove from the heat and stir in clams, heavy cream, and chives or parsley. Discard bay leaves and thyme sprig (if desired). Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
How to Prepare Fresh Clams to Make Clam Chowder
- If using fresh cherrystone or littleneck clams for clam chowder, first make sure to scrub them very well to remove as much sand as possible.
- Next, steam them in water or a mixture of water and a little white wine. Add about 2 cups of liquid to a large pot and bring it up to a boil, then add the clams and cover. After about 5 minutes, carefully remove the lid and use a pair of tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer any open clams to a bowl so they don't overcook.
- Cover for another minute or two and then remove any more open clams. Some clams may be stubborn and need several more minutes to open - give them some time and they will usually open, but if they don't, throw them away. When the clams have cooled down, remove them from their shells and finely chop.
- Pour the remaining clam juice through a fine mesh strainer to remove any bits of sand or broken shell, then reserve. You will need 4 cups of clam juice. If there isn't enough, supplement with a bottle of clam juice or water.
Tips for Success
- Chop the clams up very finely. If too large of chunks are left, they can become rubbery as they continue to cook in the broth.
- If you don’t have fresh clams, don’t worry! I really do love this recipe with canned clams and clam juice- it’s much easier and still has really good flavor.
- If you prefer a thicker soup, just follow the directions below and use a flour slurry to thicken it to your liking.
- Give it a taste before adding any salt. It will likely need some, but depending on the saltiness of your clams, it may not need any.
The Best Classic New England Creamy Clam Chowder
Ingredients
- 6 ounces bacon diced *see note
- 1 large onion (or 2 small onions) finely chopped
- 6 celery stalks finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- 4 cups clam juice *see note
- 2 cups water
- 1 large sprig thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 lbs red skinned potatoes diced
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 ½ cups finely chopped clams *see note
- 2 cups heavy cream
- fresh chives or parsley minced
- salt only as needed
- crusty bread for serving
Instructions
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Add the bacon to a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook for about 10 minutes or until done and crispy.
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Transfer the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon and discard most of the fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot. Add the chopped onions and celery and cook for 8 minutes or until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Stir in the flour for an additional minute.
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Add the clam juice, water, thyme, bay leaf, and potatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer. Season with black pepper, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
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Remove from the heat and stir in clams, bacon (reserve a little on the side for garnish), heavy cream and chives or parsley. Discard bay leaves and thyme sprig (if desired).Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
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Ladle into bowls and garnish with reserved bacon and more fresh herbs if desired. Serve hot with crusty bread on the side.
Notes
- *Use salt pork, if you can find it, for a more traditional flavor.
- If using fresh clams, you’ll need about 6 lbs of cherrystones to get 1 ½ cups of meat. Steam them with a little bit of water until they just open, then remove them from the shells and chop very finely. Strain and save the cooking liquid to use as the clam juice in the broth, but taste it first. If it is very salty, go easy on it and use more water instead.
- **If using canned clams and bottled juice, you’ll need 4 bottles of clam juice and 3 6.5 ounce cans of chopped clams.
- Chop the clams up very finely. If too large of chunks are left, they can become rubbery as they continue to cook in the broth.
- If you prefer a thicker chowder, use a flour slurry to thicken it to your liking.
- Give it a taste before adding any salt. It will likely need some, but depending on the saltiness of your clams, it may not need any.
