Cajun Clam Chowder

4.61 from 23 votes

This Cajun Clam Chowder is rich and creamy, with just the right amount of Creole spices, salty bacon and andouille, clams, potatoes and veggies!

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American, Cajun/Creole

Servings: servings

Calories: 215kcal

Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

Ingredients

5 tbsp unsalted butter divided
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 bacon strips chopped
1 andouille sausage link thinly sliced
1 tbsp minced garlic
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups seafood stock
18 oz canned clams in juice
1 cup Whole milk
1 lb Idaho potatoes cut into half inch small cubes
1 tsp hot sauce
3/4 tsp creole seasoning
pinch of cayenne pepper optional
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat 2 tbsp of butter in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Add the onion, green pepper, celery, chopped bacon and sausage and saute until vegetables are softened and meats are browned, stirring often.
Next add garlic and cook for 30 seconds stirring occasionally.
Stir in the flour and distribute evenly.
Next add the seafood stock and the juice from the 3 cans of chopped clams (just the juice, reserve the clams in the cans for now), Add milk, potatoes, hot sauce, creole seasoning, cayenne pepper, and remaining butter and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium heat until boiling then reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 10-15 minutes with cover on, stirring occasionally, and another 10 minutes (continuing to stir) or until potatoes are nice and tender.
Finally add reserved clams to the pot and season to taste with salt and pepper, cook until clams are just firm, about 2-3 minutes then turn off heat. When serving, garnish with chopped parsley, chopped bacon bits and serve with oyster crackers. For extra flair, serve in bread bowls.

Notes

Properly stored, cooked clam chowder will last for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. To further extend the shelf life of cooked clam chowder, freeze it; freeze in covered airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. It will maintain its best quality for 4 to 6 months, but will remain safe even after that.

To reheat, submerge the container in a basin of hot water for 10-15 minutes. Pour the thawed chowder into a saucepan, then simmer over medium heat. Be sure to stir often to prevent curdling! If necessary, add more milk or broth to loosen the consistency of the chowder.

Nutrition