Creamy Clam Chowder in Sourdough Bowl (Printable)

Rich New England chowder with clams, potatoes, and bacon served in crusty sourdough bread bowls.

# What You'll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 2 cans (6.5 oz each) chopped clams, juices reserved
02 - 1 cup bottled clam juice or fish stock

→ Meats

03 - 4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 1 cup celery, diced
06 - 1½ cups russet potatoes, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Dairy

08 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
09 - 1 cup heavy cream
10 - 1 cup whole milk

→ Pantry

11 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
12 - 1 bay leaf
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Bread

15 - 4 small round sourdough bread loaves

→ Garnish

16 - Chopped fresh parsley
17 - Cracked black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice tops off sourdough loaves and hollow out centers, leaving ½-inch thick walls. Place bowls and tops on baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes until slightly crisp. Set aside.
02 - In a large heavy pot over medium heat, cook diced bacon until crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove bacon with slotted spoon and set aside. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat.
03 - Add butter to the pot. Sauté onion and celery in the fat until softened, 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
04 - Sprinkle flour over vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes to form a roux.
05 - Gradually whisk in reserved clam juice, bottled clam juice, and bay leaf. Add potatoes and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 12-15 minutes until potatoes are tender.
06 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in clams, cooked bacon, milk, and cream. Simmer gently for 5 minutes without boiling. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf.
07 - Ladle chowder into prepared sourdough bowls. Garnish with parsley and extra black pepper if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The combination of smoky bacon and sweet clams creates that restaurant quality depth you usually only find in coastal New England taverns
  • Serving it in sourdough bowls transforms an already comforting soup into an interactive meal where every last drop gets soaked up
  • This chowder actually tastes better the next day, so you can make it ahead and let the flavors deepen even more
02 -
  • Never let your chowder boil once you've added the dairy, or the cream can separate and give you an unpleasant, grainy texture
  • The chowder will thicken considerably as it cools, so don't panic if it seems a bit thin, and definitely save extra milk for leftovers the next day
  • Potatoes continue cooking even off the heat, so slightly undercook them during the simmering phase to avoid mushy pieces in your finished bowl
03 -
  • Reserve those clam juices like they're liquid gold, because that's where all the briny, ocean flavor actually lives
  • Dice your potatoes into consistent half inch cubes so they cook evenly and you don't end up with some mushy and some crunchy pieces
  • Buy an extra sourdough loaf for dipping, because everyone always wants more bread to soak up that incredible broth

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