Clam Chowder

You’ll save money and time when you treat the family to a steamy bowl of this creamy Southern style Clam Chowder at your own kitchen table. Serve it with a side of oyster crackers or warm bread and butter to round out the meal.

Easy Clam Chowder Recipe

Clam chowder has many faces depending on where you’re from and how you were taught to make it. This recipe is rich and full flavored making it a tasty addition to your soup menu. How do you make Clam Chowder? (Scroll down for full printable recipe.)

• Bacon – Cook bacon in a 6 quart Dutch oven or similar over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove to a paper towel lined platter to drain, then chop. Set aside.
• Cook Onion and Celery – Reserve 1/4 cup drippings in pot. To the bacon drippings add onion and celery. Cook over medium high heat until tender and beginning to brown. Add minced garlic, cook for 1 minute longer.
• Thicken – Add flour to the pot, mixing until absorbed. Gradually whisk in chicken stock.
• Potatoes and Seasonings – Add diced potatoes, seafood seasoning ,salt, pepper and cayenne. Mix well.
• Cook – Cover and cook per the recipe over medium or until the potatoes are fork tender.
• Clams – Chop clams. Once potatoes are fork tender uncover and add chopped clams, reserved juice, and half and half. Bring to a gentle boil for 1-2 minutes and test thickness. Add half of cooked bacon back to chowder, mix until evenly distributed.
• Serve immediately garnished with bacon and green onions.

How to Make the Best Clam Chowder Recipe

• Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Clam Chowder: Two 6.5 ounce cans clams, russet potatoes, bacon, diced onion, diced celery, minced garlic, chicken or vegetable stock, all purpose flour, half and half, seafood seasoning i.e. Old Bay or Seafood Magic, salt, black pepper and cayenne or a few dashes of hot sauce), green onions and garlic bread, crackers or croutons for serving.
• Kitchen tools you’ll need: A 6 quart Dutch oven or similar, a sharp knife and cutting board, measuring cups and spoons, a large spoon for stirring.
• Different Brands of seafood seasoning have varying amounts of sodium. Depending on the brand used, you may need to adjust the amount of salt called for in the recipe to your personal taste.
• You can also use Creole or Cajun seasoning in this chowder recipe.
• At the end of cooking, test the thickness and make any adjustments. To thin, add more half and half. To thicken, mash some of the potatoes or use cornstarch dissolved in cold half and half then whisk into the chowder. You can repeat this process until it reaches your desired level of thickness.
• Serve Clam Chowder with saltine crackers, with Dutch Oven Artisan White Bread and butter or whip-up a batch of my Ranch Oyster Crackers to sprinkle on top for crunch.
• Store leftover Clam Chowder chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in single servings over medium heat on the stovetop. Add additional milk or chicken stock to thin.

More Easy Soup Recipes to Make

Soup is a fantastic way to stretch those grocery dollars into tummy filling meals for the family. More easy soup recipes you may also like to try:

• Everyone loves a big bowl of Taco Soup for casual family meals and game day snacking.
• Make your own rich French Onion Soup at home.
• Skip the bun and enjoy a big bowl of Cheeseburger Soup, instead.
• Slow Cooker Potato Soup is flavored with cubed ham.
• Creamy Tomato Cheese Tortellini Soup.
• One Pot Chicken Noodle Soup will cure what ails ya!
• Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup comes together in no time flat.
• Crispy Chicken Coconut Lime Soup from Noble Pig.

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• Dutch Oven
• Measuring Set
• Kitchen Utensils
• Knives and Chopping Board