New England style clam chowder is a creamy delicacy that is great any time of the year.
Jump to:
What is New England clam chowder?
Also known as “Boston-style” clam chowder, it is a milk or cream based type of soup. It is often made with clams, potatoes, bacon, and onion.
How do you thicken clam chowder?
To thicken the chowder you can add flour, or cornstarch. If you have extra flour on hand opt for using the flour along with half and half as this will prevent clumping.
What topping can be added to clam chowder?
Chopped cooked bacon, oyster crackers, and fresh chives are the classic clam chowder toppings. Feel free to get creative like topping it off with salted butter and paprika!
Ingredients
- Bacon
- Onion
- Garlic
- Potatoes
- Chicken broth
- Salt
- Clam juice
- Black pepper
- All-purpose flour
- Half-and-half
- Clams
- Chives
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Prep: Chop the onions, mince the garlic cloves, peel and cube the potatoes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and lay the bacon slices on the sheet.
- Cook: In a skillet saute onions, then garlic until golden brown. Add in potatoes, clam juice, pepper, salt and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer until potatoes are tender - about 20 minutes.
- In a bowl mix together the flour and half-and-half until the mixture is smooth. Gradually stir into the soup, boil for 3 minutes or until it thickens. Stir in the clams and remaining half-and-half.
- Meanwhile, place the strips of bacon in the oven until crispy. It takes about 10 to 20 minutes. Once done place the bacon on a paper-towel lined plate to absorb the extra oil.
- Serve: top the chowder with black pepper and chives for garnish. Don’t forget to add the bacon - it’s best if it’s chopped.
What goes well with New England clam chowder?
Corn on the cob, more bacon, and bread. To name a few! Talking about bread, the chowder is a great starter to a lobster roll!
Variations
Looking to make this recipe even better check out these tips to better suit you and your guests:
- Hardy: You can add additional seafood to the chowder, like lobster and shrimp.
- Bread bowl: The best bread to use for a bread bowl is sourdough bread. The best part is you get to eat it too!
- Looking for extra crunch: Add celery or carrots - this will also add more color to the chowder.
Storage
Place in an airtight container that can be placed in the refrigerator. Consume the cooked clam chowder within 3 days.
Top Tip
Do not overcook the clams as they can become tough and chewy.
FAQ
Mix 1 cup whole milk and 1 cup cream.
It can either be heated up in the microwave for 30 second increments (make sure to cover as it will pop in the microwave) or it can be placed on the stove under a medium-low heat until it simmers. Some of my family likes to use a double boiler method.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with New England Clam Chowder:
Creamy New England Clam Chowder (Easy)
Ingredients
Chowder
- 1 Onion large, chopped
- 2 Garlic cloves minced
- 4 Potatoes small, peeled and cubed
- 1 cup Chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 Clam juice 8oz bottle
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
- ⅓ cup All-purpose flour
- 2 cups Half-and-half fat-free, divided
- 2 cans Clams chopped, undrained (6½oz each)
Garnish
- 4 Bacon strips
- Black pepper
- Chives chopped
Instructions
Bacon
- Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and lay the bacon slices on the sheet. Place the strips of bacon in the oven until crispy. It takes about 10 to 20 minutes. Once done place the bacon on a paper-towel lined plate to absorb the extra oil. Chop or crumble the bacon once it's cooled.
Chowder
- Chop the onions, mince the garlic cloves, peel and cube the potatoes. In a skillet saute onions, then garlic until golden brown. Add in potatoes, clam juice, pepper, salt and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer until potatoes are tender - about 20 minutes. In a bowl mix together the flour and half-and-half until the mixture is smooth. Gradually stir into the soup, boil for 3 minutes or until it thickens. Stir in the clams and remaining half-and-half.
Serve
- Top the chowder with black pepper and chives for garnish. Don’t forget to add the bacon - it’s best if it’s chopped.
Leave a Reply