New England Clam Chowder
A classic New England clam chowder made with canned clams, bacon, potatoes, and a creamy broth. This hearty soup is flavored with thyme and bay leaves, with a touch of hot sauce for depth.
Ingredients
- 2 can clams in clam juice
- 4 bacon cut into lardons
- 1 large onion cut into 1/4 inch dice
- Kosher salt
- 680 g Yukon gold potatoes cut into 1/2 inch dice
- 44.4 ml flour
- 355 ml heavy cream
- 355 ml whole milk
- 1 fresh thyme
- 14.8 ml dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 hot sauce
- Extra-virgin olive oil
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 11 of 13 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 149 mg
- Iron: 3.69 mg
- Magnesium: 21.7 mg
- Phosphorus: 132 mg
- Potassium: 217 mg
- Zinc: 0.8 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 2 can clams in clam juice
- Kosher salt
- 44.4 ml flour
- 355 ml heavy cream
- 355 ml whole milk
- 1 fresh thyme
- 14.8 ml dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 hot sauce
- Extra-virgin olive oil
Prepare
- 4 bacon, cut into lardons
- 1 large onion, cut into 1/4 inch dice
- 680 g Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch dice
Let's Cook
-
Step 1.
Open the cans of clams and separate the clam meat from the juice, setting the juice aside. If the clams are large, chop them into small 1/4-inch pieces and reserve.
-
Step 2.
Drizzle a few drops of olive oil into the bottom of a large pot and add the bacon lardons. Place the pot over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is brown and crispy and has rendered its fat, about 5 to 7 minutes.
-
Step 3.
Add the diced onion to the pot with the bacon and season lightly with salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are very soft and aromatic but have no color, 7 to 8 minutes.
-
Step 4.
Add the diced potatoes to the pot and cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes.
-
Step 5.
Sprinkle the flour over the onion and potato mixture and stir to combine, cooking for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
-
Step 6.
Gradually whisk in the reserved clam juice, making sure to whisk out any lumps. Then whisk in the milk and heavy cream until smooth. Add the bay leaves and thyme bundle (or dried thyme). Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed.
-
Step 7.
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
-
Step 8.
After 5 minutes, stir in the reserved chopped clams. Continue to simmer for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through and tender. Taste and re-season if needed. If using, add 1 to 2 shakes of hot sauce to taste. Remove the bay leaves and thyme bundle before serving.