Creamy Clam Chowder Bowl (Printable Version)
Velvety clam chowder filled with clams, potatoes, and aromatic veggies in sourdough bowl.
# What You Need:
→ Seafood
01 - 2 cups canned chopped clams, drained (reserve juice)
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup russet potatoes, peeled and diced
03 - 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
04 - 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
05 - 1/2 cup carrots, diced
→ Dairy
06 - 1 cup heavy cream
07 - 1 cup whole milk
08 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
→ Pantry
09 - 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
10 - 1 1/2 cups reserved clam juice (top up with bottled clam juice if needed)
11 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
13 - 2 bay leaves
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Bread
15 - 4 small round sourdough loaves (individual size)
# How to Make It:
01 - Slice off the top of each sourdough loaf and hollow out the center, leaving a thick shell. Set aside.
02 - Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots, and sauté until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
03 - Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes to form a roux.
04 - Gradually whisk in reserved clam juice. Add potatoes, bay leaves, thyme, and parsley. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
05 - Reduce heat to low, stir in clams, heavy cream, and milk. Simmer gently for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until creamy and heated through without boiling.
06 - Remove bay leaves. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
07 - Ladle hot chowder into prepared sourdough bread bowls and serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sourdough bowl is edible, so there's less cleanup and everything tastes better when the bread is a real part of the meal.
- It comes together in under an hour but tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
- Clams are briny and special without being pretentious—this chowder proves you don't need to be a chef to feel like one.
02 -
- Never boil the chowder after you add the cream—it will break and look grainy instead of silky, and you'll be disappointed.
- The bread bowls need to be sturdy; thin-walled bread will get soggy and collapse, so find loaves with real structure.
03 -
- Reserve all that clam juice before you drain the cans—that's where the flavor lives, and it's why this tastes nothing like sad cafeteria chowder.
- Dice your vegetables small and sauté them until they're starting to caramelize; this step takes only 5 minutes but changes everything about the final taste.