• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Free Instant Pot Recipe Guide! download now!

FREE 5 Instant Pot Meals in 5 Minutes E Course!


Thank you for subscribing!


Formerly Your Homebased Mom

  • About
  • Latest
  • Contact
NEW! Watch on youtube!

Your Homebased Mom

Leigh Anne Wilkes

  • Recipes
    • Course
      • Appetizers
      • Beverages
      • Bread
      • Breakfast and Brunch
      • Dessert
        • Bars and Brownies
        • Cake
        • Candy and Treats
        • Cookies
        • Ice Cream
        • Pie
      • Main Dishes
      • Salads
      • Sandwiches and Burgers
      • Sauces and Dressings
      • Side Dishes
      • Soup
    • Cooking Method
      • Crock Pot
      • Grilling
      • Instant Pot
      • One Pan
      • Oven
      • Quick and Easy
      • Recipes for Two
    • Ingredients
      • Beef
      • Eggs
      • Pasta
      • Pork
      • Poultry
        • Chicken
        • Turkey
      • Seafood
      • Vegetarian
      • Gluten Free
    • Cuisine
      • American
      • Asian
      • European
      • Indian
      • Italian
      • Mediterranean
      • Mexican
    • Holiday
      • New Year’s Eve
      • Valentine’s Day
      • St. Patrick’s Day
      • Easter
      • 4th of July
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
      • Christmas
  • Travel
    • Europe
    • United States
      • New York City
      • Portland
    • What To Wear
  • Life
    • Home
    • Party Ideas
    • Empty Nesters
    • Church
      • Activity Day
      • Relief Society
    • Organizational Tips
    • Recommended Reads
  • New? Start Here
  • Subscribe for weekly recipes

    FREE 5 Instant Pot Meals in 5 Minutes E Course!


    Thank you for subscribing!


Recipe Finder

  • Course
    • Appetizers
    • Beverages
    • Bread
    • Breakfast and Brunch
    • Dessert
    • Main Dishes
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches and Burgers
    • Sauces and Dressings
    • Side Dishes
    • Soup
  • Cooking Method
    • Oven
    • Crock Pot
    • Grilling
    • Instant Pot
    • One Pan
    • Quick and Easy
  • Ingredients
    • Beef
    • Eggs
    • Pasta
    • Pork
    • Poultry
    • Seafood
    • Vegetarian
    • Gluten Free
  • Cuisine
    • American
    • Asian
    • European
    • Indian
    • Italian
    • Mediterranean
    • Mexican
  • Holiday
    • New Year’s Eve
    • Valentine’s Day
    • St. Patrick’s Day
    • Easter
    • 4th of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
Home / Latest Posts / Recipes / Clam Chowder

Clam Chowder

Jump to Recipe Print Share
Share on:
By: Leigh Anne WilkesPosted: 1/09/19Updated: 9/20/20

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure policy here.

Best ever clam chowder

This New England Clam Chowder is the ultimate comfort food with so much flavor thanks to a secret ingredient!

Clam Chowder

Each New Year’s Eve we host a Soup Party.  I usually make up 4 different kinds of soup and my guests all bring an appetizer to share.  We then celebrate  and ring in the new year.  I change up the soups I make each year but clam chowder is always on the menu.  I actually don’t think my guests would come if I didn’t make clam chowder.

Pretty much everyone at my party will agree that this is the best clam chowder they have ever had.  They tell me that over and over, all year long. But promise me you won’t wait until next New Year’s eve to make this!  It would be perfect football watching food, or any week night dinner.

What is Clam Chowder?

This recipe is for the traditional New England style clam chowder. A thick, chowder made from clams, potatoes, onions, bacon and milk or cream. It is believed to have been introduced by the French on the East Coast.  You can now find various regional variations of chowder across the country, including Manhattan Clam Chowder.  I guess my version is a Pacific NW Clam Chowder.

bowl of Clam Chowder

Living in the Northwest, we have access to a lot of really good chowder but I can honestly say this chowder is as good or better than the chowder we’ve had in restaurants.

How to Make Clam Chowder

There is a special ingredient that makes this the best clam chowder recipe ever!  The secret ingredient is pepper bacon.  Not regular bacon but thick cut pepper bacon.  I promise you, it’s the best.  So don’t skip it or use regular bacon!!  Trust me on this one.

The soup also has chunks of potatoes.  I use Yukon gold and I don’t even peel them.  I have also used russet potatoes and they work great too, just be sure and peel those.

For clams, I use canned chopped clams but if you have access to fresh clams – use them!

I also use a combination of whole milk and half and half which makes the chowder rich and delicious.

Clam Chowder with oyster crackersBesides, the flavor, the one thing my guests tell me over and over again they love about this clam chowder is it is not too thick.  After you refrigerate it, it will thicken up so reserve some clam juice or some more milk to thin it out when you reheat it.

I like to serve it with a dusting of fresh ground pepper, some fresh parsley and of course little oyster crackers.

For some of my other favorite soups check out this post.

