Creamy Clam Chowder Sourdough Bowl (Printable)

Rich New England chowder featuring clams, potatoes, and vegetables in a sourdough bowl comfort meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Clams

01 - 2 (6.5 oz) cans chopped clams with reserved juices
02 - 1 cup bottled clam juice

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - 1 medium onion, finely diced
05 - 2 stalks celery, diced
06 - 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced

→ Soup Base

07 - 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
08 - 2 cups whole milk
09 - 1 cup heavy cream
10 - 1 bay leaf
11 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Bread Bowls

13 - 4 small round sourdough boules, about 6-inch diameter each

→ Garnish (optional)

14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
15 - Freshly ground black pepper

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut a circle from the top of each sourdough boule and hollow out the centers, leaving a 3/4-inch thick shell. Place bowls and tops on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Set aside.
02 - In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add diced onion and celery, sauté for 5 minutes until softened but not browned.
03 - Add diced potatoes to the pot and cook for 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir continuously for 1 minute to create a roux.
04 - Gradually whisk in reserved clam juices, bottled clam juice, whole milk, and heavy cream. Add bay leaf and dried thyme. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer while stirring frequently.
05 - Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes until potatoes are tender and the chowder has thickened.
06 - Stir in chopped clams with any reserved juices. Simmer for 2 additional minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf.
07 - Ladle hot chowder into warm sourdough bowls. Garnish with chopped parsley and extra black pepper if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sourdough bowl isn't just edible plating—it's the best part, turning crusty bread into a built-in spoon and vehicle for every spoonful.
  • Canned clams save you hours of shucking live ones, but the soup tastes like you spent all day on the water.
  • It comes together in under an hour and actually tastes better if you're not fussing over it every minute.
02 -
  • Don't skip the 10-minute toast of the bread bowls—a raw hollowed-out bowl becomes heavy and waterlogged within minutes, and no one wants to eat that.
  • The flour needs to cook for at least a minute before you add liquid, or you'll taste raw flour no matter how long the soup simmers.
  • Clams release liquid as they heat, so don't add them until the very end and don't simmer them long—just 2 minutes is enough to warm them through.
03 -
  • Make the soup ahead of time and store it without the clams, then reheat gently and add them fresh just before serving—this prevents the clams from getting rubbery.
  • If your soup breaks or gets grainy, whisk in a little more cold cream and it usually smooths right out again.

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