Rhode Island Clam Chowder

a bowl of clear chowder with clams and potatoes.

4.88 from 32 votes

You've heard of New England & Manhattan, but have you ever tried Rhode Island Clam Chowder? It's a lighter, brighter version of the classics!

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Low Fat

Cook Time 30

Soaking time for Clams 1

Total Time 1 30

Servings people

Calories 177kcal

Author Tracy

Equipment

Ingredients

2 lbs fresh clams steamed and chopped (instructions to follow)
4 cloves garlic, divided minced
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon of olive oil
4-6 small red potatoes, quartered or cut small about 1 1/2 cups
2-4 slices bacon fried crispy and crumbled
2 stalks of celery, chopped 1 cup
1/2 large white onion, chopped 1 cup
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoons salt
pepper to taste
3 cups of water or clam juice, see notes.

Instructions

Clean clams by rinsing them well and placing them in a bowl filled with cold water and sprinkled with ground pepper. Let sit for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, prep your veggies and in a large pot or dutch oven, cook your bacon until crispy. Remove bacon and place on paper towel lined plate to cool. Remove most of the bacon grease, but reserve a little (at least 1/2 tablespoon) in the pot.
After the hour, scoop out clams with a slotted spoon (do not pour into a colander, sand will have rested to the bottom of the bowl), rinse again, and scrub the outside of the shells to remove any last bits.
In a large sauté pan on medium, heat olive oil and sauté garlic 1/2 of the garlic for 1 - 2 minutes. Add white wine and cook for about 2 - 3 minutes. Add clams and cover pan. Let steam for 8-10 minutes until clams are opened.
Remove clams from pan and discard any clams that have not opened. Clean clams out of shells, give a quick chop on a cutting board, and set aside.
Heat the pot you cooked your bacon and that has some bacon grease to medium. Add onions, garlic, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 6 minutes. Add potatoes, thyme, and then water +/ clam juice enough to cover all ingredients. Add 1-2 teaspoons of salt and fresh ground pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are soft, approximately 20 minutes.
Once potatoes are almost tender, add clams and crumbled bacon to the pot and let simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Water and Clam Juice

For the broth of the chowder, you can use either just water or a combination of water and clam juice. Use max 1/2 cup of clam juice. It will add a briny, salty flavor so if using any amount, cut the salt. Also, if using clam juice I would substitute the bacon grease to cook the onions and garlic in and use olive oil or butter instead.

Canned Clams- Just reserve some of the juice from the can.

Fresh Clams - You can buy some clam juice, or you can also use up to 1/4 cup of the broth from the steaming of the clams.

Substitutions

Thyme: Substitute 3 sprigs of fresh thyme and add whole to the chowder. Remove sprigs before serving.

Bacon Grease: Use 1/2 - 1 tablespoon of butter or olive oil. We suggest this especially if you're using 1/2 cup of clam juice mixed with the water because of the saltiness of the clam juice.

Nutrition