Easy Clam Chowder

This easy clam chowder is wonderful when the weather gets cooler and you need something warming and easy to put together. 

This chowder fits the bill. The broth is a combination of clam juice and the juice from canned tomatoes, and the soup is loaded with goodies such as clams, potatoes, onions, and herbs. Plus, this chowder comes together in about 30 minutes or less. 

Unlike store bought canned clam chowder, this soup has plenty of clams. As a bonus, the soup includes a garnish of freshly fried bacon. The hardest part is resisting snacking on the bacon while prepping the chowder. 

Ingredients in This Chowder:

Bacon: You will need about four to five slices. You will use the bacon for seasoning the pan as well as topping each bowl when serving. 

Onion: Yellow or brown, diced. 

Sweet Pepper: I used long red sweet peppers from Melissa's Produce. They are sweeter than bell peppers and loaded with flavor. You can also use a red bell pepper. 

Canned Minced Clams: Be sure to reserve the liquid too. 

Clam Juice. 

Canned Diced Tomatoes: Plus the juices. 

Mini Red Potatoes: I used baby Dutch red potatoes. There is no need to peel them. 

Herbs: Dried thyme and fresh parsley. 

Salt and Pepper. 

To Make This Chowder:

First, cut up the bacon widthwise and then fry it until just crispy. Set the bacon aside. leaving the bacon drippings in the pan. Then, fry the onions and peppers in the drippings for just five minutes. Add in a couple of tablespoons of flour and cook for about a minute. 

Next, whisk in the clam juice along with a little water, and then add the tomatoes, potatoes, and thyme. Simmer the mixture for ten minutes

After that, add the clams and the fresh parsley and season with salt and pepper. Bring everything back to a simmer. 

Finally, remove the pan from the heat. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the bacon. 

Make Ahead and Storing:

The soup itself can be made in advance. Just be sure to keep the cooked bacon separately from the soup. You can revive the bacon a bit in the microwave for about 15 to 20 seconds. 

Recipe Variations:

While I used "baby" potatoes, you can use larger potatoes. I recommend using white, red, or Yukon Gold potatoes, but not Russets as they won't hold together as well and will need peeling, which is not my favorite task! 

I haven't tried it, but using shrimp stock or even chicken stock to supplement the juice from the canned clams would likely work as well. 

If you are a garlic lover, you can add minced garlic cloves when adding the potatoes. 

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Easy Clam Chowder

Yield: 4 Servings

Author: Karen Kerr

Cook time: 30 MinTotal time: 30 Min

This easy clam chowder is wonderful when the weather gets cooler and you need something warming and easy to put together. 

Ingredients

• 4 to 5 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium yellow or brown onion, diced
• 2 long sweet peppers, or one large red bell pepper,stemmed, seeded, and diced
• 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
• 4 cans (6 1/2 ounces each) minced clams, with the clams and juice separated (you should have about 1 1/2 cups clams and 2 1/3 cups juice)
• 1 bottle (8 ounces) clam juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, liquid included
• 3/4 pound (12 ounces) potatoes (red, yellow, or white, preferably mini), medium dice
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 Tablespoons minced fresh flat­ leaf parsley leaves
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. In a Dutch oven or 4 quart saucepan, fry the bacon over medium heat until the fat renders and the bacon is just crispy, about 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate and set aside.
2. Add the onion and bell pepper to the bacon drip­pings. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and stir until the flour is lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the clam juice (from the cans and the bottle) and 1/2 cup water and then add the tomatoes, potatoes, and thyme.
3. Simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the clams and parsley, season to taste with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat, ladle the chowder into bowls, sprinkle with the reserved bacon, and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

234

Fat (grams)

8 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

3 g

Carbs (grams)

35 g

Fiber (grams)

6 g

Net carbs

28 g

Sugar (grams)

10 g

Protein (grams)

8 g

Cholesterol (grams)

13 mg

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 Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking Magazing, April/May 2002.