Thick and creamy Clam Chowder is one of my favorite easy soup recipes, and this one has all the traditional elements we love, like diced potatoes, veggies and plenty of delicious clams.

Looking for more soup recipes? Try my Chicken Noodle Soup, Corn Chowder, or Creamy Zuppa Toscana!

A bowl of homemade clam chowder, with a spoon in it.

What I love about this chowder:

  • Comfort Meal: warm, creamy clam chowder with a slice of artisan bread is the ultimate comfort meal on a cold day!
  • Restaurant quality: this soup is bursting with so much rich flavor, it tastes like it came from a fancy restaurant (but it’s much healthier, using less butter and cream that a restaurant would!).

How to Make Clam Chowder:

Drain clams, adding juice from the cans to a large stock pot. Set clams aside.

Clams in a colander over a soup pot where the clam juice was drained.

Add chicken broth and diced potatoes to the pot. Bring to a simmer, add bay leaf, and cook until the potatoes are barely fork tender, about 5-6 minutes.

A soup pot with clam juice, broth, chopped potatoes and bay leaf.

In a separate skillet, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add onions, celery, bell peppers and garlic and cook until tender, about 4-5 minutes.

Chopped veggies sautéing in a pot with melted butter.

Stir in flour and cook for 30 seconds. Gradually stir in milk and half and half, whisking as you add them to break up any clumps of flour. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook until the thickened, about 5 minutes 

Clam chowder broth and sautéed veggies cooking in a pot.

Combine creamy mixture into the potatoes. Stir in the salt, pepper, vinegar, and reserved clams. Cook for 5 more minutes.

Clams added to a soup pot of chowder.

Serve this easy clam chowder with a slice of artisan bread, or a fresh salad. Enjoy!

A large soup pot with clam chowder cooking in it.

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:

To Make Ahead: The vegetables can all be chopped ahead of time to make dinner time even quicker, or make the entire soup ahead of time and store in refrigerator until ready to eat.

To Freeze: I generally do not freeze soups with potatoes in them because the potatoes can get soft and mushy. However, some people don’t mind!

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Recipe

A bowl of homemade clam chowder, with a spoon in it.
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 30 minutes
Total 45 minutes
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Ingredients
 
 

Instructions
 

  • Drain the clams, adding the juice from the cans to a large stock pot. Set the clams aside.
  • Add chicken broth and diced potatoes to the pot (the liquid should just barely cover the potatoes). Bring to a simmer, add the bay leaf, and cook until the potatoes are barely fork tender, about 5-6 minutes.
  • While the potatoes cook, in a second pot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add the onions, celery, bell peppers and garlic and cook until tender, about 4-5 minutes.
  • Stir in the flour and cook for 30 seconds. Gradually stir in the milk and half and half, whisking as you add them to break up any clumps of flour. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook until the thickened, about 5 minutes 
  • Stir the creamy mixture into the potatoes. Stir in the salt, pepper, vinegar, and reserved clams. Cook for 5 more minutes.

Notes

Make Ahead Instructions: The vegetables can all be chopped ahead of time to make dinner time even quicker, or make the entire soup ahead of time and store in refrigerator until ready to eat.
Freezing Instructions: I generally do not freeze soups with potatoes in them because the potatoes can get soft and mushy. However, some people don’t mind and like to freeze clam chowder and reheat for another meal. 

Nutrition

Calories: 337kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 7gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 527mgPotassium: 741mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 880IUVitamin C: 29.8mgCalcium: 119mgIron: 1.7mg

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I originally shared this recipe November 2018. Updated October 2021.

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Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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  1. 5 stars
    I have made this 4 times and every time its delicious. Thank you someone does use it.❤💜

  2. awesome chowder .. i used chicken broyh to cook with potatoes .. bit white wine and fish sauce .. cooked veggies using left over bavon fat and butter .. best chowder I’ve ever made ..added bit chives, dill, yummm yumm thank you

  3. 5 stars
    This was a deliciously rich recipe! Easy to make and so good! I used 2% “Not Milk” plant based milk for the milk and cream and it worked great!

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