Clam Chowder Soup Calories

Clam chowder soup usually contains clams, potatoes, onions, and milk or cream. Recipes may also include celery, bacon, and flour for extra flavor or thickness, so check the recipe if you are avoiding a particular ingredient.

New England clam chowder soup is pale and creamy, with milk or cream as its base. Manhattan clam chowder soup is tomato-based, red, and usually brothier; the two styles differ mainly in their base and texture.

Clam chowder soup is called chowder because it belongs to a family of hearty soups traditionally associated with seafood and coastal cooking. The word’s exact origin is debated, but it is not the name of a particular clam or seasoning.

To make clam chowder soup, soften onions, cook the potatoes until tender, then add clams and milk or cream and heat gently. Avoid a hard boil after adding dairy, which can make the soup split; add cooked clams near the end so they stay tender.

Clam chowder soup is often thick because potatoes release starch and recipes may use flour or a roux to thicken the creamy base. For a lighter texture, use less thickener or mash some of the cooked potatoes into the broth.

Clam chowder soup pairs well with crusty bread, crackers, or a crisp salad. New England-style chowder is also famously served in a hollowed-out sourdough bread bowl, which soaks up the creamy broth as you eat.

Yes, you can freeze clam chowder soup, but cream-based versions may separate or become grainy when thawed. For a better texture, freeze the soup before adding the milk or cream, then stir the dairy in while reheating it gently.

Clam chowder soup keeps for about 3–4 days in a covered container in the refrigerator. Refrigerate it promptly after serving, and reheat it gently while stirring so the creamy base does not scorch or separate.

Yes, canned clams work well in clam chowder soup, and their liquid can add extra seafood flavor to the broth. Add the clams toward the end of cooking and heat them through, since prolonged cooking can make them tough.