Creamy Clam Chowder Sourdough (Printable)
Velvety clam chowder with bacon, potatoes, and cream served in hollowed sourdough bowls.
# What You Need:
→ Seafood
01 - 2 cans (6.5 oz each) chopped clams, juices reserved
02 - 1 cup bottled clam juice
→ Meats
03 - 4 slices 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 2 cups)
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
→ Dairy
09 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 - 1 cup heavy cream
11 - 1 cup whole milk
→ Pantry
12 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
13 - 1 bay leaf
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
15 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
→ Bread
17 - 4 small round sourdough bread bowls, tops cut off and hollowed
# How-To:
01 - Cook diced bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve. Keep 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pot, discarding the rest.
02 - Add butter to the pot. Once melted, sauté onions and celery for 5 to 7 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.
03 - Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 2 minutes to form a roux, ensuring there are no lumps.
04 - Gradually whisk in the reserved clam juice, bottled clam juice, milk, and heavy cream until the mixture is smooth.
05 - Add diced potatoes, bay leaf, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender.
06 - Stir in chopped clams with their remaining juice, cooked bacon, and fresh parsley. Simmer for 5 more minutes, then remove the bay leaf.
07 - Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle hot chowder into hollowed sourdough bread bowls, garnish with extra parsley, and serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sourdough bowl soaks up every creamy spoonful and becomes part of the meal itself.
- Smoky bacon and tender clams create layers of flavor that feel indulgent without being fussy.
- It reheats beautifully, which means leftovers taste just as good the next day.
02 -
- Stir the roux constantly or it will stick to the bottom and burn, turning the whole pot bitter.
- Add the liquids slowly and whisk as you go, or the roux will seize into clumps that refuse to dissolve.
- Do not boil the chowder once the cream is added, or it will split and lose its silky texture.
03 -
- Toast the hollowed bread bowls in the oven for 5 minutes before filling to keep them from getting soggy too fast.
- Make the chowder a day ahead and let it sit in the fridge overnight so the flavors deepen and marry together.