This Clam Chowder recipe delivers big savory seafood flavor! This is not the traditional New England clam chowder as my side of the family doesn’t eat bacon, but bacon isn’t needed to supplement flavor in this soup because it’s already packed with the perfect balance of savory, sweet, salt and just a little tang that we all love in a quality soup. I also cut the calories significantly in this soup by using a roux instead of a few cups of cream or half and half. It remains so creamy without having the dairy split (separate and clump), giving it a wonderful texture to compliment the amazing flavor for less than half the calories.
Keys to success with this Clam Chowder recipe
Use anchovy pasteto get big savory seafood flavor! Trust me, I’ve tried using tons of clam juice alone and it just doesn’t deliver the umami seafood flavor that anchovy paste can provide in such little quantity. Plus the anchovy paste is a lot less expensive than loading up on clam juice and the tube will last a long time in the fridge!
Add the clams and dairy at the very end and heat through. Don’t boil the clams or they’ll get chewy. Clams are cooked during the canning process so are safe to put in at the end. Dairy will split (separate and clump) when boiled, so another reason to just heat through at the end.
Use a roux to thicken the soup to your liking. This lessens the amount of heavy cream or half and half needed, significantly decreasing the calories!
Time Tips for this Clam Chowder recipe
Prep the veggies earlier in the day if you’d like to speed up the cooking process right before dinner. The soup comes together quickly once the prep is done!
Adjustments for Kids
Finely dice the onion and celery to make them disappear into the soup. You can also serve their bowls without the parsley if they’re weary of “green bits” in their food.
When I served this for the first time, I let my kids try it before I told them what the soup was and they gladly ate it up because the flavor is excellent. Clams by themselves could be scary because it’s unknown. If you don’t overcook the clams, it could pass as chicken in the soup for unknowing kids!
Remember for some foods it can take an average of 12 tries before a kid (and even some adults) will start to like the flavor. One bite today is a win! For more tips check out this article on 10 Strategies to Encourage Picky Eaters.
1 Tbsp anchovy paste (Don’t skip this!! This is an umami bomb that adds the depth of flavor the chowder really needs without bacon.)
Vegetables
2 med onion
6 cloves garlic
5 large carrots
4 stalks celery
1.5lbspotatoes
Broth
1 whole bay leaf
1.5 tsp white balsamic vinegar
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp pepper
4 Tbsp flour
4 Tbsp butter
4c. water (or can use 2 bottles of clam juice + water or 4 c. veggie stock)
2cmilk
1/4cheavy cream or half and half
2 tsp salt, divided (Morton Kosher salt, other brands may be less or more)
2 Tbsp parley, fresh
Instructions
Vegetable & herb prep
Wash potatoes. If using russet peel the potatoes. If using baby gold or yukon leave unpeeled. Cut the potato into ½-1 inch bite size pieces. Coat with ½ tsp salt and set aside.
Wash and dice carrots into ¼ in pieces.
Finely dice the onion & garlic – the smaller it is the more it will disappear into the soup.
Roughly chop the parsley.
Make the soup
Heat a heavy bottom pot to medium high heat. Once hot, add 1 Tbsp of butter, fully coating the bottom of the pot to create a barrier between your food and the pot.
Saute onions for about 5 mins until translucent. Add garlic, bay leaf, carrots & celery. Saute for a few more mins.
Add nutmeg, pepper, and anchovy paste & saute for 1 min.
Shove the vegetables to the side, melt remaining butter and add the flour, cook for a few mins.
Drain the clam juice into the pot, but don't add the clams just yet. Stir frequently to combine well, it should look like a gravy at this point. Then add the water (or veggie stock) and continue to stir well to combine.
Add the potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer to cook the vegetables through, about 12- 15 mins. Check the carrots, celery & potato to see if it’s softened to your liking before moving on to the next step.
Add the milk, heavy cream, clams, white balsamic vinegar. Add the remaining salt 1/2 tsp at a time, tasting in between. Once you taste the salt and the flavors pop, stop adding salt.
Once heated through remove from the heat. Do not boil the clams or they'll get chewy. Add the parsley and cover until ready to eat.
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:25 minutes
Category:Main Course, Soup
Cuisine:Healthy American
Variations
The broth in this soup is just slightly thick. If you like a thinner soup, lessen the amount of flour by 1 tablespoon and you’ll have a cream like consistency. If you like a thicker soup you can increase roux by equal parts butter & flour. Start with 1 to 2 tablespoons; if you use a lot of flour eventually it’ll make it more like a gravy or pot pie consistency.
Marjoram, thyme and chives can also be used to give the soup a more herb flavor.
Let us know how it turned out and if you tried any variations in the comments!
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