This New England Clam Chowder recipe features a lightly creamy broth that’s extra flavorful with salt pork belly (or sub bacon), and chock-full of briny clams and tender potatoes. I include fresh dill, a nod to a favorite bowl of chowder enjoyed overlooking Boston Harbor.
I don’t ever remember not liking clam chowder. So it naturally found its way into my creative space, aka our kitchen. My New England Clam Chowder recipe, also called “Boston-style” clam chowder, is an easy, very personal variation that evolved over my enjoyment of many bowls of chowder in Massachusetts. If this sounds good to you, also be sure to check out my Crab Bisque and Oyster Stew recipes!
Why This New England Clam Chowder Recipe Hits All The Marks
Back in 2013, I shared a clam chowder recipe inspired by my visit to Nantucket with the National Pork Board, for their annual Pork Crawl. Well, fast forward to last summer, when my family visited Boston to walk The Freedom Trail and enjoy as many lobster rolls and bowls of clam chowder as possible. I came home from Boston wanting to include all the best clam chowder marks from both trips, in one recipe card. Here’s what makes this clam chowder so dang good, and loved by our whole family!
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT:
- Perfectly lightly creamy. The clam chowder I enjoyed in Nantucket was barely creamy at all. The clam chowders our family experienced in Boston varied in thickness, but were definitely creamier than the Nantucket one (with some being very, very thick and creamy). I updated my recipe to reflect the consistency I like best = lightly creamy.
- Plenty of clams and potatoes. When I eat clam chowder, I want to fully enjoy those briny clams. So I did not skimp on the clams in this recipe. Or the potatoes; they bulk up the soup and add great texture.
- Salt pork belly! This comes from my original Nantucket recipe – where Chef Stephen (National Pork Board) made his salt pork belly clam chowder at the beautiful Topper’s at The Wauwinet. He said, “it’s the original pork and seafood pairing”! (If you get to The Wauwinet, do not miss the oysters, harvested daily from Nantucket Bay. The most amazing “tastes like the sea” oysters I’ve ever had.)
- Dill! While our family was in Boston, we caught a table at The Boston Sail Loft, on the wharf overlooking Boston Harbor. That clam chowder was super thick, which won Blake over. But it was the dill that stole my heart. And there was lots of it! I dialed it back quite a bit for my recipe, and like to sprinkle more over my bowl.
- SO versatile. With all that being said, you can absolutely tailor your pot of clam chowder to hit all your own marks. I share ideas on how to change things up. Just scroll down to “Brenda’s Tips, Substitutions & Variations” for all the details.
What You’ll Need
- Salt pork belly — This cured, unsmoked meat looks similar to fatty, thick-cut bacon. It’s very salty and savory, and is usually used to add body, fat, and flavor to clam chowder, beans, and slow-cooked foods. Dice it up!
- Onion and garlic – These simple fresh vegetables add a ton of flavor to the chowder.
- Potatoes – I like to use creamy yellow Yukon Gold potatoes. Peel and dice them.
- Clams – I use canned clams because this makes preparation super easy and I can add a good amount without breaking the bank. Strain them and reserve the juice.
- Chicken broth – This is the liquid base for the chowder.
- Bay leaf – This dried herb is popular in soups, offering a delicate, woody aroma and flavor.
- Cream – One cup of heavy cream adds lightly rich and creamy perfection.
- Worcestershire sauce – Just a little splash adds a touch of umami flavor.
- Dill – Fresh dill is so very lovely in this chowder, a delightful touch of green contrast.
- Salt & pepper – These simple seasonings enhance all the flavors.
- Oyster crackers – Not exactly a chowder ingredient, but I believe every bowl of clam chowder deserves oyster crackers!
Using Fresh Clams
When I enjoyed Chef Stephen’s pot of chowder in Nantucket, he used fresh large chowder clams called quahogs (pronounced “coe-hogs”). I’ve sought out those clams here in Minnesota, but can never find them. So one man behind a local seafood counter placed a couple cans of baby clams in my hands and said, “Just trust me, this is what I use when I can’t get chowder clams. It’ll get you by until you find them.”
I’ve included Stephen’s instructions for using chowder clams, though, in the Notes section of the recipe card – for anyone with access to them. And for the day when I find them waiting for me at the store!
How To Make Clam Chowder
Let me walk you through my recipe!
