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Creamy New England clam chowder sprinkled with parsley in a small bowl beside packaged saltine crackers

Photo: Ser Amantio di Nicolao / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Seafood

Classic New England Clam Chowder with Potatoes & Saltines

Tender clams and Yukon Gold potatoes simmer in a creamy, thyme-scented chowder finished with crisp bacon, parsley and salty crackers.

Developed for DishGal · Updated 2026-09-18

SeafoodEasy Pork RecipesEasy Seafood Recipes
Prep18 min
Cook42 min
Total65 min
Cost$3.65

Directions

  1. Render the bacon

    Set a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp and the fat has rendered. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving 2 tablespoons fat in the pot; spoon off any excess.

  2. Build the aromatic base

    Add the butter, onion and celery to the bacon fat. Cook over medium for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes so the raw flour taste cooks out without coloring the roux.

  3. Measure the clam broth

    Pour the reserved canned-clam juice into a 3-cup measure, leaving any grit in the cans. Add both bottles of clam juice, then enough cool water to equal 3 cups. Whisk this liquid into the pot gradually, scraping the bottom until the mixture is smooth.

  4. Simmer the potatoes

    Add the potatoes, thyme, bay leaf and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high, then reduce to medium-low, partially cover and cook for 14 to 18 minutes. Stir twice and stop when a potato cube crushes easily with a fork. Do not let the broth boil hard.

  5. Finish with dairy and clams

    Discard the bay leaf. For a naturally thicker chowder, mash about 1 cup of potatoes against the side of the pot and stir them back in. Add the milk and cream and heat gently for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the drained clams and half the bacon; cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until steaming and the center of the chowder reaches 165°F. Do not boil.

  6. Season and serve

    Remove the pot from the heat. Taste before adding the measured salt because clam juice and bacon vary in salinity. Rest for 5 minutes, then ladle into six bowls and finish with parsley, thyme and the remaining bacon. Serve two saltines with each bowl.

Why this works

Why it worksRendering bacon first supplies smoky fat for the vegetables, while a small butter-and-flour roux gives the chowder body without turning it into paste.
Why it worksCooking the potatoes in concentrated clam broth seasons them from within; mashing only a portion thickens the soup while preserving visible tender cubes.
Why it worksAdding milk, cream and already-cooked canned clams at the end protects the dairy from splitting and keeps the clams from becoming chewy.

Useful kitchen gear

Tools that make this easier.

Compare the function and specifications first; skip anything your kitchen already handles well.

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Red enameled Dutch oven on a kitchen work surface Compare on Amazon6-quart Dutch ovenA broad, heavy pot renders the bacon evenly and keeps the flour-thickened dairy chowder at a gentle, steady heat.See current options → Chef using an immersion blender in a tall mixing cup Compare on AmazonStainless immersion blenderA few short pulses can thicken the chowder by breaking down part of the cooked potatoes without puréeing every clam and vegetable.See current options → Chef's knife resting on a wooden cutting board Compare on Amazon8-inch chef’s knifeA sharp all-purpose blade makes uniform potato, onion, celery and bacon pieces that cook at the same rate.See current options →

Swaps & notes

Easy swaps

  • For a bacon-free chowder, omit the bacon, begin with 3 tablespoons butter and add 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika with the garlic for a subtle smoky note.
  • Half-and-half can replace the milk and cream in equal total volume. Keep it below a simmer to prevent separation.
  • Use oyster crackers instead of saltines, or serve toasted sourdough alongside. Keep crackers separate until serving so they stay crisp.

Cook notes

  • Yukon Gold potatoes hold neat pieces while releasing enough starch to support the broth. Russets work, but they will break down more and make a thicker chowder.
  • Clam juice is naturally salty. Season only after the bacon, canned clams and bottled juice are combined.
  • The licensed photograph clearly shows a pale, creamy clam chowder finished with green herbs and served beside saltine crackers; the recipe matches that finished form and presentation.

Storage

Cool in shallow containers within 2 hours and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat over low heat, stirring frequently, until the center reaches 165°F; avoid boiling, which can split the dairy and toughen the clams. Freezing is not recommended because potatoes become mealy and the cream may separate.

Questions

Can I make clam chowder with canned clams?

Yes. Three 6.5-ounce cans supply enough clams and reserved juice for a flavorful weeknight chowder. Drain them over a measuring cup, add bottled clam juice to reach 3 cups total liquid, and stir the clams in only at the end so they stay tender.

How do I keep the chowder creamy instead of grainy?

Keep the dairy below a boil and add it after the potatoes are tender. A hard boil can separate the cream, while gentle heat keeps the broth smooth. If it still looks thin, mash about 1 cup of potatoes against the side of the pot and stir them back in.

Can I prepare New England clam chowder ahead?

The base can be cooked through the potato step up to 2 days ahead. Reheat it gently, then add milk, cream and clams shortly before serving. This prevents the clams from becoming rubbery and the potatoes from absorbing too much liquid.

Soup technique

Compare four ways to build a satisfying soup

Move between a creamy potato-thickened chowder, flour-finished harira, long-caramelized onion broth, and smoothly blended red lentils by matching the thickening method to the result you want.

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Classic New England Clam Chowder with Potatoes & Saltines
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1. Render the baconSet a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp and the fat has rendered. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving 2 tablespoons fat in the pot; spoon off any excess.
2. Build the aromatic baseAdd the butter, onion and celery to the bacon fat. Cook over medium for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes so the raw flour taste cooks out without coloring the roux.
3. Measure the clam brothPour the reserved canned-clam juice into a 3-cup measure, leaving any grit in the cans. Add both bottles of clam juice, then enough cool water to equal 3 cups. Whisk this liquid into the pot gradually, scraping the bottom until the mixture is smooth.
4. Simmer the potatoesAdd the potatoes, thyme, bay leaf and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high, then reduce to medium-low, partially cover and cook for 14 to 18 minutes. Stir twice and stop when a potato cube crushes easily with a fork. Do not let the broth boil hard.
5. Finish with dairy and clamsDiscard the bay leaf. For a naturally thicker chowder, mash about 1 cup of potatoes against the side of the pot and stir them back in. Add the milk and cream and heat gently for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the drained clams and half the bacon; cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until steaming and the center of the chowder reaches 165°F. Do not boil.
6. Season and serveRemove the pot from the heat. Taste before adding the measured salt because clam juice and bacon vary in salinity. Rest for 5 minutes, then ladle into six bowls and finish with parsley, thyme and the remaining bacon. Serve two saltines with each bowl.