New England Clam Chowder (Print Version)

Creamy New England soup with tender clams, potatoes, and aromatic vegetables in a rich, comforting broth.

# What You Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 2 pounds fresh littleneck clams or 2 cups canned chopped clams with juice

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, finely diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 2 medium Yukon Gold or russet potatoes, peeled and diced (approximately 2 cups)
05 - 1 clove garlic, minced
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ Dairy

07 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 1 cup whole milk

→ Broth & Liquids

10 - 2 cups bottled clam juice or reserved liquid from canned clams
11 - 1 cup water

→ Proteins

12 - 4 ounces salt pork or thick-cut bacon, diced

→ Seasonings & Thickener

13 - 1 bay leaf
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
16 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

# Steps:

01 - If using fresh clams, scrub them thoroughly. Combine clams with 1 cup water in a large pot, cover, and steam over medium heat until shells open, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Discard any unopened clams. Remove clams, strain and reserve cooking liquid, then chop clam meat and set aside.
02 - In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, cook diced salt pork or bacon over medium heat until fat renders and meat becomes crisp, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove meat with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving rendered fat in pot.
03 - Add butter to the pot. Sauté diced onion and celery until softened but not browned, approximately 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Sprinkle flour over vegetables, stir thoroughly, and cook for 2 minutes to develop roux and eliminate raw flour taste.
05 - Slowly whisk clam juice, including reserved liquid from step 1, along with milk and cream. Stir continuously to prevent lumps from forming.
06 - Add diced potatoes, bay leaf, and thyme to the pot. Simmer uncovered until potatoes are tender, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking.
07 - Add chopped clams or canned clams with juice along with cooked bacon or salt pork. Simmer gently for 3 to 5 minutes. Do not allow mixture to boil after adding clams as this toughens the meat.
08 - Remove bay leaf from pot. Stir in fresh parsley. Adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and serve immediately with oyster crackers or crusty bread.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's creamy and rich without feeling heavy, the kind of soup that warms you from the inside on a cold day.
  • The clams stay tender and briny, never chewy or overcooked, because you know exactly when to add them.
  • One pot, straightforward technique, but tastes like you spent hours on it.
02 -
  • Never boil the chowder after you add the clams—they'll turn tough and rubbery if the heat gets too high, transforming tender bites into tiny erasers.
  • If your mixture looks grainy or broken after adding the cream, you've likely had too much heat or didn't whisk smoothly enough when adding the liquids; next time, reduce the heat and add the dairy slowly while whisking constantly.
03 -
  • Don't skip the step of rendering the salt pork or bacon first—that fat carries flavor you cannot replicate with oil or butter alone.
  • Add fresh clams only if they smell like the ocean, not like ammonia; if anything smells off, trust your nose and skip them.
Go Back