This recipe for Creamy Clam Chowder is really easy to make and so delicious. With hearty potatoes, cream, and clams, this tasty soup that is easy to make is the perfect comfort food for any chowder lover.
Creamy Clam Chowder
I’ve always loved the clam chowder and to my delight, so does my family. It’s so nice to know that I can make this soup easily right at home without having to wait for a chance to order it from a restaurant. This soup is easy to make and really reminds me of the clam chowder I use to get when we lived in New England.
What I love about this recipe:
- It reminds me of New England Clam Chowder
- It’s easy to make
- The creaminess and the addition of potatoes make this soup a hearty meal
- A great fall, winter, or summer night meal
FAQs
Make-Ahead and Storage
Can I Make Clam Chowder Ahead of Time?
Yes. You can make clam chowder ahead of time, but I wouldn’t recommend more than 1 day in advance. Potatoes are always the tricky ingredient in make-ahead recipes. The longer they sit and the longer they cook they release starch and tend to crumble apart.
Reheating: Reheat in a pan on the stove until heated through – stirring occasionally to prevent scalding on the bottom of the pot
What Do I Serve with Clam Chowder?
Oyster crackers are always the preferred cracker when serving clam chowder. If you don’t have oyster crackers, then regular saltine crackers will do
How much does this Recipe Serve?
This recipe serves 3 large bowls of soup as a main dish, but you can divide that into smaller bowls if this is a soup to be served on the side.
You can also double or triple this recipe for more
What Can I Serve on the Side of Creamy Clam Chowder?
- a side salad
- baked potato
- bread
- corn on the cob
- cornbread
- hush puppies
Tips and Tricks for Clam Chowder
- if you need more soup, then you can easily double or triple this recipe
- russet potatoes are the best potato for this soup
- this soup comes together fairly quickly, so you can make this last minute for a delicious lunch or dinner
If you are ready to make this delicious soup, let’s make sure you have everything you’ll need:
Ingredients and Substitutions
- butter – unsalted
- garlic powder- you can use minced garlic in place of garlic powder. I use garlic powder because it is easily blended in with other flavors and doesn’t have to be cooked
- onion – I use Vidalia onions for their sweet flavor instead of a yellow and bitter onion
- celery – celery adds more texture to this soup and some flavor, as well
- thyme leaves – dried thyme leaves can be found with spices in the baking aisle of your grocery store
- flour – all-purpose flour
- milk – 2% milk or whole milk
- vegetable stock – this adds a depth of flavor. If you have to substitute it, you can use chicken broth
- chopped clams in clam juice – you can find these in cans – probably near the tuna
- potatoes – I like to use russet potatoes for this recipe
- half and half
- salt
- pepper
- dried parsley – a spice that can be found at your local grocery store. You can use fresh parsley instead
- heavy cream – this is a thickening agent
How do you make Creamy Clam Chowder Soup?
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter
- Add chopped onions and sliced celery
- Cook for about 3-5 minutes or until onions become translucent
- Add the garlic, thyme, and flour
- Mix to make a flour base
- Pour in milk and vegetable stock and whisk with the flour
- Add clams with juices and mix in
- Add cut potatoes and bay leaves
- Boil for about 15 minutes
- Add half & half, salt, pepper, parsley, and heavy cream
- Cook, stirring occasionally until thickened up
More soup recipes
Creamy Clam Chowder
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
Description
A delicious creamy clam chowder soup that is easy to make
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp. of unsalted butter
- 2 tsp. of garlic powder
- 1 sweet onion diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 celery stalk – sliced
- 1/2 tsp. of thyme leaves
- 3 Tbsp. of all-purpose flour
- 1 cup of 2% or whole milk
- 2 cups of vegetable stock
- 2 (6.5 oz.) cans of chopped clams with juice
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 Russet potatoes – peeled and diced
- 1 cup of half & half
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp. dried parsley
- 1/2 cup of heavy cream
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter
- Add chopped onions and sliced celery
- Cook for about 3-5 minutes or until onions become translucent
- Add the garlic, thyme, and flour
- Mix to make a flour base
- Pour in milk and vegetable stock and whisk with the flour
- Add clams with juices and mix in
- Add cut potatoes and bay leaves
- Boil for about 15 minutes
- Add half & half, salt, pepper, parsley, and heavy cream
- Cook, stirring occasionally until thickened up
Notes
Can I Make Clam Chowder Ahead of Time?
Yes. You can make clam chowder ahead of time, but I wouldn’t recommend more than 1 day in advance. Potatoes are always the tricky ingredient in make-ahead recipes. The longer they sit and the longer they cook they release starch and tend to crumble apart.
Reheating: Reheat in a pan on the stove until heated through – stirring occasionally to prevent scalding on the bottom of the pot
What Do I Serve with Clam Chowder?
Oyster crackers are always the preferred cracker when serving clam chowder. If you don’t have oyster crackers, then regular saltine crackers will do
How much does this Recipe Serve?
This recipe serves 3 large bowls of soup as a main dish, but you can divide that into smaller bowls if this is a soup to be served on the side.
You can also double or triple this recipe for more
What Can I Serve on the Side of Creamy Clam Chowder?
- a side salad
- baked potato
- bread
- corn on the cob
- cornbread
- hush puppies
Tips and Tricks for Clam Chowder
- if you need more soup, then you can easily double or triple this recipe
- russet potatoes are the best potato for this soup
- this soup comes together fairly quickly, so you can make this last minute for a delicious lunch or dinner
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
