This Clam Chowder recipe has been a family favorite for so many years. We like to sprinkle a little red wine vinegar on top. That’s totally optional, but I recommend you try it!
I feel like clam chowder is one of those kinds of soups that you can make all year long. No need to wait for cold weather for clam chowder. Serve it for dinner, serve it for lunch or display it for a party on 4th of July. It’s so delicious that you’ll want to eat it often.
I grew up with my Mom making this recipe. And now everyone in my family reaches for this recipe too. It’s a good one. If you prefer, I also have a good recipe for a low fat clam chowder (although this one is better, in my opinion!)
Ingredients needed:
- onion
- celery
- red potatoes
- canned chopped clams
- salt
- unsalted butter
- all purpose flour
- whole milk
- nonfat milk
How to make Clam Chowder:
The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.
The soup will thicken more upon standing.
Can you use fresh clams instead of canned clams for clam chowder?
Yes! I don’t live in a place where we have access to fresh clams, but if you do then you can certainly use them instead of canned. Use 1 pound of shelled clams, and then add one bottle of clam juice.
Serve in soup bowls . You can sprinkle a little fresh parsley on top, if you’d like. That just makes it look prettier.
Serve with crusty bread. I prefer sourdough with clam chowder. It’s perfect for dunking, and I love the tang of sourdough with the flavor of the chowder. As I mentioned before, we like to sprinkle a little red wine vinegar on top of our clam chowder. It’s something my Mom used to do, and we’ve all just followed her lead. It’s good! Enjoy!
The Best Chowder Recipes
Clam Chowder
Ingredients
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 2 cups diced red potatoes (skin on)
- Three 6.5 ounce cans chopped clams, juice reserved
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups nonfat milk
Instructions
- To a large saucepan, add the onion, celery and potatoes. Pour the clam juice over the veggies (don't add the clams yet); add enough water just to cover the vegetables, sprinkle on salt, and simmer until tender.
- Make the white sauce when the veggies are done simmering. In another large saucepan, melt the butter, and then add the flour, mixing well with a wire whisk. Add the milks and whisk until slightly thickened. Add the clams, simmered vegetables and more salt, as desired. Heat through.
- The soup will thicken more upon standing. Serve in soup bowls with a chunk of crusty sourdough bread.
Notes
- As an alternative to using canned clams, if you have access to fresh clams, use 1 pound of shelled clams + 1 bottle of clam juice.
- We like to sprinkle red wine vinegar on top of our clam chowder. Try it!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Cooking the potatoes in the clam juice makes all the difference in the world! Awesome clam chowder recipe!!
Thanks!
When do the clams get cooked? In the pan with the veggies or do they just cook in the liquid after putting everything together?
Yes, when clams come in a can like that they are already cooked. So you’re just warming them in the soup when added.
This is the 2nd time I’ve made this recipe, which is more traditional than with bacon. I had some leeks that needed to come out of the garden so I sub’d some of the onions with leeks. ALso had celery ready in the garden but it took 4 home grown spikes of that. Also just used a quart of milk and a can of chicken broth .Yum! Thanks for the recipe. As long as the proportions are correct, you can’t mess it up.
This is my new go to for Clam Chowder! Delicious:)
Do I drain the liquid off the vegetables before I add the white sauce and clams?
nope!
Made this tonight for dinner. This recipe is simply orgasmic and super easy to make. I highly recommend you make it yourself!!
This looks delicious, can this be frozen and re heated?
I’m not sure if I’d try freezing a creamy soup like clam chowder.