Classic New England Clam Chowder

There are many varieties of clam chowder across the U.S., but my personal favorite is New England Clam Chowder (which was true before I moved to New England, so I think it’s not just regional bias). The chowder tastes comforting, being creamy but also balanced by hearty potatoes and briny clams.

I enjoy New England Clam Chowder anytime, anywhere. I love it in the summer on the way to and from the beaches of Cape Cod. I love it, (sourdough bread) bowl and all, on San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf. And there is nothing quite like a bowl of creamy “chowdah” to keep you warm through long New England winters.

Although New England Clam Chowder is a popular dish, not many people feel like it is something you can make at home. I had certainly felt that way. I had less experience cooking with seafood than meat or vegetables, and had never cooked with clams. I wondered, how do you keep them fresh? Is it okay to use them from a can? But you would be surprised once you find out how simple it actually is to make this creamy chowder in your own kitchen!

This classic, traditional New England Clam Chowder is a one-pot recipe that takes less than 30 minutes to cook. Scroll down to see how you can enjoy this delightful dish!

Ingredients

1/4 cup Salt pork or Pancetta, chopped
1/2 Yellow onion
3 Yukon gold potatoes
2 Tbsp Flour
1/2 cup Clam juice
2 cups Half and half
2 tsp Dried thyme
1 Bay leaf
1/3 cup Frozen clam meat, fully cooked
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper

Instructions

First, prepare the ingredients by small dicing salt pork, potatoes, and onion into 1/4 inch cubes. If you do not have salt pork, you can substitute it with pancetta. Pancetta has less smoky flavor than bacon and will be more similar to salt pork.

Preheat a sauce pan or a pot on medium heat and cook the salt pork for 7 minutes, until brown and crispy. Then, add the diced potatoes and onion to the pot and cook for 5 minutes until the onions are starting to turn translucent.

Next, add 2 Tbsp of flour and stir to coat the ingredients. Adding flour will help thicken the chowder. Add the clam juice, half and half, dried thyme, and bay leaf to the pot and cook for an additional 12 minutes.

While the chowder is cooking, thaw 1/3 cup of frozen fully-cooked clams by running them under cold water. The thawing will only take a couple of minutes. Once the clams are thawed, small dice them and add them to the chowder.

If you cannot find frozen clam meat, you definitely can use fresh steamed clams or canned clams as well. If you are using canned clams, use the liquid from the can as a substitute for the clam juice in the previous step.

Since the clams are already fully cooked, they only need to be heated in the chowder for 2 minutes. The timing is especially important in this step; overcooked clams become tough and rubbery. Remove from heat and this simple yet delicious creamy New England clam chowder is ready!

Serve it with oyster crackers. If you’re feeling especially ambitious, pour it into a sourdough bread bowl. Then enjoy. Yum!

If you are in the mood for more creamy recipes, you might also want to check out Rich Creamy Spinach Pasta. Be sure to subscribe via email or follow on Instagram for all my newest recipes!

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3 from 1 vote