One Pot Thick New England Clam Chowder Recipe (2024)

Last Updated on: 25th March 2024, 10:43 am

One Pot Thick New England Clam Chowder Recipe is creamy and full of clam flavor. It’s comfort food that doesn’t disappoint on cold winter days. Ditch the canned soup and make this delicious homemade soup instead.

Seafood Chowders

There was a time I’d NEVER try to make New England Clam Chowder. I really thought you had to go to Boston to get the real deal.

Then, I tinkered with a recipe I found and came up with this delicious, thick New England Clam Chowder recipe all by myself! It’s made with canned clams and clam juice. This clam chowder is a filling meal to have for lunch or even dinner.

It’s just about as delicious and filling as One Pot Corn and Crab Chowder! I suppose it just depends if you’re in the mood for crab or clams. If you have more clams, make this Linguine in White Clam Sauce!

Nonetheless, this New England clam Chowder recipe is one of this blog’s top ten recipes for 2020!

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links which means, if you make a purchase, I’ll receive a very small commission which helps with blog expenses so you can continue to receive FREE recipes but, the price you pay is the same.

It’s a creamy, comfort food soup you’ll love eating on a cold, snowy day with some OTC crackers. And, sometimes you need a little comfort food to curb your winter blues. Right?

Also known as Boston Clam Chowder, this soup is a tradition in New England.

It tastes really incredible with fresh clams but, fear not, you can make a great Boston Clam Chowder using canned clams.

Why eat soup from a can?Canned soup is full of sodium and preservatives you don’t need and it just doesn’t have the flavor of homemade soup. Nope…not even close!

When I was much younger, I thought people who made homemade soup were performing nothing short of a miracle. I thought making a soup base had to be difficult.

I understood adding in some vegetables but, how did a soup actually start? Then, I found out that it’s so much easier than I ever imagined.

Making a big pot of soup for your family is a great home cooked meal they can have for lunch or dinner.

Serve it with crusty bread and they won’t need to eat much else.

What’s the difference between New England clam chowder and regular clam chowder?

New England Clam Chowder, a.k.a. Boston Clam Chowder, is a cream-based soup. Therefore, it’s white in color. Regular clam chowder, a.k.a. Manhattan Clam Chowder, is tomato-based and red in color. Once you know this, it’s easy to spot the difference.

How do you make clam chowder thicker?

Add a tablespoon of cornstarch to thicken clam chowder. You may also stir in 1/4 cup of potato flakes.

How to Make One Pot Thick New England Clam Chowder Recipe

*The full, printable recipe is at the bottom of this post.

Instructions

1. First, in a large non-stick pot on medium heat, add chopped bacon. Cook for a few min and remove bacon pieces to drain on a paper towel. Leave grease in pot.
2. Next, add 2 tbsp of butter, chopped celery, garlic and onions and seasonings. Cook for 5-7 min.
3. Then, alternately sift some flour and clam juice while always stirring until all of the flour and clam juice has been combined. It will be pasty and thick.
4. Slowly add about one cup of chicken stock at at time while stirring.
5. Then, add, potatoes and stir. Continue cooking for 15 min or so until potatoes are tender.
6. Last, add half and half, clams with clam juice and stir while cooking on low heat for a few minutes and keep cooking another 20-25 min. It will thicken as it sits.

NOTE: Stir often so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.

How to Thicken Soup

It’s possible that you may follow the directions and your soup still isn’t thick. In this case, make a slurry by stirring together until smooth 2 tbsp of cornstarch and 2 tbsp of water. Stir it into the soup and cover. Cook it on low for 10 to 15 more minutes. Cooking it longer also helps to thicken it.

If you don’t have cornstarch, you may add 1/4 cup (or more) of potato flakes to thicken it.

Optional: Top with cooked bacon pieces or stir into soup.

Now, I know you want to steal a piece of that bacon… right?

Substitutions

• Use whole milk instead of half and half.
• Use vegetable stock if that’s what you have on hand.
• Use chopped leeks instead of onions
• Add more bacon if you like!

This chowder is not difficult to make. It’s so thick, creamy and filling. You’ll love it! Because who likes a runny clam chowder? O.k. maybe some people but, not YOU!

Choosing what to make on a cold winter day is easy when you have a tasty, homemade soup recipe such as this One Pot Thick Creamy New England Chowder.

Without a lot of prep, you can make a yummy soup for your family.

The clam flavor really comes through this creamy white clam chowder. It is the ultimate comfort food to curb the winter blues!

So don’t pack up your family and drive or fly to Boston just to get yourself a flavorful, thick New England Clam Chowder because you can make it yourself in no time!

I took this recipe to Weekend Potluck.

If you make this recipe, please RATE it below!

You may also like:

One Pot Corn and Crab Chowder

Linguine in White Clam Sauce

See more SOUP recipes.

This recipe was updated on November 16, 2023.