New England US · Soups & stews

New England clam chowder

Name: New England clam chowder
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: New England US
Ingredients: 4 cans (6.5 ounces each) chopped clams in juice; 2 bottles (8 ounces each) clam juice; 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut in 1/2-inch pieces; 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, if needed; 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped; 2 celery ribs, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in 1/2-inch cubes; 1 bay leaf; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1 cup whole milk; 1 cup heavy cream; 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley; Oyster crackers, for serving

Briny clams, tender potatoes, bacon, onion, and celery in a lightly thickened cream broth with thyme and black pepper.

About 55 minTotal

About 55 minActive

$$$Cost

ModerateDifficulty

Makes 6 servings

Equipment

Skip straining only if the whites are fully blended; the texture may be less even.
Best single workhorse
Winco 8-inch Fine Mesh Strainer · MS3A-8S
View at Amazon
Best useful size set
Cuisinart Fine Mesh Strainer Set · CTG-00-3MS
View at Amazon
Another workable path: Skip straining only if the whites are fully blended; the texture may be less even.
Paid links. As an Amazon Associate, Kwilt earns from qualifying purchases.
How we chose
Research-backed · reviewed Aug 2026
We compared mesh fineness, bowl size, handle and bowl-rest construction, versatility, cleaning, and stable model identity. Editorial and kitchen testing informed the use cases; manufacturer specifications established materials and dimensions. Kwilt has not strained this egg mixture with these tools.
Winco 8-inch Fine Mesh Strainer · MS3A-8S: The broad mesh lets a full egg mixture pass quickly and remains useful for rice, vegetables, pasta, and sifting. Trade-off: An 8-inch basket is larger than this Recipe strictly needs and asks for more drawer or hanging space.
Cuisinart Fine Mesh Strainer Set · CTG-00-3MS: The medium strainer suits this egg mixture while the smaller and larger sizes make the set useful beyond one Recipe. Trade-off: The lighter construction is easier to bend and less reassuring for heavy daily use than a single restaurant strainer.
Another workable path: You can skip straining if the whites are fully blended and you accept a slightly less even texture. A smaller tea strainer is too slow for this batch.
Sources
Epicurious Winco use review
Food Network tested comparison
Winco product details

Ingredients

1× recipe · Makes 6 servings

4 cans (6.5 ounces each) chopped clams in juice
2 bottles (8 ounces each) clam juice
4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, if needed
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Oyster crackers, for serving

Instructions

Drain clams through a , reserving all their juice. Combine reserved canned juice with bottled clam juice and add enough water, only if needed, to make 4 cups. Refrigerate clam meat while the base cooks.
Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes until crisp. Transfer bacon to a plate. Leave 2 tablespoons fat in the pot, adding butter only if the bacon rendered less than that.
Add onion and celery and cook 6 minutes until soft without browning. Add garlic for 30 seconds, sprinkle in flour, and stir 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the 4 cups clam liquid.
Add potatoes, bay leaf, thyme, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, partially cover, and cook 12 to 16 minutes until potatoes are tender but intact, stirring near the bottom occasionally.
Reduce heat to low and stir in milk and cream. Warm until steaming without boiling, then add clams and half the bacon for just 2 minutes. Discard bay leaf, taste before adding any salt, and finish with parsley. Serve with remaining bacon and oyster crackers.

New EnglandNortheastern United States coastal cooking

From the table

About this recipe

New England clam chowder is the region's milk- or cream-enriched clam soup, distinguished from tomato-based Manhattan forms by clam liquor, potatoes, salt pork or bacon, and restrained dairy.

New England clam chowder is the region's white, milk-or-cream style, distinct from tomato-based Manhattan chowder and clear Rhode Island chowder. Fresh clams are wonderful near the coast, but canned clams and bottled juice make the dish realistic inland. Adding the clam meat only at the end protects the tender texture that long-simmered chowders lose. This Kwilt version follows the reviewed household adaptation: Translate the coastal classic into an inland-accessible recipe with canned clams and bottled juice, preserve its cream-style regional identity, and add the clams late to address the most common texture failure.

Sources

Dinner does not stop at the recipe