Cindy's Awesome Clam Chowder Recipe

This is beyond awesome. I didn't have clam juice as Cindy recommended to cook the potatoes in, but I did have chicken broth. I had about four large celery ribs that needed to be used, so I just chopped it up along with the carrots and threw them in the bacon fat with the potatoes. (I had to add just a little more previously reserved bacon fat to the pan, only because there was more veg. I know I'm not the only one who saves bacon fat in the fridge!) I followed the recipe exact. I'm the only one who loves clam chowder in this house, which is fine with me. I'm NOT SHARING. I ate two bowls with homemade ranch oyster crackers. I feel better already! NOTE: Next time, I'll be sure to cook the potatoes with the clam juice. Good tip.

This is my recipe and I'm making it for dinner tonight. I don't know what happened to my original review but here it is again. I use 3-4 cans of clams and that has enough clam juice to cook the potatoes and carrots.

I’ve made this several times and have never been able to find leek soup mix so I just sauté thinly sliced celery and small potatoes before adding the vegetables. It breaks down and makes the broth thicker. Also add some Old Bay seasoning and a touch of creole seasoning. Will add shrimp, salmon and/or crab when the mood strikes. My whole family loves it every time!!

This sounded so good I decided to make New England style clam chowder for the first time. I was lucky to finally find the leek soup and also bought a fresh leek to chop up. I added one celery stalk chopped and a handful of onion flakes. Decided red potatoes would be a good choice for this and cooked in chicken broth rather than water for more flavor. Got to admit I ran out of half and half after 2 cups so I added another can of chicken broth. It thickened up beautifully and I looked forward to having it for dinner last night. It was wonderful ! I'm looking forward to leftovers again and again ! I'll make it exactly the same way.....

I couldn't find the Knorr Leek anywhere, so I used Imagine's Potato and Leek soup and omitted the cream. Like other reviewers, I used a jar of clam juice and boiled the potatoes in that. Didn't have carrots. I never have been a fan of crisping bacon and then cooking in soup, so after I crisped it, I left it out and added it as a topping. My husband was not keen on the idea of clam chowder, but he loved it! I loved it! Next time, I might even season the potatoes in old bay seasoning. I made those red lobster cheddar bay biscuits too. I'm looking forward to the leftovers!!

I've tried a few different clam chowder recipes, but this is BY FAR the best I've ever had! I did add 1/2 of a diced red onion and some inner leafy ribs of celery because they needed to be used up. My husband had picked up a 51 oz. (commercial size) can of clams in clam juice, so I drained and rinsed the clams, reserving the juice. The juice was enough to cover the potatoes and veggies, and I didn't need to add any water. I went to two stores (Publix and Walmart) and could not find the Knorr Leek Soup mix - but some of my foodie friends found a post on Ask the Community where Cindy said the Knorr Vegetable Mix could be used in it's place, so that's what I did. I only used one packet though, as I was a worried about the soup being too salty if I used 2 packets, being that I used all clam juice instead of water, as the clam juice can be salty. This was a good call, and I will make it exactly like this again (which is why I'm documenting all of this in my review, so I can remember what the heck I did - at my husband's request). Thank you, Cindy, for this delicious recipe. It will be my "go to" clam chowder from now on!

I made this on Christmas Eve, and increased the serving size to 20. Everyone loved it! I used clam juice (Cindy’s recommendation) to boil the red potatoes and carrots. I increased the clams and bacon. It was creamy, and delicious! I had diced the potatoes and carrots, cooked the bacon, removed it , then sautéed the potatoes and carrots for 5 min. Put them into the refrigerator and went to Xmas Eve mass. Returned and boiled the potatoes and carrots and finished the recipe! Will do it again next year.

Used Peppered Bacon, sautéed carrot and potato in butter, not bacon fat. Cooked veggies in 2 bottles of Clam Juice. Drained clams, gave a milk bath, drained again and then soaked in Half & Half, bacon and Old Bay Seasoning.I’d use more clams and add celery if i made it again...it’s pretty rich so i’d likely use less half and half, maybe chicken broth, possibly not sauté in butter. Maybe try adding fresh parsley.

Used 1 lb. of bacon, removed half the grease. Used 6 potatoes. Used 3 cans of clams and only water from 2. Salt and pepper at each stage as you go. The potatoes absorb it wonderfully. Hearty and wonderful. This is not something you get out of the can. I made this for me. I will be eating this all week.

Delicious by following the recipe, but think next time I'll double the clams, use 3/4 lb or full pound of bacon and one or twp more carrots. I used all clam juice to cook the potatoes & carrots and will continue to do so. This is a keeper for New England Clam Chowder!! Thank you!

This was OK, but the main thing is I found is that the leek soup mix overwhelmed the flavor. It took away the seafood taste of it. Using half of the packet or less of the packet would have been better, for my tastes anyway. I had bacon fat in the fridge so I used that to briefly saute chopped celery and onion (what I associate with a clam chowder and skipped the carrot). I used the juice from the clams as well as one bottle of clam juice to cover the potatoes. At that point, it had a nice, clam aroma. I also had whipping cream that needed to be used, so I used probably about half the amount stated as it did thicken nicely.

I have made this dozens of times since I found this recipe years ago. I will never us another clam chowder recipe! As others suggested, spring for a couple of bottles of clam juice to add instead of water, makes a much richer flavor. I have sometimes also added about a cup of frozen corn. THANK YOU CINDY for your awesome clam chowder!

I added a small oinion and added one more can of clams.

I didn’t mess it up — miracle.

As a family we love it so much we always triple the recipe!! We also substitute the carrots for celery.

This chowder is great. I did decide to add some shrimp to the chowder, (large size, cut in three parts). I believe the leek soup mix made the difference between chowders I have had before.

We make it every year for our bazaar. Of all the soups, it sells out 1st!

Very good recipe, especially with a few additions. I added 1/2 onion diced, 3 lg. cloves of garlic sauteed with the onion, 1 carrot and 3 pieces of celery finely diced. I covered the potato, and onion mixture with chicken broth and the clam juice instead of water. I eliminated the leek soup mix and added chopped green onion at the end of the cooking cycle. I also added a strong dash of Oregano and Dill weed. The family said it was as close to Seattle's famous Ivar's Clam chowder as they had encountered.

Love this!!! Easy to made, great on a cold night Thank you for sharing

I personally think this is so far the easiest and delicious clam chowder recipe ever!