New England Clam Chowder

This New England Clam Chowder recipe makes the best clam chowder that rivals any restaurant version out there! It’s made with canned clams, bottled clam juice, potatoes, onions, leeks, celery, green pepper and seasonings. 

What I love about this clam chowder recipe is it has less flour and cream so it’s a lighter version and has fewer calories, but it is still loaded with flavor.

This New England Clam Chowder recipe is so richly flavored and so quick easy enough to make that you can even pull it together on busy weeknights. This was my dad’s clam chowder recipe and he loved to make it for our family!

New England Clam Chowder Recipe

• Aromatics. We use a mix of celery, onions, leeks and green bell pepper that brings a lot of flavor to this soup.
• Clams. We use chopped canned clams and bottled clam juice. 
• Potatoes. We use russet potatoes, but you could use red or Yukon gold potatoes if you like.
• Seasoning. Dried thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper are used for seasoning.
• Cream. This clam chowder doesn’t have a lot of cream added to it.

Find printable recipe with measurements below.

How To Make Clam Chowder

This clam chowder recipe comes together in about 40 minutes start-to-finish.

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add celery, onions, leeks and bell pepper and cook until golden.
2. Stir in the flour and cook for another 2 minutes.
3. Add seasonings and clam juice. Bring to a boil and add the potatoes and wine (if including wine).
4. Simmer on low for 30 minutes.
5. Add the clams and cook another 5 minutes.
6. Pour in the cream, stir and remove from heat.
7. Garnish with bacon crumbles or chopped parsley.

Step-By-Step Guide

1. Saute celery, onion, leeks and green pepper in butter.

2. Stir in the flour.

3. Add the clam juice and seasonings and potatoes and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the clams and cook another 3 minutes. Lastly pour in the cream and cook another 2-3 minutes then remove from heat.

4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Garnish with fried turkey bacon and serve with Oyster crackers or warm crusty bread.

Tips For Making The Best Clam Chowder

• If you want a thicker chowder, then make more roux (butter and flour) and add more cream.
• You can substitute 1/2 and 1/2 for the cream if you want a lighter chowder.
• Cut the potatoes into pieces that are same in size so they cook evenly.
• Don’t over-cook the potatoes or the clams.
• Stir in 1-2 tablespoons of chopped Ortega green chiles if you want to add a little heat. My family ate at a restaurant in San Francisco years ago, and the chowder was similar to this chowder, but they added chopped chiles (like canned Ortega chiles) and it was so delicious. Sometimes when we make this clam chowder recipe, we’ll add in the chiles.

How To Thicken Clam Chowder

If you want a thicker clam chowder, measure 2 tablespoons flour into a small bowl and stir or whisk in 3 tablespoons broth from the soup. Whisk until smooth so there are no flour lumps left, then stir it into the soup. And if you need to thin it out if it’s too thick, just stir in a little more cream, half-and-half or milk.

Why Are My Clams Chewy?

Overcooking clams can make them tough and chewy. To avoid this from happening, add the clams into the soup at the very end of the cooking process just long enough so they are heated through (about 3-5 minutes). 

Looking For More Soup Recipes

• Chinese Noodle Soup
• Mexican Chicken Soup
• Mexican Lentil Soup
• Roasted Garlic Chicken Soup
• Creamy Cauliflower White Bean Soup
• Nourishing Lemon Chicken Quinoa Soup

Continue to Content

Print

Yield: 8 servings

New England Clam Chowder

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

This New England Clam Chowder recipe makes the best clam chowder that rivals any restaurant version out there! It's made with canned clams, bottled clam juice, potatoes, onions, leeks, celery, green pepper and seasonings. 

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 1 cup onions, diced
• 1 cup leeks, diced
• 1 cup green bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup potatoes, peeled and diced
• 8 cups bottled clam juice
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 tablespoons dry white wine (optional)
• 2 6.5 ounce cans canned chopped clams
• 1-1/4 cup cream

Instructions

1. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add celery, onions, leeks and bell pepper and cook until golden.
2. Stir in the flour and cook for another 2 minutes.
3. Add seasonings and clam juice. Bring to a boil and add the potatoes and wine (if including wine). Simmer on low for 30 minutes.
4. Add the clams and cook another 2-3 minutes.
5. Stir in the cream and cook another 2 minutes and remove from heat.
6. Swirl in 1 tablespoon butter and season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.

Notes

Tips For Making The Best Clam Chowder

If you want a thicker chowder, then make more roux (butter and flour) and add more cream.

Cut the potatoes into pieces that are same in size so they cook evenly.

Don't over-cook the potatoes or the clams.

Stir in 1-2 tablespoons of chopped Ortega green chiles if you want to add a little heat.

How To Thicken Clam Chowder

If you want a thicker clam chowder, measure 2 tablespoons flour into a small bowl and stir or whisk in 3 tablespoons broth from the soup. Whisk until smooth so there are no flour lumps left, then stir it into the soup. And if you need to thin it out if it's too thick, just stir in a little more cream, half-and-half or milk.

Why Are My Clams Chewy?

Overcooking clams can make them tough and chewy. To avoid this from happening, add the clams into the soup at the very end of the cooking process just long enough so they are heated through (about 3-5 minutes). 

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 540Total Fat: 50gSaturated Fat: 32gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 163mgSodium: 736mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 7g

theharvestkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate information, however, this nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. The nutritional information provided comes from online sources and calculations. See full disclaimer on About page.