My Best Clam Chowder

  4.6 – 0 reviews  • Clam Chowder Recipes

The typical chowder ingredients of onion, celery, potatoes, sliced carrots, cream, and clams are called for in this delectable cream-based clam chowder. Before serving, some red wine vinegar is added for flavor.

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 45 mins
Servings: 8

Ingredients

  1. 2 cups cubed potatoes
  2. 1 cup diced carrots
  3. 1 cup diced celery
  4. 1 cup minced onion
  5. 3 (6.5 ounce) cans minced clams, drained with juice reserved
  6. water to cover
  7. ¾ cup butter
  8. ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  9. 1 quart half-and-half cream
  10. 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  11. 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  12. ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Place potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion into a large skillet; pour in clam juice and add enough water to cover. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until vegetables are tender.
  2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Whisk in cream and stir constantly until thick and smooth. Stir in vegetable mixture with any juices until just heated through.
  3. Stir in clams just before serving. If they cook too much they get tough. When clams are heated through, stir in vinegar and season with salt and pepper.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 501 kcal
Carbohydrate 28 g
Cholesterol 137 mg
Dietary Fiber 2 g
Protein 24 g
Saturated Fat 20 g
Sodium 712 mg
Sugars 2 g
Fat 33 g
Unsaturated Fat 0 g

Reviews

Karen Webb
I’ve mainly only had clam chowder out of a can but this has great flavor and I love this recipe. I’ve made it twice so far and the one thing to adjust is cut back on the amount of flour and/or add more water, and to cook it longer to cut the flour taste. Freezes really well
Kristen Bass
So delicious! So I followed the recipe except. I don’t like a lot of potatoes so only used 1 cup and used bottled clam juice instead of water 1 whole bottle. My family loves it!
Ariel Young
I halved the recipe since there are only 3 of us. I used a 10 oz can of WHOLE clams, not minced. I cooked the vegetables in clam juice, since I had a bottle of clam juice in the pantry. I did not thicken with the roux as suggested. It simply didn’t need it. THIS IS THE BEST CLAM CHOWDER IVE EVER EATEN!
Peter Hurst
Added extra can of clams, bottle of clam juice to cover veggies, Tbsp of Old Bay & pinch of nutmeg……game changer, lol
Andrew Medina
Like it. did a bit different. Made it for one, used a can of cream of potato soup, juice from canned clams. Very nice. Thick, tasty…then again, I’m 80 so lots of things taste good. I’d give it 5 stars, but then there’s nowhere to go!! Well done Pioneer girl.!
Christopher Brewer
I fried about 7 thin slices of bacon cut in half. I used 3 medium potatoes and 1 medium yellow onion. 4 small celery stalks. I had a large can of baby clams and a small minced clams. I also had a small bottle of clam juice. It wasn’t enough to cover the veg. I added 2 cups chicken stalk. It was a big pot fairly full of stalk. I let it cook down and did a stick and a half of butter and all the flour. I added half and half and milk. It got real thick and I added it to the veg, stock. It thickened that up too and turned it white. Added clams, topped with crumbled bacon and it was awesome!
Jennifer Mason
This recipe is only ok. It uses too much flour I think. I added a bunch of dill before serving, and a sprinkle of smoked red pepper flakes on my bowl and it’s not awful like that, but I wouldn’t make this again and wouldn’t serve it to guests.
Elizabeth Alvarez
I like it. I did use 1/2 cup butter. Coconut lite milk instead of half-and-half. It was delicious it surprised my husband and me.
Marissa Savage DDS
A fantastic base. I followed the recipe exactly, until the very end when I tasted it. I highly recommend old bay, dill, slap-ya-mama, garlic powder, and pepper… until your soul tells you it’s ready. Would have also liked some estimated cooking times in each of the steps.
Katherine Barker
Loved this recipe! I read all of the suggestions and used many of them. I added another can of clams and will probably add 2 cans next time for a total of 5. Instead of the water, I used 2 cups of chicken broth + 1 bottle (8 oz) of clam juice + added all of the clam juice from the 4 cans, too. I also used whole milk instead of half & half. I also took the suggestion on bacon (5 slices) and frozen corn (1 cup). It was very good!
Alison Lee
Though I made a couple of my own changes, I felt that this chowder was amazing!! I took 5 pieces of bacon and cut into small pieces. I was going to crumble it for the top, but that later changed. I took a tablespoon of the bacon grease and added it to the pan I was going to cook the veggies. Sautéed them for a moment and followed the recipe from there. I did cook the roux a bit longer until light tan to cook out the flour taste. I added the veggies, and cracked pepper, but it was still too thick for me. I used A tablespoon of Roasted chicken and garlic “Better than Broth” in 8oz of water and added it to the chowder. Along with the bacon I cooked and another tablespoon of bacon grease. Finished with a small amount of salt, red vinegar and minced clams. The flavor and thickness was perfect. Made some dinner roll s and salad. Perfect meal!! Will make the again!!
Lynn Cortez
delicious recipe! we absolutely loved it! I did add crumbled bacon! and I used heavy cream instead of half & half (didn’t have on hand), I also used white wine vinegar instead of the red wine vinegar! turned out perfect!
Stefanie Sullivan
I love this simple recipe… I add twist with bacon fat….
William Sullivan
I did look at the recipe for amounts of veggies. That stated, could almost do from heart. The portions are correct, however, I do not make the roux and thicken, leaving out al together. I use a light chicken stock to add to the liquid when boiling the veg. A nice addition, that can be surprising is adding a bit of parmesan grated cheese (the powdered, not fresh grated). I am from Nova Scotia. We know our chowders! I prefer not to thicken as then it is clan “stew” not chowder and can be a bit to heavy. other than those adjustments? All good!
Kirk Adams
Amazing, I love how easy it is and how tasty it is, I recommend it to beginners!
John Russell
Well i burned the butter which i will take credit for. BUT i only used 1/2 cup flour and the roux tastes like a biscuit. THICK, and now now brown cuz of burnt butter lol. Too many veggies imo. End of day results… order a cheeseburger
Steven Livingston
My caregiver and I thought it so good I wanted a more pronounced clam taste . I give it a 4 and 1/2 stars.
Clinton Maddox
Added pork belly bacon green onions n cheese
Angelica Myers
Great recipe! I also added cooked bacon.
Amanda Adams
Wonderful base recipe and the various positive suggestions I found here made it fantastic! I used whole baby clams – someone mentioned that chopped clams were gritty. The can said once clams were separated from the juice, to rinse them. I saw a lot of gritty bits rinsing away. Fried up 6 strips bacon, and cooked/carmelized veggies in bacon fat. Added fresh garlic and a dab of butter before adding clam juice to simmer. For the roux, reduced butter and flour to 1/2 cup, and cooked for 4-5 minutes. Seasoned with thyme and Old Bay. Really delicious!
David Campbell
I have made this several times and it is DEFINITELY true to it’s name. It is the BEST!

 

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