Discover our creamy New England style Clam Chowder With Canned Clams recipe – a budget-friendly weeknight miracle that transforms pantry staples into restaurant-quality comfort food. Perfect for busy families seeking rich seafood flavor without the fuss!
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This recipe brings that cozy restaurant experience right to your family dinner table, without requiring a trip to the fish market. An easy version of creamy New England chowder, this version uses canned clams – a brilliant pantry staple that delivers authentic flavor without the fuss of shucking fresh clams.
Serving it in optional bread bowls creates that special “dining out” experience while staying comfortably at home. With this simple yet satisfying recipe in your collection, you’ll have a special meal ready whenever comfort food cravings strike.
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Why You’ll Love Making Clam Chowder With Canned Clams
- Pantry-Friendly Ingredients: Uses canned clams and shelf-stable clam juice for authentic flavor without a special trip to the seafood counter
- Versatile Thickness: Can be easily adjusted from broth-forward to extra creamy depending on your family’s preference
- Make-Ahead Friendly: Actually tastes even better the next day as flavors meld overnight
- Budget-Conscious: Stretches premium seafood flavor with affordable potatoes and aromatics
🍲 Gather the whole family around the table with warm, comforting, and easy-to-make soup recipes that are as wholesome as they are delicious!
Clam Chowder Ingredients
- Butter
- Celery
- Onion
- Garlic
- Potatoes — I love using Yukon Gold potatoes in chowder!
- Thyme — fresh or dried
- Clam Juice — Clam juice in jars can be found next to the clams in most stores.
- Canned Clams — Get them in juice – it will be used in the recipe, too.
- Chicken Stock — or seafood stock
- Cornstarch
- Heavy Cream — A different dairy or non-dairy product can be substituted, but heavy cream will create the thickest, creamiest chowder.
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Optional For Serving — fresh chives, bread bowls, or oyster crackers
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Clam Chowder
Step 1: In a large stockpot or Dutch oven add the butter, chopped celery, and onion. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes.
Step 2: Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the potatoes, thyme, clams with juice, clam juice, and chicken stock to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to medium. Add a lid to the pot and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
Step 3: When the potatoes are tender add the cold water to a small bowl and whisk in the cornstarch. Add the cornstarch mixture to the stock pot and stir to combine. Let the mixture simmer for 3 more minutes.
Step 4: Add the cream, salt, and pepper and remove from heat. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bread bowl or normal bowls with chopped chives and oyster crackers.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! This chowder actually develops deeper flavor when made a day ahead. Store it in the refrigerator and gently reheat on the stovetop, adding a splash of cream if needed to restore the original consistency.
Yes, canned clams are fully cooked during the canning process. This makes them perfect for this recipe, as you’re simply heating them through rather than cooking them from raw, which helps prevent them from becoming tough.
While you can freeze it, cream-based soups sometimes separate when thawed. For best results, freeze the base before adding the cream, then add fresh cream when reheating. If you do freeze the complete chowder, reheat gently and whisk well to recombine.
New England clam chowder (like this recipe) has a cream base, while Manhattan style uses a tomato base. This creamy version is generally more kid-friendly and has that classic comfort food appeal.
Expert Tips
- How To Thicken Clam Chowder: For an extra-thick chowder, you have several options: 1) Cook the potatoes longer until some begin to break down naturally, 2) Increase the cornstarch to 3 tablespoons, or 3) Mash about a quarter of the potatoes against the side of the pot after they’ve softened.
- Seasoning Secret: Taste before adding full salt amount, as clam juice varies in saltiness between brands.
- Bread Bowl Preparation: If using bread bowls, toast them lightly in the oven before filling with chowder to prevent them from becoming soggy too quickly.
- Make Ahead: Make this chowder the day before and store it in the refrigerator. Gently reheat on the stovetop, adding a splash of cream if needed to restore the original consistency.
More Soup & Stew Recipes To Consider
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Clam Chowder With Canned Clams
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 to 3 stalks celery chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 medium onion chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic or 2 cloves minced
- 2 pounds potatoes peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves or 1 tablespoon fresh
- 2 jars clam juice (8 ounce jars)
- 2 can minced clams with juice (6.5 ounce cans)
- 4 cups chicken or seafood stock
- 1 cup cold water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- chopped fresh chives for serving optional
- bread bowls or oyster crackers for serving optional
Instructions
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven add the butter, chopped celery, and onion, and cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the potatoes, thyme, clams with juice, clam juice, and chicken stock to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to medium. Add a lid to the pot and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
- When the potatoes are tender add the cold water to a small bowl and whisk in the cornstarch. Add the cornstarch mixture to the stock pot and stir to combine. Let the mixture simmer for 3 more minutes.
- Add the cream, salt, and pepper and remove from the heat.
- Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve in bread bowl or normal bowls with chopped chives and oyster crackers.
Notes
- For an extra-thick chowder, cook the potatoes longer until some begin to break down naturally.
- Taste before adding full salt amount, as clam juice varies in saltiness between brands.
- My favorite brand of canned clams is Snow’s brand.
- If using bread bowls, toast them lightly in the oven before filling with chowder to prevent them from becoming soggy too quickly.
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