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An easy, delicious, traditional, cream based chowder loaded with clams, potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, and of course cream. The secret ingredient? A little red wine vinegar is added right before serving for extra flavor!

Nothing beats a Thick Creamy bowl of Homemade New England Clam Chowder! It doesn’t matter the season, or the weather, hot or cold, winter or summer. Just fill my bowl and hand me a spoon!

I love a really good white clam chowder! The debate has raged for years between the two classics. New England, or Boston! Clam Chowder is the most popular of the seafood chowders and is cream based! However, you can’t totally discount Manhattan clam chowder with its rich tomato base and seasonings.

This Nest is team “New England”! Sorry my Manhattan friends. Just can’t beat that thick creamy true “chowder” base.

History of Chowder

According to the “Joy of Cooking”, nineteenth-century New England, “Chowder masters”, famous for their skills, as well as home cooks, prepared versions of the soup for gatherings on the beach or at home. (I’d love to be on the beach right now! Anyone else?)

Early settlers made chowder from household staples: rendered seafood, thickened with sea biscuits or bread. In the nineteenth century, potatoes replaced the crackers, and milk or cream was added to the chowder. From there other chowders evolved. Everyone has their favorite!

This concludes today lesson on “chowders”. Now…Let’s get cooking!

How to Make Creamy Homemade Clam Chowder

What you’ll need to make this recipe:

• 3 (6.5 ounce) cans minced clams
• 1 (6.5 ounce) chopped clams
• 2 Tablespoons bacon grease, or butter
• 1 Cup minced onions
• 1 Cup diced celery
• 2 Cups cubed potatoes
• 1 Cup diced carrots
• 3/4 C butter
• 1/2 C all-purpose flour
• 3 Cups half-and-half cream
• 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
• 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Ground black pepper to taste

Directions for My Best Clam Chowder

Drain the juice from clams into a bowl. Set juice aside. Lightly rinse the clams and set them aside.

TIP: I rinse the clams to get rid of any residual sand and grit from their shells.

In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, melt bacon grease, or butter. Sautè onion, celery, and carrots until tender.

TIP: I used bacon grease for added flavor. Butter works just as well. (Said a bacon lover grasping her chest!)

I prefer to use Yukon Gold potatoes for their creaminess. You can use traditional russets or red potatoes. Either will work well.

Add potatoes. The starch in the potatoes will help thicken the chowder!

Reduce heat to medium. Add clam juice and enough water to cover the vegetables. Cook until the potatoes are tender.

TIP: Adding the clam juice adds extra flavor and makes this a wonderfully flavorful chowder.

How to Make the thickening for the chowder

Meanwhile…after you’ve had your massage and manicure…(WHAT? Doesn’t “meanwhile” sound like you’re going off to do self-care?!! Lol)…in a Large heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.

Whisk in the flour until smooth. You’re creating a roux that will help thicken the base for this chowder.

Stir in the vegetables and clam juice. Mixture will begin to thicken slightly. Like making gravy!

Whisk in half-n-half and cream, stirring constantly until thick and smooth. Reduce heat to low.

Heat through but do not boil. The mixture can separate if it boils. Continue to stir until chowder mixture thickens.

Adding Clams to Creamy Clam Chowder

Stir in the drained clams just before serving! If they cook too much they get tough.

When the clams are heated through, stir in the red wine vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.

This chowder will continue to thicken! Especially as it cools.

I serve this chowder with saltines and sour dough bread!

The crackers are for the soup! (Kind of stating the obvious here…sorry!) But… the Sour dough bread is to swirl around the bowl and “sop” up every last drop of this delectable chowder! (As you can tell I’ve had a lot of experience “sopping” up this particular delectable dish!)

Other favorite Soup Recipes

• Best Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Instant Pot Creamy Butternut Pumpkin Soup
• Cream of Broccoli Soup
• Creamy Chicken and Dumpling Soup
• Bacon, Shrimp, and Corn Chowder
• Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Soup
• Navy Bean and Ham Bone Soup Recipe
• Spanish Bean Soup from Soulfully Made

This Easy New England Clam Chowder pairs perfectly with my Crab and Shrimp Boil and is a great starter to most meals. Mister Nest say’s this is the BEST clam chowder EVER! What more of a recommendation could ya want?!!

Happy Nesting!

Continue to Content

Yield: 8

Best Traditional Clam Chowder

Print

An easy, delicious, traditional, cream based chowder loaded with clams, potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, and of course cream. My secret ingredient? A little red wine vinegar is added right before serving for extra flavor!

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 (6.5 ounce) cans minced clams
• 1 (6.5 ounce) can chopped clams
• 1 C minced onion
• 1 C Diced celery
• 2 C cubed potatoes
• 1 C diced carrots
• 2 Tablespoons Bacon Grease (Optional. Substitue butter)
• 3/4 C butter
• 1/2 C all-purpose flour
• 3 C half-and-half cream
• 1 C Heavy Cream
• 2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Drain juice from clams into a bowl. Rinse clams to remove any shell gravel. Set aside.
2. In a large pot, over medium-high heat, melt bacon grease, or butter, if substituting. Saute carrots, onions, and celery until tender. Reduce heat to medium. Add Potatoes, clam juice, and enough water to cover the potatoes. Cook over medium heat until tender.
3. In a large heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Whisk in cream and half-and-half and stir constantly until thick and smooth. Stir in vegetables and broth. Heat through, but do not boil.
4. Stir in clams just before serving. If they cook too much they get tough. When claims are heated through, stir in vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 516Total Fat: 41gSaturated Fat: 26gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 128mgSodium: 753mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 2gSugar: 7gProtein: 12g

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