The coldest weather calls for some Cozy Clam Chowder! It’s guaranteed to warm you right up and make you feel all giddy and fuzzy inside. You can betcha you’ll be nice and full too, thanks to the tender potatoes and smooth clams swimming in a creamy, rich, savory bowl of yumminess. Get ready to experience the epitome of comfy when you have Cozy Clam Chowder in hand!
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, diced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 2 (6.5-ounce) cans chopped clams, juices reserved
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 cup half-and-half
- kosher salt, to taste
- ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, chopped
Directions
Step 1 –Heat a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Step 2 –Add the bacon to the stockpot and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes.
Step 3 –Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate and reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings in the stockpot.
Step 4 –Add the butter to the bacon drippings and melt.
Step 5 –Add the garlic and the onion to the butter and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 6 –Stir the thyme into the onions until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 7 –Whisk the flour into the onion mixture until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
Step 8 –Gradually whisk the milk, the vegetable stock, the reserved clam juice, and the bay leaf into the flour mixture until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
Step 9 –Stir the potatoes into the soup mixture and bring to a boil.
Step 10 –Lower the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 12-15 minutes.
Step 11 –Stir the half-and-half and the clams into the soup mixture until heated through, about 1-2 minutes.
Step 12 –Season the soup with the salt and the pepper to taste.
Step 13 –If the soup is too thick, add more of the half-and-half as needed until the desired consistency is reached.
Step 14 –Garnish with the bacon and the parsley and serve immediately.