New England clam chowder
Creamy, comforting clam chowder with tender clams, soft new potatoes and a silky roux-based broth.
Thick, silky New England clam chowder is the sort of thing that makes soggy evenings feel cosy again. This version uses tinned clams and a simple roux so it’s achievable any night of the week but still full of briny, buttery flavour.
Make it when you want something comforting and seafoody without wrestling live shellfish. It’s perfect with crusty bread or oatcakes for dunking.
Ingredients
- 400 g tinned clams in brine — drain and reserve the packing liquid
- 500 g new potatoes — peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
- 15 ml olive oil
- 40 g butter
- 30 g plain flour
- 1 brown onion — finely diced (about 150g)
- 2 sticks celery — finely diced (about 100g)
- 2 cloves garlic — finely chopped
- 400 ml fish stock
- 300 ml milk — whole milk preferred
- 150 ml double cream
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 15 g flat-leaf parsley — roughly chopped, for garnish
- 1 lemon — cut into wedges to serve
- sea salt — to taste
- black pepper — freshly ground, to taste
Equipment
- large heavy-based saucepan
- fine sieve
- measuring jug
- ladle
Instructions
Open the tinned clams and pour the contents through a fine sieve into a measuring jug; set the clams aside in a bowl and reserve the liquid. You should have roughly 100–150ml of clam liquor — top up with water if short to 150ml.
Put the diced new potatoes in a saucepan, cover with cold water, add a pinch of sea salt, bring to the boil and simmer until just tender when pierced with a knife, about 12–15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Add the brown onion and celery and sweat gently until softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes; add the garlic for the final 30 seconds.
Turn the heat to low, add the butter and once melted stir in the plain flour to make a roux. Cook, stirring constantly, for 90–120 seconds — do not let it brown.
Gradually pour in the fish stock and the reserved clam liquid while whisking to remove lumps. Add the bay leaves and fresh thyme. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Add the cooked potatoes to the simmering broth and simmer for 3 minutes to let flavours marry.
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the milk and double cream a little at a time. Gently warm for 4–5 minutes — do not boil vigorously.
Stir in the tinned clams, smoked paprika, and season with sea salt and plenty of black pepper. Warm through for 2–3 minutes only — the clams need only a short time to heat.
Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Ladle into warmed bowls, scatter with flat-leaf parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
Tips
- Always reserve and taste the clam liquid before adding salt — it can be very salty and will concentrate when reduced.
- If the chowder becomes too thick, loosen with a splash of milk or fish stock; too thin, mash a few potato cubes in the pot to thicken gently.
- Warm the bowls in the oven briefly to help the chowder stay hot when served.
- Make ahead: the flavours improve overnight; reheat gently over low heat and add a splash of milk if needed.
- If you want a chunkier texture, reserve a third of the cooked potatoes, mash them roughly and stir back in at the end.
Substitutions
plain flour → mix 1 tbsp cornflour with 50ml cold milk to make a slurry and stir in at step 7
Stays closetinned clams in brine → about 600g fresh clams (in shell), steamed and meat removed with their steaming liquid used instead
Stays closedouble cream → use crème fraîche or soured cream (same quantity); the finish will be tangier
Noticeably differentsmoked paprika → a few drops of liquid smoke or 1 tsp smoked salt for a stronger smoky note
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 530
- Calories
- 13 g
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 950 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use bacon or pancetta in this recipe?
Yes — fry 100g chopped streaky bacon at step 3 until crisp, remove some fat, then proceed. That will make the chowder meatier and not suitable for pescatarians.
How do I store leftovers?
Cool quickly, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of milk if it has thickened.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes — swap the plain flour for a cornflour slurry (see substitutions). Add the slurry slowly and simmer until thickened.
Why did my chowder split when I added the cream?
If the pot is too hot the dairy can split. Always reduce heat to low before adding milk or cream and warm gently without boiling.
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