Creamy Clam Chowder Potatoes

There's something about the smell of bacon crisping in a pot that makes a gray afternoon feel warmer before you've even added the broth. I discovered this chowder on a random Tuesday when I had a bag of littleneck clams from the market and wanted something that felt like a real dinner, not just sustenance. The first time I made it, I didn't even plan to—I just started with the bacon and the vegetables and let the pot guide me toward something creamy and alive. Now it's the soup I return to whenever I need the kitchen to feel like home.

I made this for my sister one winter when she was going through a tough stretch, and she sat at my kitchen counter with a bowl and didn't say much, just kept eating. When I offered seconds, she actually nodded yes without looking up, and that quiet moment told me the chowder was doing its job. Food isn't always about impressing people—sometimes it's just about wrapping them in something warm when they need it most.

Ingredients

• Fresh clams (or canned): The heart of this chowder—if you can find fresh ones, they're worth the slight effort of steaming them open, but canned clams are honest and reliable and honestly, no one will judge you for using them.
• Bacon: The fatty foundation that makes everything taste better, and it renders into the vegetables so you're building flavor from the very first minute.
• Yukon Gold potatoes: These waxy potatoes hold their shape in the broth instead of breaking down into mush, which keeps the chowder textured and interesting.
• Onion, celery, and carrots: The holy trinity that every good pot of soup depends on, and together they create a subtle sweetness that balances the briny clams.
• Garlic: Just two cloves, minced fine, so they disappear into the background and whisper rather than shout.
• Clam juice: Use the liquid from steaming your clams if possible, or a good bottled version if you're using canned—this is where the sea flavor lives.
• Chicken broth: A gentle bridge between the intense clam juice and the cream, rounding everything out.
• Heavy cream and milk: The cream makes it luxurious; the milk keeps it from feeling too heavy, and together they create that soup you dream about.
• Butter and flour: Your roux, which thickens the broth into something silky and substantial.
• Bay leaf and thyme: Quiet herbs that say herb without announcing themselves, letting the clam flavor stay the star.
• Fresh parsley: The final flourish that adds brightness and makes each bowl feel intentional and finished.

Instructions

Prepare your clams (if using fresh):

Scrub them under cold running water until they feel clean to your hands, then steam them in just an inch of water for 5 to 7 minutes until they crack open like little doors. Discard any that refuse to open—they're telling you they weren't ready. Remove the meat, chop it roughly, strain the liquid through a fine sieve to catch any grit, and set both aside in separate bowls.

Crisp your bacon:

Cut the bacon into rough dice and put it in your large pot over medium heat. Listen for that sizzle, watch for the color shift from pink to deep brown, and use a slotted spoon to lift it out once it's properly crisp, leaving all that rendered fat behind like liquid gold.

Build your vegetable base:

Add butter to the bacon fat (it'll foam slightly, which is right), then add your onion, celery, and carrots. Stir them around for about 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until they soften and start to smell like the smell of a kitchen doing good work. Add the garlic at the end—just for 1 minute—so it doesn't burn and turn bitter.

Make your roux:

Sprinkle the flour over the softened vegetables and stir constantly for about 2 minutes. You're cooking out the raw flour taste and creating a paste that'll thicken your broth into soup instead of broth. It should smell toasted and smell right.

Add your liquids and potatoes:

Whisk in the clam juice slowly so no lumps form, then add the chicken broth and bay leaf. Toss in the diced potatoes, scatter the thyme over the top, and bring everything to a gentle simmer. Let the potatoes cook for 12 to 15 minutes until they're tender enough to break with the back of a spoon but not falling apart.

Bring it all together:

Stir in the chopped clams, bacon, milk, and cream, and let everything simmer for 5 more minutes—gently, never a hard boil, or the cream might separate and you'll lose that silky feeling. Taste it, then season with salt and pepper until it tastes like the ocean and feels like home.

Serve with intention:

Remove the bay leaf, ladle into bowls, scatter fresh parsley over the top, and hand them over while they're still steaming. Serve with crusty bread or oyster crackers so people have something to dunk and something to hold.

Save

Years ago, I made a version of this for a dinner party and forgot to remove the bay leaf before serving, and someone bit into it and made a face that taught me to slow down. Now I always double-check because those small disasters stick with you, and I'd rather be thorough than clever.

The Clam Question

Fresh clams intimidate most home cooks, but they're actually more forgiving than you'd think. They come with a built-in timer—they open when they're done, and if they don't open, you leave them behind and don't feel bad about it. Canned clams are the honest shortcut when you want the flavor but not the theater, and there's no shame in that. I've made this both ways, and people never leave the bowl either way, which is all that matters.

Balancing Richness

This soup walks a line between indulgent and approachable, and that balance comes from mixing cream with milk instead of using cream alone. The cream gives it richness; the milk keeps it from feeling like you're eating butter. That mix of clam juice and chicken broth works the same way—the clam juice brings the flavor, but the broth keeps it from becoming overwhelming or one-note.

Serving and Storing

This chowder tastes best the day you make it, when everything's fresh and the flavors are bright. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days, but the potatoes can get softer each time you reheat, so plan accordingly. If you make a double batch to freeze, leave out the cream and add it fresh when you reheat—your future self will thank you for the silkier result.

• Reheat gently over low heat, stirring often, and add a splash of milk or cream if it thickens too much as it sits.
• Crusty bread or oyster crackers turn a bowl into a meal, and they give your hands something to do while you eat.
• A cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc or unoaked Chardonnay beside the bowl makes an ordinary Wednesday feel like a date you kept with yourself.

Save

A good chowder is just an excuse to slow down and feed yourself or someone else something that tastes like care. Make it, serve it warm, and let the soup do what it does best.

Common Recipe Questions

→ What type of clams is best to use?

Fresh clams provide the best flavor, but canned clams with reserved juice work well too.

→ Can I substitute bacon with another ingredient?

Smoked pancetta or turkey bacon can be used for a similar smoky depth.

→ How do I thicken the chowder properly?

A roux made from butter and flour is used to create a creamy, thick texture without lumps.

→ Is it possible to lighten the chowder?

Replacing half of the cream with milk reduces richness but keeps it creamy.

→ What sides complement this chowder?

Oyster crackers, crusty bread, or a crisp white wine like Sauvignon Blanc enhance the experience.