Creamy Clam Chowder Bowl (Printable Format)

Rich New England chowder with clams, bacon, potatoes, served in a warm sourdough bread bowl.

# What You Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 1 lb canned chopped clams, drained (reserve juice)
02 - 1 cup reserved clam juice (plus bottled clam juice if needed)

→ Meats

03 - 4 oz thick-cut bacon, diced

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced (about 10.5 oz)

→ Dairy

07 - 2 cups whole milk
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter

→ Pantry

10 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
11 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
12 - 1 bay leaf
13 - ½ tsp dried thyme
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ For Serving

15 - 4 small round sourdough bread loaves
16 - Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Slice tops off sourdough loaves and hollow out centers, leaving about ½ inch of bread around edges. Reserve tops for serving.
02 - In a large pot over medium heat, cook diced bacon until crisp. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside, leaving 2 tbsp bacon fat in pot.
03 - Add butter to bacon fat, then sauté onion and celery for 4 to 5 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
04 - Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes to form a roux.
05 - Gradually whisk in reserved clam juice and bottled clam juice if needed to total 1½ cups liquid. Add potatoes, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to simmer.
06 - Cover and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until potatoes are tender.
07 - Stir in milk and cream; return to a gentle simmer without boiling. Add clams and half the cooked bacon. Simmer 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
08 - Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf.
09 - Ladle chowder into bread bowls. Garnish with remaining bacon and chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately with reserved bread tops.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The bread bowl is genuinely functional and dramatic, making everyone feel like they're eating something special.
  • It's creamy without feeling heavy, thanks to the clam juice doing half the flavor work.
  • You can prep everything ahead and have dinner on the table in under an hour.
  • Bacon-forward but not overwhelming—it's the bass note, not the whole song.
02 -
  • Never let the cream boil, or it will break and separate into greasy streaks—medium heat is your friend here.
  • If you use fresh clams instead of canned, save the cooking liquid and use it in place of clam juice for even deeper flavor.
  • The bread bowls absorb heat, so if you're serving immediately, you might want to warm them in a low oven first so they don't cool your soup.
03 -
  • Make the chowder the day before and reheat it gently—the flavors deepen and marry overnight, and you'll have less stress on serving day.
  • If your chowder seems too thick after reheating, thin it with a splash of clam juice or milk rather than water, which dilutes the flavor.

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