Hearty & Creamy New England Clam Chowder Recipe
Home » COOK » Recipes » Recipes By Course » Soup Recipes »
This New England Clam Chowder Recipe is loaded with taste and goodness. With ingredients including potatoes, onions, bacon, and of course, clams this 40-minute soup will reward you with a bowlful of filling, hearty, deliciousness!
Affiliate Disclosure
We have included affiliate links to products and services related to the topic of this post.
We may earn a commission if you purchase after clicking on those links.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Read Our Full Disclosure Policy and Privacy Policy
New England Clam Chowder Recipe
The full ingredients list and instructions are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions and ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required and understand the steps and timings involved.
Chowder is a type of soup or stew often prepared with milk or cream, and in the case of this New England Clam Chowder recipe, clams. Other common ingredients are potatoes, onions, and bacon.
The dish originated in the Northeastern United States, and many regional variations exist. New England is probably the most well known, but other popular variations are Manhattan or “red” clam chowder, which includes tomatoes, and Rhode Island or “clear” clam chowder, which omits both. It is believed that clams were used in chowder because of the relative ease of harvesting them.
Clam chowder is a hearty, warming soup for cold days or evenings. Oyster Crackers are a classic accompaniment to this soup, being used as a garnish (a bit like croutons) or even crushed and put into the soup as a thickener.
Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe
While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients (and equipment) needed for this recipe have been listed below and linked to Amazon or other stores if available online.
It does not include staple ingredients such as oil, salt, sugar, etc., as you’re likely to have those in your kitchen. The complete list of ingredients with measurements is found in the recipe card.
- Protein – Thick-Cut Bacon
- Fresh Produce – Potatoes (Yukon Gold, Maris Piper), Red Onion, Carrots, Garlic, Parsley, Thyme
- Dairy – Whole Milk, Heavy Cream (Double Cream)
- Chickpea Flour – this makes the recipe gluten-free
- Old Bay Seasoning – a savory blend of herbs and spices including celery salt, paprika and red and black peppers
- Canned Chopped Clams – including the juice
Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use both cup measurements and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. Please note, you can mix cup measurements with weighted measurements, but never mix imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, litres, etc.,).
More Recipes Using Seafood
One of the hero ingredients in this dish is seafood (clams), so here are some more recipes using the same:
- Italian-American Shrimp Oreganata Recipe with Cannellini Beans
- Gluten-Free Baked Coconut Shrimp with Avocado-Lime Dip
- Pineapple and Shrimp Stuffed Avocados
More Soup Recipes
Looking for more soups to make? Check these recipes out next:
- Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup
- Vichyssoise Recipe- A Chilled Creamy Leek & Potato Soup
- Oven-Roasted Fall Harvest Soup with Butternut Squash & Apples
How Do I Make New England Clam Chowder?
Check out the printable recipe card below with full ingredients and instructions. Any demonstration photos do not print out to save your ink.
New England Clam Chowder
Ingredients
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon diced
- 1 small red onion diced
- 2 large carrots finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp chickpea flour
- ½ cup clam juice
- 2 cup whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream double cream
- 1 lb. Yukon Gold/Maris Piper potatoes peeled and cubed
- ½ tsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- 2 6.5-oz/185g cans chopped clams, including juice
- 3 Tbsp fresh parsley chopped
SUGGESTED PRODUCTS
Instructions
- Heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon becomes crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Blot off excess grease and set it aside.
- Drain and discard all but 2 tablespoons of bacon grease from the pot before adding onion, carrots, and garlic. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and sauté for 4-5 minutes until soft. Sprinkle with chickpea flour and cook for another minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the clam juice, milk, and heavy cream, and whisk until combined. Add the potatoes, Old Bay seasoning, fresh thyme, and 2/3 of the cooked bacon crumbles. Season with additional salt and black pepper, if desired, and stir to combine.
- Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a low boil, then immediately reduce heat to a medium-low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Once the potatoes are cooked, add the clams and stir to combine.
- Continue cooking for 2-3 minutes, or until the clams are heated through. Taste and adjust seasonings, as desired.
- Remove from heat and serve immediately topped with remaining bacon crumbles and fresh parsley, if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
Make It A Full Meal
This soup could be served as a starter or main dish, but what about the rest of the courses?
Here are additional recipes to make a full meal for a dinner party or special occasion:
- Appetizer: Garlic Parmesan Shrimp with Roasted Garlic Dip – Perfect for Sharing!
- Salad: Iceberg Lettuce Wedge Salad with Bacon & Blue Cheese Dressing
- Main Dish: 5-Ingredient Herb Mustard Sirloin Steak Recipe
- Side Dish: Simple Oven Roasted Asparagus – A Delicious Side Dish for Fish & Steak!
- Beverage: Bourbon Apple Cider Maple Fizz Cocktail
- Dessert: Pumpkin Mocha Cupcakes with Pumpkin Spice Frosting
There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too.