New England Clam Chowder Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What does New England clam chowder contain? ›

It's simple—only clams, clam juice, onions, potatoes, and cream. This is New England in the summer! The origins of the New England clam chowder go back to early settlers, who made it with salt pork, clams, and the broth they were cooked in, thickened with crushed ship biscuit. It hasn't changed too much since then.

This clam chowder recipe should produce perfectly rich soup. If you'd like your chowder a little thicker, though, you can thicken it with a cornstarch slurry. Simply stir cornstarch into a small amount of cold water (or another liquid, such as wine or stock), then stir the mixture into the simmering chowder.

In its very basic format chowder is a soup made with a base of broth and thickened cream. You'll regularly find chowders served alongside crackers or biscuits too.

Customarily, chowder included onion, potatoes, and cream.

Sometimes, this can occur when the chowder sits in the fridge, as the texture and taste become watered-down, as mentioned by FoodsGuy. Or, when you're adding salt to the soup while the potatoes are cooking, the potatoes may absorb all that saltiness and leave the broth wanting more, explains DeadSpin.

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

Storage: Store leftover clam chowder in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freezer: Cool the chowder in the refrigerator, then pour into freezer containers or heavy-duty freezer bags and freeze for up to 4 months.

A bisque is a smooth, creamy French style of soup, traditionally made from crustaceans like lobster, crab or crayfish. It should include a stock made from the shells, a large amount of cream, and a thickening agent made from either finely-ground shells or rice.

What are the three types of clam chowder? ›

Many regional variations exist, but the three most prevalent are New England or "white" clam chowder, which includes milk or cream, Manhattan or "red" clam chowder, which includes tomatoes, and Rhode Island or "clear" clam chowder, which omits both.

For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.

Many regional variations exist, but the three most prevalent are New England or "white" clam chowder, which includes milk or cream, Manhattan or "red" clam chowder, which includes tomatoes, and Rhode Island or "clear" clam chowder, which omits both.

WATER, POTATOES, SEASONED CLAMS, VEGETABLE OIL (CORN, CANOLA AND/OR SOYBEAN), MODIFIED CORN STARCH, WHEAT FLOUR, BUTTER (MILK), SALT, SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, YEAST EXTRACT, SUGAR, SPICE, FLAVOUR (CONTAINS COD, CELERY, ONION). Nutritional Information is based on our current data.

The chowder consists of little more than fresh hard-shell clams (known locally as quahogs) in a clear broth. Any other additions, such as bacon, potatoes, onions, salt, and pepper—are all ingredients that the cook easily could have had on the boat.

Manhattan Clam Chowder is healthier than New England Clam Chowder. Manhattan Clam Chowder is lower in calories and fat. It is more nutritious thanks to its vitamin-rich tomato-based broth and abundance of veggies. New England clam chowder is higher in calories and fat because of its heavy cream-based broth.