Soups & stews / Chowders & creamy soups
New England Clam Chowder
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Smoky bacon, soft potatoes and a thick, creamy broth that tastes like the shore. The clams go in at the very end so they stay tender, and a splash of vinegar wakes the whole bowl up.
The short version
Render bacon, soften onion and celery in the fat, stir in flour, then clam juice and diced potatoes and simmer until tender. Add cream, milk and the chopped clams, heat gently for 5 minutes, and finish with a splash of vinegar.
What makes ours better
the tricks Nonna pretends she never taught me
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Build the soup on bacon fat and clam juice. The smoke from the bacon and the clam liquor from the cans give the base real flavor, so the cream has something to carry.
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Stir the clams in at the very end. Clams toughen the longer they cook. Two or three minutes in the hot soup is enough, and they stay tender.
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Finish with a splash of vinegar. Cream and potato are rich and can taste flat. A teaspoon of vinegar sharpens the clams without adding any flavor of its own.
What you need
the cast, in order of appearance
- Chopped clams3 cans
- Thick-cut bacon4 slices
- Unsalted butter1 tablespoon
- Yellow onion1 large
- Celery2 rib
- Fresh thyme leaves1 teaspoon
- Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes1 pound
- Heavy cream1 cup
tap each one as it goes in. no double-salting.
Steps
nobody opens the oven door. looking at you, Dad.
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Drain the clams
Pour the clams into a sieve set over a measuring cup. Press gently and save the juice. Add bottled clam juice until you have 4 cups.
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Render the bacon
Cook the bacon in a large heavy pot over medium heat, stirring, until crisp and the fat has rendered, 6 to 8 minutes. Lift the bacon onto a paper towel and leave the fat in the pot.
About 8 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Soften the vegetables
Add the butter, onion, celery, thyme and bay leaf to the pot. Cook, stirring, until the onion is soft and translucent but not browned, about 6 minutes.
About 6 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Add the flour
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for 1 minute so the raw taste cooks off. Pour in the clam juice slowly, stirring, and scrape up anything stuck to the bottom. The liquid will thicken slightly.
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Cook the potatoes
Add the potatoes and bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced, 12 to 15 minutes. Press a few cubes against the side of the pot with a spoon to thicken the soup.
About 15 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Add the cream and clams
Stir in the cream and milk and heat until steaming, but do not let it boil. Add the clams and cook gently 3 minutes, just to warm them through.
Boiling can make the cream separate and the clams turn rubbery. Keep it just under a simmer.
About 3 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Season and serve
Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the vinegar and pepper, then taste. Add salt only if it needs it, since clam juice is salty. Serve topped with the bacon and parsley, with oyster crackers.
Good to know
read this before somebody asks for seconds
- Clam juice is salty. Taste before you add any salt.
- The chowder thickens as it stands. Let it rest 10 minutes off the heat before serving, and thin with a splash of milk if it gets too thick.
- Fresh clams? Steam about 5 pounds of littlenecks in 2 cups of water until they open, chop the meat, and use the strained liquid in place of the juice.
- Serve it in bread bowls, or with oyster crackers or flaky buttermilk biscuits.
- Storage. Fridge 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat, never boiling. Freezing is not recommended, since potatoes turn grainy and cream can separate.
Questions, answered
the questions my cousins text me
Can I use canned clams for clam chowder?
Yes, and they work well. Buy chopped clams in juice, save every drop of the juice, and top it up with bottled clam juice. Add the clams at the end so they don't toughen.
How do I thicken clam chowder?
The flour does most of the work. For a thicker chowder, mash some of the potatoes against the side of the pot or let it stand off the heat for 10 minutes. The potato starch keeps thickening it.
Why is my clam chowder grainy or curdled?
It was boiled after the cream went in, or it was reheated too hard. Keep it below a simmer once the dairy is in, and reheat over low heat.
What potatoes are best for clam chowder?
Russets break down a little and thicken the soup. Yukon Golds hold their shape better and still taste creamy. Either works. Avoid waxy red potatoes if you want a thicker chowder.
Can I make clam chowder ahead?
Yes. It tastes even better the next day. Cool it, refrigerate, and reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of milk if it has thickened too much.
Can I make clam chowder without bacon?
Yes. Use 2 tablespoons of butter to soften the vegetables and add a pinch of smoked paprika. You'll lose a little smoke but it's still a good chowder.
From the table
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Made it?
be honest. I can take it. probably.
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Published October 28, 2026.