I love that soup season time of year! This creamy clam chowder recipe chockfull of clams is different than all the others you'll try! One simple thing takes this soup from lacking in flavor to that authentic taste and depth of flavor that you want. Plus, it's ready in 30 minutes!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Authentic clam chowder flavor with tender clams and creamy potatoes!
- Easy just like all my other Soup Recipes!
- Ready in 30 minutes!
- One of the best soups to eat out of bread bowl!
Ingredient Notes
- NOTE - I know some are critical of this recipe using cans of clams instead of fresh clams. Please keep in mind that most people live in areas where fresh seafood is not available.
- Clams - Be sure not to buy the least expensive brands of canned clams at the grocery store. They tend to have chewy clams and quite a bit of sand. I personally prefer the minced clam to the chopped clams as well.
- Clam Juice - You can substitute clam stock or clam broth for the bottle of clam juice.
- White Pepper - You can sub black pepper for white pepper but trust me you'll love white pepper.
- Half and Half - Usually found by the coffee creamers in the dairy case. It's a blend of cream and milk. You always mix 1 part milk and 1 part heavy cream to use if you can't find half and half.
- Chicken Broth - You are reading this recipe correctly. There is not any chicken broth or chicken stock. This is not Potato Soup. This recipe calls for using clam juice instead because that's how you get that delicious clam flavor.
- Butter - You can use either salted butter or unsalted butter.
Step by Step Instructions
- In a 4 quart soup pot, melt the butter to sizzling over medium-high heat.
- Add the celery and onions, sauté' them until the onions are translucent.
- Add the diced potatoes.
- Pour the clam juice over the potatoes through a very fine mesh strainer or through a strainer lined with a paper towel to catch any sand from the bottle.
- Open the cans of cans and pour the juice from the cans over the potatoes through the strainer as well. DO NOT ADD THE CLAMS YET!!!
- Bring the contents of the pot to a low boil over medium heat and cook until the potatoes are cooked through.
- Most of liquid will be absorbed.
- While this is cooking make the white sauce in a separate small pot.
- For the white sauce melt butter in a small pot.
- Add flour and stir to make a paste.
- Slowly add the slightly warmed half and half while whisking.
- Heat until hot and starting to thicken.
- Pour into the pot with the potatoes once the potatoes are finished cooking.
- Add the salt, white pepper, and minced clams to the pot.
- Cook to heat the clams through.
- Serve OR put in the fridge to reheat the next day! Sitting overnight enhances the rich flavor nicely!
- This creamy soup is absolutely delicious served in homemade Bread Bowls or with a side of oyster crackers!
Recipe FAQs and Expert Tips
There isn't one. Boston clam chowder and New England clam chowder are the same thing. Manhattan Clam Chowder, however, is make with a clear-ish tomato based broth rather than a creamy milk based one.
I usually buy the Snow's brand minced clams. Off brand or bargain brand clams are chewy and sandy.
If you want to go the extra mile and crisp some smoky bacon to add to your soup go for it! You can also add a bay leaf when simmering the potatoes if you want!
Related Soup Recipes
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The Best Clam Chowder Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 Quarts 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Description
This creamy clam chowder recipe is different than all the others you'll try! One simple thing takes this soup from lacking in flavor to that authentic taste that you want. Plus, it's ready in 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 Tbs Butter
- ¾ cup finely chopped Onions
- ¾ cup chopped Celery
- 2 ½ cups small diced Potatoes
- 3 (6.5 oz) Cans Chopped Clams (See note at end)
- 1 (8 oz) Bottle Clam Juice
- 3 Tbs Butter
- 3 Tbs Flour
- 1 quart Half and Half slightly warmed
- 1 tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp White Pepper
Instructions
- In a 4 quart soup pot melt 1 Tbs. Butter to sizzling.
- Sauté' the onions and celery until they are half cooked.
- Add the potatoes.
- Pour the clam juice over the potatoes through a very fine mesh strainer or through a strainer lined with a paper towel to catch any sand from the bottle.
- Open the cans of cans and pour the juice from the cans over the potatoes through the strainer as well. DO NOT ADD THE CLAMS YET!!!
- Bring to a low boil and boil until the potatoes are done. Most of the liquid may be absorbed.
- While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the white sauce.
- In a small pot, melt the 3 Tbs. Butter and whisk in the flour.
- Add the slightly warmed half and half a little at a time, whisking constantly until smooth and all the half and half has been added.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and add it to the potatoes once they are done.
- Stir the clams, salt and white pepper into the soup and heat until clams are hot.
- You are now ready to serve or you can refrigerate the soup overnight and reheat and serve the next day.
Notes
- Line a strainer with a paper towel and pour the clam juices through it. The paper towel with catch any sand that's in the juice keeping it out of your soup.
- Just a word about canned clams here. Don't buy whatever is least expensive or off brand clams. In my experience, cheap, non-name brand clams have chewy, tough clams and quite a bit of sand in them.
- I like to make this soup the day before I plan to serve it because sitting in the fridge overnight enhances the flavor.
- Nutritional Disclaimer
Keywords: new england clam chowder, easy clam chowder, creamy clam chowder, best clam chowder
Mindee's Cooking Obsession is a positive place and I love to hear your success stories! Remember to keep comments or questions respectful and kind. I reserve the right to delete or reject any comments that are deemed not helpful to other readers or are offensive in nature.
Comments suggesting substitutions of multiple ingredients or rewrites of the above recipe to promote different dietary preferences will not be published as they are not tested for accuracy and may inhibit the success of other readers. Thanks!
Lillian Gasiorowski
This was the first time I ever made clam chowder , it was delicious. I added a bay leaf and a tablespoon of vegetable bullion.
★★★★★
Mindee
So glad you enjoyed it!!!
Sue
This was excellent! I haven't made Clam Chowder for years. This will be my new recepie!
★★★★★
Mindee
Thank You!!!
Jamie
Creamy, savory, and delicious! We loved this with some toasted bread and crackers on the side.
★★★★★
Lauren
Such a delicious chowder recipe, it makes me feel like I'm at a classic East coast diner. Great recipe.
★★★★★
Pam
My husband loves clam chowder and I've never made it for him until now. He was so surprised and said it was great!
★★★★★
Tavo
One of the best clam chowders I have had! Thank you!
★★★★★
Dannii
This takes me back to a wonderful trip to Maine. I really should try making it myself - it looks amazing.
★★★★★
Eve
What is half and half and how do I make the half and half ? Aside which brand do u recommend for clams can and also the claim juice.
And any recommendation to replace clams with something else ?
Thank you.
mindeescookingobsession
Half and half is a blend of light cream and whole milk. You can generally find it next to the coffee creamers in the grocery store. If you wanted to make your own you can mix 1/2 cup of whole milk with 1/2 cup of light cream to get 1 cup of half and half. Or you could mix 3/4 cup 2% milk with a 1/4 heavy cream to make 1 cup of half and half. As for the clams and clam juice, I usually buy the bumblebee brand. And I'm sorry, I'm not sure what to recommend to substitute for the clams. Good luck!
L.S
You will love this soup! I really like clam chowder. Tip #2 is really important though, because chew clams and sand are not on my yummy list.
★★★★★