- Cook pork with onion and garlic. In a pot over medium/medium-low heat, cook salt pork belly and onion. Stir regularly, until fat begins to render and the onions are soft. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Lightly fry the potatoes. Stir the potatoes into the salt pork and onion mixture. Sprinkle with salt and fry for a few minutes, stirring regularly.
- Add liquids. Stir in reserved clam juice, chicken broth, and bay leaf.
- Simmer. Bring chowder just to a boil, then immediately turn heat down to medium-low and lightly simmer.
- Add clams and cream, then season. When the potatoes are just tender, stir in chopped clams, cream, Worcestershire sauce, salt, black pepper, and dill.
- Thoroughly heat. Turn heat up to high – when chowder just returns to a boil, remove pot from heat.
- Serve hot, with oyster crackers and additional dill.
Brenda’s Tips, Substitutions & Variations
- Dice about the same size. I like to dice the salt pork belly, onion, and potatoes roughly the same size. Especially keep all the potatoes at the same dice size. This gives a uniform texture and helps everything cook evenly.
- Cook potatoes until tender. Don’t rush the potatoes. Make sure they are fork-tender before adding the clams.
- Swap out the salt pork belly. Use bacon or pancetta if you like. Or just omit this altogether (you’ll probably want to add a bit more salt to the finished chowder, though).
- Use other potatoes. Red potatoes also hold up well in soups and chowders. Russet potatoes may be used; just know that they are more starchy and prone to falling apart.
- Make it creamier/thicker (2 ways). 1) You could add more cream – just know that you’ll likely want to add in some extra clam juice and seasonings. 2) If desired, sprinkle ¼ cup of flour over the mixture in Step 2, right before adding the clam juice in Step 3. Stir for 1 minute. Then add the clam juice and proceed with the rest of the recipe. Caution: resist the urge to simmer the chowder longer to reduce and thicken, as this will make the clams tougher and the potatoes can start to break down.
- No Worcestershire? Try soy sauce instead.
- Add hot sauce. We always have a bottle of Frank’s Hot Sauce on hand. When used sparingly in soups and chowders, it only enhances flavor and does not make dishes spicy. Our family likes to add a few splashes to Chicken Wild Rice Soup and Biscuits and Gravy!
- Add more clam flavor. I keep a bottle of clam juice in the pantry, for those times when I want to amp up the clam flavor. You could also add another can of clams with its juice.
When & How to Serve Clam Chowder
When to serve: Clam chowder offers a comforting, satisfying way to warm up on a chilly day. Serve it as a hearty lunch or dinner, or in smaller portions (cup size is great) as an appetizer. This is also a lovely soup for Christmas gatherings.
How to serve: I already shared that oyster crackers are a must when we make clam chowder. We also set out Frank’s Hot Sauce, the black pepper mill, and additional fresh chopped dill. And my family celebrates any soft bread, like Rhodes Rolls or Popovers, for dipping and swiping.
Storage
- To refrigerate: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To freeze: Go ahead and freeze this soup. Just know that creamy soups don’t reheat quite as well, due to the dairy. (But that never stops me from freezing creamy soups!)
- To reheat: Let the clam chowder thaw completely in the fridge before gently reheating it on the stovetop or in the microwave.
More Lightly Creamy Soup Recipes
New England Clam Chowder
Ingredients
- 4 ounces salt pork belly, ¼"-diced (or substitute ¼"-diced bacon or pancetta)
- 1½ cups diced yellow onion
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced
- 20 ounces peeled, diced Yukon Gold potatoes
- 1½ teaspoons Morton kosher salt, divided
- 3 cans (6½ ounces each) chopped clams, juice strained and reserved (See Notes below if using fresh chowder clams.)
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus more for serving
- oyster crackers, for serving
Instructions
- In a large saucepan or small pot over medium/medium-low heat, cook salt pork belly and onion. Stir regularly for 5-7 minutes, or until fat begins to render and the onions are soft and just beginning to brown. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Add potatoes and stir them into the salt pork and onion mixture. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the salt over the mixture and fry for 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Stir in reserved clam juice, chicken broth, and bay leaf. Bring chowder just to a boil, then immediately turn heat down to medium-low and lightly simmer.
- When the potatoes are just tender, stir in chopped clams, cream, Worcestershire sauce, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, black pepper, and dill. Turn heat up to high – when chowder just returns to a boil remove pot from heat.
- Serve hot, with oyster crackers and additional dill.
