New England Clam Chowder is one of my favorite comfort meals, and this recipe yields the best results every time! It’s slightly lighter than your usual chowder, as it’s made with a few slices of bacon and low fat milk in place of butter and heavy cream. Though it may be less heavy than other recipes, this classic New England Clam Chowder is still wholly satisfying and always impresses!

A bowl of clam chowder is topped with fried bacon bits.


New England Clam Chowder

As much as I love a quick and easy weeknight dinner, this isn’t necessarily that. A good, real New England Clam Chowder takes some effort, but the end result is so very worth your time! Plus, this chowder actually tastes best the following day, so it’s great to make the day before you plan on enjoying it. That way, you can prepare yourself for a quick dinner!

While this New England Clam Chowder is lightened up a little bit, the flavor is anything but flat. I’ve tried making this recipe before with so many variations of skim milk, rice milk, etc… But it never quite hit the spot. That’s why I still include a little fat with the bacon and low fat milk. The consistency of the chowder is still hearty without being heavy, and it’s deliciously rich with classic Clam Chowder flavor.

Filling and satisfying, this Clam Chowder is ideal for those nights when you want something comforting that won’t weigh you down! While it’s a perfect winter dinner, I’ve always though that Clam Chowder doubled as a summer dish as well. That’s the beauty of seafood recipes – they’re usually great to serve all year long. No matter when you choose to enjoy a bowl of homemade (and I mean really homemade) New England Clam Chowder, you’re going to love it!

The ingredients for New England Clam Chowder are presented on a countertop.

How to Make Clam Chowder

  1. Make the clam juice. In a large pot, steam the littleneck clams in the water until the shells have opened. Transfer the clams to a large bowl with a slotted spoon and discard any unopened shells. Strain the juice into a bowl through a fine mesh strainer lined with a paper towel and set aside. Discard the paper towel.
  2. Cook the bacon. In a large dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp and transfer to a small bowl using a slotted spoon. Drain off all but two tablespoons of fat and return to the heat.
  3. Cook the veggies. Add the onions and celery to the pot and cook until the vegetables have softened, approximately 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  4. Simmer the chowder. Stir in the cornstarch and cook for an additional two minutes. Stir in the potatoes, clam juice, half and half, and milk. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir in the thyme and bay leaf. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the mixture has thickened a little bit and the potatoes are fork tender.
  5. Chop the clams and finish the chowder. While the chowder is simmering, remove the clams from their shells and roughly chop. Add the clams and the fresh chopped clams to the chowder, stirring to combine. Continue cooking for an additional 10 minutes.
  6. Enjoy! To serve, ladle into bowls and top with crumbled bacon.
Steamed clams are being removed with a large spoon.

Homemade Clam Juice Tips

I buy both fresh chopped clams at the seafood counter of my local grocery store AND a 50 count bag of littleneck clams. I do this so I don’t have to use bottled clam juice. However, there’s nothing wrong with using the bottled stuff. Just keep in mind that the fresher flavor is always tastier!

If you’re in a big hurry and need to cut a few corners, just replace the 2 1/2 cups clam juice the recipe calls for with bottled. You can also use canned chopped clams, although honestly, I wouldn’t. Again, fresh clams = fresh flavor.

When making homemade clam juice, pour it through a fine mesh strainer lined with a paper towel into a bowl to remove any grit. Grit is no good, so you definitely want to get rid of that stuff!

How To Make in Advance

I’ve always though that New England Clam Chowder tastes best the day after it was cooked.

Just keep in mind that if you’re making the chowder in advance, the potatoes will soak up some of the broth, so you may need to add a little milk when you reheat it. If you’re counting calories, this will change the nutrition facts a little bit. Oh, and try not to use skim milk! It’s never good in chowder.

Two bowls of clam chowder are presented on a white countertop.

Start cooking with clams in your kitchen! Here are a few great recipes to get you started.

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A bowl of clam chowder is topped with fried bacon bits.

Get the Recipe: New England Clam Chowder Recipe

New England Clam Chowder without less calories than a restaurant version.
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Ingredients

  • 3 slices thick cut bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 large celery stalks, sliced
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 pound chopped clams
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 50- count bag littleneck clams
  • 1 pound small yellow potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces (I used Melissa’s Pee Wee Potatoes)
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 3/4 cup half and half
  • 1 1/4 cup low fat milk

Equipment

  • 1 dutch oven

Instructions 

  • In a large pot, steam the littleneck clams in the water until the shells have opened. Transfer the clams to a large bowl with a slotted spoon and discard any unopened shells. Strain the juice into a bowl through a fine mesh strainer lined with a paper towel and set aside. Discard the paper towel.
  • In a large dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp and transfer to a small bowl using a slotted spoon. Drain off all but two tablespoons of fat and return to the heat.
  • Add the onions and celery to the pot and cook until the vegetables have softened, approximately 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the cornstarch and cook for an additional two minutes.
  • Stir in the potatoes, clam juice, half and half, and milk. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir in the thyme and bay leaf. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the mixture has thickened a little bit and the potatoes are fork tender.
  • While the chowder is simmering, remove the clams from their shells and roughly chop. Add the clams and the fresh chopped clams to the chowder, stirring to combine. Continue cooking for an additional 10 minutes.
  • To serve, ladle into bowls and top with crumbled bacon.
  • To store, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to two days.

Notes

Clam Chowder can be made up to 3 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to reheat.
Serving: 1g, Calories: 212kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 38mg, Sodium: 277mg, Potassium: 439mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 355IU, Vitamin C: 9.3mg, Calcium: 138mg, Iron: 2.4mg