This easy New England Clam Chowder recipe is loaded with bacon, clams, veggies and a host of other delectable goodies. Comfort food at its finest!
New England Style Clam Chowder
Thick, creamy, and rich in savory flavors, New England Style Clam Chowder is a new favorite in our house! It’s a simple seafood recipe that serves up a super satisfying bowl of cozy goodness. Packed with clams, potatoes, bacon, and much more in a deliciously thick broth, it makes such a hearty dinner. Plus it’s so easy to make!
Looking for other easy dinner recipes? Why not also try my Creamy Swiss Chicken Bake and my Beef Lo Mein.
Why You’ll Love this New England Clam Chowder Recipe:
- CREAMY: The broth is made with chicken bouillon and cream, it’s rich and delicious!
- SAVORY: Made with crispy bacon and clams, this will sate your savory taste buds!
- EASY: Made mainly with kitchen staples, it’s easy to whip up a big batch!
This chowder is loaded with wonderful textures, from the melt-in-the-mouth potatoes to the juicy clams and crispy bacon!
How to Make New England Clam Chowder
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Add your broth ingredients to a Dutch oven and simmer.
- Add fried bacon and sautéed veggies to the Dutch oven.
- Add the clams and simmer for another 15 mins.
- For the seasoned crackers, mix the ingredients in a bowl and bake for 15 mins.
- Sprinkle crackers, serve, and enjoy!
Chowder is a type of soup characterized by its creamy and rich broth, often made thick through the addition of heavy cream or milk. New England clam chowder includes clams, bacon, potatoes, and vegetables.
New England clam chowder is thick and creamy thanks to lots of heavy cream and potatoes, while Manhattan clam chowder is thin and brothy due to its tomato base. Manhattan clam chowder does not contain any dairy at all and instead contains a larger quantity of vegetables, making it more similar to a minestrone soup than a traditional chowder.
Unfortunately, New England clam chowder is not gluten-free because it contains all-purpose flour as a thickening agent. You could make it gluten-free by using 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of water in place of the all-purpose flour. To make the seasoned crackers gluten-free, use gluten-free oyster crackers.
I do not recommend making this chowder in a crockpot, as the clams will likely overcook and become rubbery and tough.
I do not recommend freezing New England clam chowder because the cream will likely separate and the potatoes will become mushy. If you do choose to freeze clam chowder, do so before adding the cream, and only add the cream after the soup has thawed overnight in the refrigerator.
Serving Suggestions
This chowder is a meal on its own but you can certainly amp things up with a few sides. Here are some of our faves:
Whether you decide to have this with sides or on its own, you will be super satisfied!
Make Ahead Instructions
The seasoned oyster crackers can be made up to 2 weeks ahead and stored in an airtight container. The chowder itself can be made up to 1 day in advance, but do not add the cream until you’re ready to serve it.
Storage Instructions
Store leftover New England clam chowder in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Gently reheat on the stovetop, stirring constantly to prevent scorching, until just warmed through.
Freezing Instructions
I do not recommend freezing clam chowder, as the cream is likely to separate and the potatoes may become mushy. If you choose to freeze this chowder, I recommend you do so before adding the cream, and stir in the cream only after allowing the soup to thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Chowder Tips
- If you’d like to use fresh clams, use cherrystone, quahogs, or little necks.
- If using fresh clams, be sure to scrub the shells, boil the clams until they pop open (discard any clams that do not open), clean the bellies, then chop the clams into bite-sized pieces.
- Save the clam cooking liquid to reduce into a clam stock for the chowder.
- While I recommend using russet potatoes for this recipe, you can also use Yukon gold.
- Use heavy cream in place of the half-and-half for a richer chowder.
- If you prefer a thicker consistency, you can increase the amount of flour in the recipe by 1-2 tablespoons.
- If the soup thickens too much while simmering, add a little more half-and-half, milk, or cream. If it is too thin, cook longer to reduce to desired thickness.
New England Clan Chowder is iconic and for good reason, it’s delicious! Some may find the idea of putting this together rather daunting, but this really is super simple and serves up a wonderfully rich and comforting seafood chowder. It’s perfect for cozy nights!
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy!
Recipe
New England Clam Chowder Recipe
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 15 minutes
This easy New England Clam Chowder recipe is loaded with bacon, clams, veggies and a host of other delectable goodies. Comfort food at its finest!
Ingredients
For the Seasoned Oyster Crackers
Instructions
For the Chowder
Place the potatoes in a Dutch oven and cover with half-and-half and water. Add the bay leaf, one chicken bouillon cube, and black pepper. Bring the potatoes just to a boil, stir, cover, and reduce the heat to lowest temperature. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until a paring knife inserted into them still meets some resistance.
3 russet potatoes, 2 cups half-and-half, ¾ cup water, 1 bay leaf, 2 instant chicken bouillon cubes, Freshly ground black pepper
While the potatoes cook, crisp the bacon in a frying pan set over medium-high heat. When the bacon is ready, transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.
½ pound bacon
Add the diced carrots, celery, and onions to the bacon drippings. (If necessary, add 1-2 tablespoons olive oil.) Sauté the vegetables until the onions are translucent and carrots and celery have softened, about 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
2 carrots, 2 stalks celery, 1 yellow onion, 1 clove garlic
Sprinkle the vegetables with the flour and stir until no dry flour is visible.
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Transfer the vegetables to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.
When the potatoes are ready, add the cooked vegetables to the potatoes and stir well.
Add the clam juice, chopped and whole clams, thyme leaves, and more black pepper.
4 ounces clam juice, 10 ounces canned whole baby clams, 6.5 ounces canned chopped clams, 3 sprigs fresh thyme
Stir well and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste the soup and, if needed, add the second chicken bouillon cube. Simmer another 10 minutes and taste the soup again. If needed, season the soup with additional kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Kosher salt
For the Seasoned Oyster Crackers
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 250°F.
In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, crackers, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes until the crackers are fully coated by the butter.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 4 cups Oyster crackers, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Pour the crackers onto a large, rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool before serving. Keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Becky’s tips
- If you’d like to use fresh clams, use cherrystone, quahogs, or little necks.
- If using fresh clams, be sure to scrub the shells, boil the clams until they pop open (discard any clams that do not open), clean the bellies, then chop the clams into bite-sized pieces.
- Save the clam cooking liquid to reduce into a clam stock for the chowder.
- While I recommend using russet potatoes for this recipe, you can also use Yukon gold.
- Use heavy cream in place of the half-and-half for a richer chowder.
- If you prefer a thicker consistency, you can increase the amount of flour in the recipe by 1-2 tablespoons.
- If the soup thickens too much while simmering, add a little more half-and-half, milk, or cream. If it is too thin, cook longer to reduce to desired thickness.
Storage: Store New England clam chowder in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 591kcal (30%) Carbohydrates: 54g (18%) Protein: 15g (30%) Fat: 35g (54%) Saturated Fat: 16g (100%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g Monounsaturated Fat: 12g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 77mg (26%) Sodium: 1205mg (52%) Potassium: 837mg (24%) Fiber: 4g (17%) Sugar: 7g (8%) Vitamin A: 4129IU (83%) Vitamin C: 12mg (15%) Calcium: 140mg (14%) Iron: 3mg (17%)