Notes
- Wash 2 dozen quahogs/chowder clams to remove any sand or grit. Place them in a large steamer pot with one quart of water under the steamer basket. Steam the clams over high heat until they have just opened. Remove the clams as they open and place them in a bowl, making sure to dump all of the liquid from the shell before removing them. Once all of the clams have opened, turn the heat off and strain the liquid from the bottom of the steamer into a clean bowl. You’ll add this instead of the reserved canned clam juice.
- Remove the clams from their shells, leaving the adductor muscles attached to the shell. These are very tough in large clams and aren’t fun to chew. Discard the shells and strain the liquid remaining in the bowl, adding it to the liquid from the steamer. Coarsely chop the clam meat into ½” pieces and set them aside in a clean bowl. You’ll use this instead of the canned clams.
This post was originally published in 2013, inspired by clam chowder enjoyed in Nantucket. After visiting Boston with my family in 2025, I updated the recipe to include all the things we loved about New England clam chowder…but I just had to keep the pork belly from the original Nantucket recipe!
What a fabulous and beautiful event! Those pictures almost transport us there! So glad you had a great time!
Wow, I would love to go to Nantucket , looks beautiful !! I’m going to try to recipe, where can I find pork belly? Thanks…Gina
Beautiful post- thanks for sharing.
I’ve never been to Nantucket. It looks beautiful! Thanks for sharing the NE Clam Chowder recipe too.
Such a cozy, comforting mug of soup! Lovely photos, too! :)
Wow that is alot of scrumptious food right thar! Great re-cap!
Brenda, this is a beautiful post! I’ve never been a huge fan of clam chowder, but your recipe makes me want to try it again. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much, Whitney!
What a beautiful place to visit! Love the chowder too, your photos and styling are perfect.
Nantucket was absolutely perfect. I want to go back!! Thanks, Miss!
What s fun and gorgeous trip! I have never had New England Clam Chowder, but I have to change that! This looks so good, Brenda! Cozy, warm and just perfect for this time of year!
The trip, the food, the whole experience…so excellent. Thanks, Tieghan!
What a fantastic post, Brenda! The chowder looks just wonderful and all the photos remind me so much of the year we lived in New England when hubby and I were just married and he was in the Navy. It’s a lovely, lovely place. Very special.
Ahhhh…how lovely to have spent a year in that area. Thanks, Lana!
Wonderful post Brenda! I love clam chowder and it has been a long time since I have made it myself. I want to try this recipe!!
Thanks, Mom. You’d love it. :)
Lucky you, pretty swanky places you dined/stayed at; Nantucket sure is a gem along with Martha’s Vineyard and my beloved Cape. Hopefully, you will visit again and see more of the southeastern Mass. coastline: including the beaches, great shopping, and plentiful dining. We are going on a girls’ weekend soon to Falmouth on the Cape (where you get the island ferry), and it’s my job to figure out the restaurant choices when we’re not cooking in, too many possibilities! Although I am born and raised here, I don’t like chowdah, blasphemy, I know. Glad you enjoyed all those tempting dishes. And, if you like some light reading, I recommend the novels of Elin Hilderbrand, set on, Nantucket, of course.
Thanks, Paula – enjoy your girls weekend!!
What a fun adventure! You’ve got me really craving chowdah and my New England roots now!
It was SO MUCH FUN! And so incredibly tasty and beautiful. Thanks, Georgia!
What a beautiful trip and beautiful photos, too. I remember my mom making Steak-Umms as a kid. Probably nothing like the pork version you had, though.
Thanks, Dana. It was such an incredible experience. I kept pinching myself. ;)
I adore this recap! I have never been to Nantucket…it’s on the bucket list! And the chowder recipe, must be actioned!
Nantucket was never on my bucket list. But now it is, to return again!! Thanks, Lauren!
Oh you are making me Boston so much!!! Would you believe I’ve never been to Nantucket in my 9 years living in Boston?! Many of my college friends would live and work there during the summers and I always heard the best stories. Thank you for bringing me along on your trip!!
I didn’t realize you lived there that long! Well…you must make it back and visit. It’s fantabulous. xo
What a beautiful recap of a lovely trip. Nantucket is one spot I would love to visit in my lifetime, and your photos and narrative gave me a captain’s chair view of this amazing place. What a blessing to spend time there, and enjoy all that amazing food.
Thank you so much, Kate. It was magical. Hope you are well! xo
Wow, Nantucket looks so amazing! Love the chowder recipe too!
Nantucket IS amazing. And the chowder, too! Thanks, Angie!