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New England Clam Chowder Recipe
5 from 72 votes

New England Clam Chowder Recipe

New England Clam Chowder is a hearty soup combining thick-cut bacon, potatoes, and clams in a creamy base enriched with cream sherry and fresh herbs. The chowder blends textures of tender potatoes and creamy broth accented by sautéed clams cooked with wine, garlic, and thyme. This rich soup captures comforting seafood flavors with a balance of smoky, creamy, and briny notes.

Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 45 mins
Servings: 20
Calories: 328 kcal
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American, British

Ingredients

For the Chowder:
  • 1 pound Bacon thick-cut, sliced
  • 2 yellow onion peeled and small diced
  • 4 garlic finely minced cloves
  • 1 celery bunch, medium diced
  • 1 ¼ cups flour to 1 ½ cups
  • ½ cup cream sherry
  • 8 cups clam stock
  • 8 cups chicken stock
  • 40 ounces clam chopped, in juice
  • 2 bay leaf
  • 2 pounds red potato medium diced
  • 2 pounds russet potato medium diced, red
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme chopped
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • salt ground white pepper, Worcestershire, and Tabasco sauce to taste, sea salt
For the Clams:
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 15 little-neck clams
  • 1 cup chardonnay wine
  • 4 garlic finely minced cloves
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
  • 2 ounces butter unsalted
  • 2 tablespoons parsley chopped fresh
  • salt Kosher salt, to taste
  • red pepper flakes Kosher salt, to taste

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a very large pot over medium heat, add the chopped bacon and cook until browned and crispy.
  2. Once brown remove the bacon and about a ½ cup of the bacon fat. Keep the ½ cup of fat separate from the bacon lardons.
  3. Add in the onions, garlic and celery and sweat for 5 to 6 minutes or until slightly tender.
  4. Stir in the flour until combined to make a roux.
  5. Next pour in the sherry, clams, clam stock, chicken stock, and bay leaves and bring to a boil or until thick.
  6. Once thick, add in the potatoes, thyme, cream, ½ of the cooked bacon, salt, and pepper. and simmer over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Keep warm.
  7. Add oil to a medium size sauté pan over high heat and add in the clams and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Flames may appear as there will be water leaking out from the clams into the oil – turn down the heat if this happens.
  8. Add in the wine, garlic and thyme and cover and cook for 3 to 5 minutes on high heat or until the clams open.
  9. Finish the clams with butter, parsley, salt, and red pepper flakes.
  10. Pour a bowl of chowder and garnish with cooked clams, fresh thyme leaves, chopped parsley, cooked bacon, oyster crackers, and red pepper flakes.

Notes

  • Make the chowder up to 1 day ahead; add clams 10 minutes before serving to avoid overcooking.
  • Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months; thaw overnight before reheating gently.
  • If cream separates on reheating, whisk in a small amount of roux over medium heat to restore texture.
  • Use dry white wines like chardonnay for cooking clams and the chowder base.

Nutrition Information

Calories 328kcal (16%) Carbohydrates 21g (7%) Protein 9g (18%) Fat 22g (34%) Saturated Fat 10g (50%) Cholesterol 59mg (20%) Sodium 375mg (16%) Potassium 412mg (9%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 3g (6%) Vitamin A 543IU (11%) Vitamin C 6mg (7%) Calcium 41mg (4%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 20 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 328

% Daily Value*

Calories 328kcal 16%
Carbohydrates 21g 7%
Protein 9g 18%
Fat 22g 34%
Saturated Fat 10g 50%
Cholesterol 59mg 20%
Sodium 375mg 16%
Potassium 412mg 9%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 3g 6%
Vitamin A 543IU 11%
Vitamin C 6mg 7%
Calcium 41mg 4%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.