Creamy Clam Chowder Bowl (Printer-friendly)

Rich chowder brimming with clams, bacon, potatoes, served in a sourdough bread bowl for a classic coastal delight.

# What You'll Need:

→ Seafood

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

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 cups russet potatoes, peeled and diced
04 - 1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 1 cup celery, finely chopped
06 - 1 cup carrots, finely diced
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ Meats

09 - 4 slices bacon, diced

→ Dairy

10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
11 - 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
12 - 1 cup whole milk

→ Pantry

13 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
14 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
15 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
16 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
17 - 1 bay leaf

→ For Serving

18 - 4 small round sourdough bread boules, about 6-inch diameter

# How to Prepare:

01 - Slice tops off sourdough boules and hollow out centers, leaving a 1-inch thick shell. Set aside.
02 - Cook diced bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crisp. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.
03 - Add unsalted butter to pot; sauté onion, celery, carrots, and garlic until softened, approximately 5 minutes.
04 - Sprinkle flour into the pot and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes to form a roux base.
05 - Gradually whisk in reserved clam juice and bottled clam juice, ensuring a smooth mixture without lumps.
06 - Add diced potatoes, dried thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper; bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
07 - Stir in clams, reserved cooked bacon, whole milk, and heavy cream. Simmer gently for 5 minutes without boiling. Remove bay leaf.
08 - Adjust salt and pepper to taste; fold in chopped fresh parsley.
09 - Ladle hot chowder into prepared sourdough bowls and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sourdough bowl softens into the chowder, so eating it becomes part of the meal instead of just a vessel.
  • Crispy bacon gives you textural contrast in every spoonful, and the clams stay tender instead of rubbery.
  • It's elegant enough for guests but honest enough to make for a cold weeknight when you need comfort food.
02 -
  • Never boil the chowder after you add the cream because high heat will curdle it and separate the dairy—keep it at a gentle simmer and you'll have something silky instead of broken.
  • The sourdough bowls need to be warm when you fill them or the chowder temperature will drop too fast and they won't absorb the flavors properly.
03 -
  • Make the chowder a few hours ahead and reheat it gently just before serving—the flavors deepen when they have time to sit together and get to know each other.
  • If you can't find small sourdough boules, a crusty white bread bowl works just as well, or you can even serve the chowder in regular bowls and toast thick slices of sourdough on the side for dipping.

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