Red Lobster Clam Chowder

June 26, 2020 by Stephanie Manley, Last Updated October 20, 2022 77 Comments

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Make Red Lobster Clam Chowder at home with this easy recipe. It tastes so close to the Red Lobster’s version. You can make our copycat recipe to enjoy whenever you have a craving.

Two bowls of homemade Red Lobster clam chowder, two spoons, and a basket of bread slices

Table of Contents

Make Red Lobster Clam Chowder at Home

Enjoying a bowl of clam chowder is an ideal way to warm both your body and soul after a hard, cold day outdoors. This recipe for New England clam chowder is as good as any chowder stand and far surpasses the premade soup available at your local supermarket.

This straightforward recipe is easy to make and you can get it on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Don’t Be Afraid of Using Canned Clams

This recipe calls for canned clams, but don’t let that scare you off. While fresh clams are best for many clam dishes, canned clams are an excellent option for chowder.

Canned clams are packed at the height of freshness, and are available all year. Unless you live in the Northeast, you will be hard-pressed to find high-quality fresh clams locally without spending a fortune!

There is a wide variety of canned clams available at the store, but not all of them are the same. For the best tasting New England clam chowder, purchase pre-minced clams in juice from a quality brand such as Doxsee.

Avoid buying whole clams because they won’t have as much flavor or baby clams since they tend to be overly gritty. Remember to save the juice from the clams to add back into the chowder.

Potatoes Make the Chowder

Besides decent clams, a good chowder needs great potatoes. The variety of potatoes you use for your chowder makes a considerable difference in its taste and consistency.

The clam chowder recipe below calls for Russet potatoes. There are several types of Russet potatoes, so feel free to use any kind of Russet potato you can find in the store.

There are good reasons why you should opt for Russet potatoes. Russets are hardy enough to hold their shape in a chowder without becoming gummy. This can be a problem when using Red Bliss or other waxy potatoes.

In addition to their sturdiness, Russets also have a large amount of potato starch for additional thickening power. If you can’t find potatoes labeled as Russet in your local grocery store, look for Burbank or Norkotah, two of the more popular potato cultivars of the Russet variety.

Ingredients

Here is what you need to make the chowder:

Russet potatoes
Butter
Flour
Green onion
Canned minced clams
Salt
Half and half
Whole milk
Clam juice
Parsley for garnish

How to Make Red Lobster Clam Chowder

Peel and cut potatoes into bite-sized cubes.
Boil potatoes until tender. Drain and set aside.

Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat.
Add diced green onions and cook over medium-low heat until onions a slightly clear.
Add flour and stir briskly. The mixture will start to thicken.
Add half and half slowly while stirring briskly.
Add all remaining ingredients except parsley and stir to combine.

Bring mixture to a slow boil. Allow chowder to simmer for 15 minutes.
Serve garnished with chopped fresh parsley if desired.

two bowls of clam chowder and two spoons

Additional Cooking Tips for New England Clam Chowder

Avoid lumps by vigorously whisking and sprinkling the flour slowly into the pot by hand. Make sure the heat is set to low and cook gently while continuously stirring until you start to notice the odor of cooked flour.
Don’t over-reduce your clam chowder. Remember that as it cools to serving temperature, the chowder will thicken noticeably. You are looking for a consistency that will just evenly coat the back of a spoon.

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