This New England clam chowder with heavy cream is thick and hearty with plenty of bacon bits and diced veggies! You can use fresh, canned, or frozen clams, whichever you prefer. With a side of crackers, this classic chowder makes a tasty lunch or dinner any day of the week!
Clam Chowder With Heavy Cream
Clam chowder is one of the comfort foods I miss most about living in the Pacific Northwest (and having called both North Bend and Florence home at times in my life). It's perfect for cold or rainy weather because it fills the belly and warms the soul!
Out there, you could get made-from-scratch clam chowder at just about any restaurant or grocery store. Now I am on my own to cure my clam chowder cravings, but luckily it's easy enough with this creamy New England clam chowder recipe!
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🥘 Ingredients For New England Clam Chowder
There's no doubt that the ingredient list for this chowder is relatively long. Though the results are more than worth it!
- Bacon - 6 slices of bacon.
- Celery - 5 stalks of celery, sliced.
- Carrots - 3 large carrots, sliced.
- Onion - 1 medium yellow onion (diced, or use white onion).
- Garlic - 1 tablespoon of minced garlic (about 4 cloves).
- All-Purpose Flour - ½ cup of all-purpose flour.
- Clam Juice - 8 ounces of clam juice.
- Heavy Cream - 2 cups of heavy cream at room temperature.
- Whole Milk - 2 cups of whole milk at room temperature.
- Potatoes - 1 ½ pounds of potatoes (about 4-5 potatoes peeled and diced, *see note).
- Bay Leaves - 2 whole bay leaves, removed before serving.
- Dried Thyme - 1 teaspoon of thyme.
- Dried Dill Weed - 1 teaspoon of dried dill weed.
- Clams - 10 ounces of clams (fresh clam meat, 1 10-ounce package of defrosted frozen clams, or 3 cans of whole clams).
- Salt & Pepper - ½ tsp each of salt & pepper (more or less to taste).
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make New England Clam Chowder
There may be a lot of ingredients, but the recipe is deceptively simple. The longer you boil your chowder, the thicker it will be!
A batch of this chowder should serve about 6 people. However, if you have a large enough pot, you can always double it and freeze some for later!
- Cook bacon. Cook 6 slices of bacon in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat for about 6 minutes until crisp. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and leave the bacon grease in your pot.
- Soften the veggies. Add 5 stalks of sliced celery, 3 sliced carrots, and 1 diced yellow onion to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in 1 tablespoon of minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds more, just until fragrant.
- Make a mirepoix. Add ½ cup of all-purpose flour to the pot with the vegetables and stir to combine. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add liquids. Pour 8 ounces of clam juice, 2 cups of heavy cream, and 2 cups of milk into the pot and whisk until smooth. Then add 1 ½ pounds of diced potatoes, 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon of thyme, and 1 teaspoon of dill weed. Add water as needed to cover the potatoes and bring to a low boil.
- Boil. Boil for 15-20 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender and the soup is thickened. Add 10 ounces of clams and simmer for 5 minutes until warmed through.
- Garnish and serve. Add salt & pepper to taste and remove bay leaves. Garnish with crispy bacon bits and fresh parsley, if desired, and serve while hot.
Some crusty French bread would be perfect for dunking in chowder if not using crackers. You could also serve it with a wedge salad for a hearty soup and salad combo! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- If using fresh clams in the shell, you will need to steam them first. Steam the clams in their shells over medium heat in a covered pot for 5-7 minutes, then use a spoon to remove the meat. Set it aside and follow the recipe as directed.
- If using whole clams, you may prefer to roughly chop the clams before adding them to the chowder. My hubby and daughter love them left whole!
- Russet potatoes will hold up best to boiling and their starchiness will help to thicken the chowder. However, red potatoes will hold up best to freezing if that is your plan.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Keep leftover New England clam chowder in a sealed airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
You may freeze it in a heavy-duty freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months (the potatoes may be softer after freezing).
Reheating New England Clam Chowder
Reheat your chowder on the stovetop over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until sufficiently hot.
❓ Recipe FAQs
Yes. So if you or someone you are cooking for has a shellfish allergy, you will want to avoid clam chowder.
There are many types of clam chowder and one of the most common variables is the base. New England or 'Boston-style' clam chowder uses milk and cream as its base. This makes it significantly thicker than say a Manhattan clam chowder, which is tomato-based.
Yes! Clam chowder freezes well. Simply place the cooled chowder in an airtight freezer bag or container and remove as much air as possible. It will last for 3 months or so. I do recommend using red potatoes if you plan on freezing your chowder because they hold up better than russets or other types.
🍲 More Soups & Stews
- Creamy Yellow Squash Soup - This summer squash soup is velvety smooth with lots of flavor and can be gluten-free, vegan, or vegetarian-friendly!
- Split Pea Soup - If you're looking for some fall comfort food, this hearty split pea soup is it!
- Creamy Crockpot Ham Potato Soup - Toss the ingredients in the crockpot and go about your day. You'll have a rich and comforting soup ready for dinner!
- Rabbit Stew - Don't knock it 'til you try it, this rabbit stew is full of flavor and hearty vegetables!
- Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup - Ditch the after-Thanksgiving turkey sandwiches this year and try making turkey noodle soup instead!
- Gumbo Soup - With juicy shrimp and andouille sausage, any day is a good day when gumbo's on the menu!
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📖 Recipe Card
New England Clam Chowder
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon
- 5 stalks celery (sliced)
- 3 large carrots (sliced)
- 1 medium yellow onion (diced, or use white onion)
- 1 tablespoon garlic (about 4 cloves, minced)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 8 oz clam juice
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 ½ lbs potatoes (About 4-5 potatoes peeled and diced)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
- 10 oz clams (fresh clam meat, 1 10-ounce package of defrosted frozen clams, or 3 cans of whole clams)
- ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat for about 6 minutes until crisp. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and leave the bacon grease in your pot.
- Add the sliced celery, carrots, and onion to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds more, just until fragrant.
- Add the flour to the pot with the vegetables and stir to combine. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Pour the clam juice, heavy cream, and milk into the pot and whisk until smooth. Then add the potatoes, bay leaves, thyme, and dill weed. Add water as needed to cover the potatoes and bring to a low boil.
- Boil for 15-20 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender and the soup is thickened. Add the clams and simmer for 5 minutes until warmed through.
- Add salt & pepper to taste and remove bay leaves. Garnish with crispy bacon bits and fresh parsley, if desired, and serve while hot.
Notes
- If using fresh clams in the shell, you will need to steam them first. Steam the clams in their shells over medium heat in a covered pot for 5-7 minutes, then use a spoon to remove the meat. Set it aside and follow the recipe as directed.
- If using whole clams, you may prefer to roughly chop the clams before adding them to the chowder. My hubby and daughter love them left whole!
- Russet potatoes will hold up best to boiling and their starchiness will help to thicken the chowder. However, red potatoes will hold up best to freezing if that is your plan.
- Traditionally New England clam chowder is served with oyster crackers, though any type of crackers or crusty bread would be delicious.
- To Store: Keep leftover New England clam chowder in a sealed airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You may freeze it in a heavy-duty freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months (the potatoes may be softer after freezing).
- To Reheat: Reheat your chowder on the stovetop over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until sufficiently hot.
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