  • Turkey Bisque Soup
  • Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Garlic
  • Chicken Noodle Soup

Clam Chowder Recipe

4.5 from 4 votes
Clam Chowder

Clam Chowder

Recipe From: Leigh Anne Wilkes
serves: 6 people
Prep:30 minutes
Cook:30 minutes
Total:1 hour
Rate Recipe

Ingredients

  • 8 slices pepper bacon diced
  • 1/2 C butter
  • 1/2 large onion chopped
  • 1 C celery chopped
  • 1/2 C flour
  • 24 oz. chopped clams or 2 C fresh clams, shucked
  • 2 cups cubed potatoes peeled and cubed
  • 3 C whole milk
  • 1/2 C half and half
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  • In a large pot cook bacon until browned and crisp. Drain grease. Crumble.
  • Add butter, onions and celery to pot and cook over medium heat until onions are softened and translucent.
  • Add flour, cook 3 minutes stirring constantly
  • Drain clams and reserve liquid.
  • Add enough water to clam liquid to measure 2 cups.
  • Add this liquid slowly to mixture in pot, stirring constantly.
  • Add potatoes and bring mixture to boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
  • Add clams, bacon, milk, half and half.
  • Heat until thickened, be careful not to burn.
  • Add salt and pepper.
  • If soup thickens up to much you can add additional milk

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 455kcal (23%) Carbohydrates: 25g (8%) Protein: 13g (26%) Fat: 33g (51%) Saturated Fat: 17g (106%) Cholesterol: 84mg (28%) Sodium: 509mg (22%) Potassium: 531mg (15%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 7g (8%) Vitamin A: 880IU (18%) Vitamin C: 11.2mg (14%) Calcium: 185mg (19%) Iron: 1.3mg (7%)
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full disclosure here.
Course:Soup
Cuisine:American
Keyword:clam chowder
Clam Chowder
Did you make this?I love seeing what you made. Be sure to share a picture and tag @yourhomebasedmom on social media!
Tag on Insta! Leave a Rating

Need some help figuring out what’s for dinner tonight?

Come join our Facebook Group!  Join hundreds of others who love sharing dinner time ideas.  You don’t want to miss out on the fun!

You’ll find lots of ideas for dinner from all our awesome members and you can share your ideas too!  Join the Family Dinner Table today.

Best ever clam chowder

Originally shared Dec. 30, 2007

Previous Post
White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
Next Post
Hamburger Soup

Related Recipes

  • Corn Chowder with Chicken and Sweet Potatoes
    Corn Chowder with Chicken and Sweet Potatoes
  • 12 Favorite Fall Soup Recipes
  • Mulligatawny Soup
  • bowl of pumpkin soup
    Pumpkin Curry Soup

Never miss a recipe!

Receive my FREE 5 Instant Pot Meals in 5 Minutes E Course and my FREE weekly meal plan.


Thank you for subscribing!


Reader Interactions

Leave a Review Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Made this? Rate this recipe:




  1. Terri says

    Posted on 1/9 at 11:48 am

    I can’t wait to try this!

    Reply
    • Leigh Anne says

      Posted on 1/9 at 11:49 am

      I hope you love it as much as we do!

      Reply
  2. Linda Booth says

    Posted on 1/9 at 4:59 am

    REMOVE MY E_MAIL ADDRESS!!! In you information, you state,”If at any time you would like to unsubscribe from receiving future emails, you can email us at
    • Follow the instructions at the bottom of each email.
    and we will promptly remove you from ALL correspondence.”
    There is NO mention EVER about being able to unsubscribe.

    Reply
    • Leigh Anne says

      Posted on 1/9 at 11:50 am

      There is a spot at the bottom of each email that you can click to unsubscribe

      Reply
  3. Jim Vrioni says

    Posted on 12/29 at 9:04 am

    I love clam chowder … but I love it even more with Sherry in it. If I wanted to add some Sherry to this recipe, how much would you recommend and would you use light Sherry or cream Sherry? Or do you not recommend this?

    Reply
    • Leigh Anne says

      Posted on 12/29 at 9:55 am

      Jim, I have never added sherry to this so I’m not much help – sorry. This clam chowder is amazing just the way it is.

      Reply
  4. Cyndi Garrison says

    Posted on 1/20 at 10:02 pm

    Love, love, love this recipe!!! I lost my printed copy, and was so afraid I would not find it again. It is my “go to” clam chowder recipe for all time. My family eats it up like they will never get it again!!! Thanks so much Leigh Anne!

    Reply
    • Leigh Anne says

      Posted on 1/21 at 7:36 am

      Cyndi. Glad you found it again! I make it every New Year’s Eve and it is the first soup to disappear! So glad you family loves it.

      Reply
  5. Eugene says

    Posted on 7/13 at 7:54 am

    I also recommend using bottled clam juice in place of the water if you like more of a sea taste for your chowder and I used 3 cans of chopped clams and 2 cans of minced. It makes a LOT of leftovers and I froze them for a later meal.

    Reply
Newer Comments

Primary Sidebar

Welcome

After years of raising my own family and watching them start their own, I now dedicate my time to helping thousands of mothers and women live a more intentional life. Read more

Get my 5 Instant Pot Meals in 5 minutes e-Course for FREE!

Receive my FREE 5 Instant Pot Meals in 5 Minutes E-Course, This e-course includes my most popular Instant Pot recipes and my FREE weekly Meal Plan.


Thank you for subscribing!


Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window

Trending Now

overhead shot of cinnamon rolls

One Hour Cinnamon Rolls

plate of smashed potatoes and a fork

Smashed Potatoes

overhead shot of bowl of almond chicken

Almond Chicken

baked riblets

Easy Oven Baked Riblets

No knead bread in a pan

Instant Pot Bread

Tomato tart pieces

Easy Tomato Tart

spoon full of mac and cheese

Crock Pot Mac and Cheese

Almond Torte

  • Crock Pot
  • Instant Pot
  • Chicken
  • Breakfast
  • Appetizers
  • Bread
  • Salad
  • Dessert

Order my Cookbook, Holiday Slow Cooker!

Buy Now!
Back to Top
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure
  • Contact
© 2013–2021 Leigh Anne Wilkes Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled