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Creamy New England Clam Chowder

Creamy New England clam chowder with potatoes, bacon, clams, parsley, and oyster crackers

A creamy New England-style clam chowder with tender potatoes, smoky bacon, and plenty of clam flavor.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 celery ribs, finely diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 bottles (8 ounces each) clam juice
  • 3 cans (6.5 ounces each) chopped clams, drained with liquid reserved
  • 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, optional
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to serve
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, for serving
  • Oyster crackers or crusty bread, for serving

Instructions

  1. Place the diced bacon in a cold heavy-bottomed pot. Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp and the fat has rendered. Transfer the bacon to a plate and leave about 2 tablespoons fat in the pot.
  2. Add the onion and celery with a small pinch of salt. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
  3. Sprinkle in the flour and stir continuously for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the bottled clam juice and reserved liquid from the canned clams while scraping the bottom of the pot.
  4. Add the potatoes, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.
  5. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the milk, cream, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, and half of the cooked bacon. Warm gently without boiling.
  6. Add the chopped clams and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, just until heated through. Remove the bay leaf and season with salt only after tasting.
  7. Rest the chowder for 5 minutes. Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with the remaining bacon, parsley, black pepper, and oyster crackers.

Notes

Do not boil after adding the dairy. Add the clams at the end so they remain tender. The chowder thickens slightly as it rests.

Nutrition

Keywords: clam chowder recipes, New England clam chowder, creamy clam chowder

Find it online: https://www.hanaeats.com/clam-chowder-recipes-new-england/