Nothing beats a cozy bowl of comfort like homemade clam chowder with bread bowl. Inspired by the creamy, rich flavors of San Francisco clam chowder, this version is hearty, satisfying, and perfect for chilly nights or when you’re craving a taste of the coast. It features tender vegetables, meaty clams, and a velvety broth—all served in a warm, crusty sourdough bowl that soaks up every spoonful.
The flavor of San Francisco clam chowder is iconic for a reason—it’s rich, briny, and layered with savory depth. What makes this version extra special is its simplicity: no fancy techniques or hard-to-find ingredients. Just real, feel-good food.
If you’ve never tried a San Francisco clam chowder recipe at home, this is a great place to start. Using pantry staples like canned clams and half-and-half, you’ll have a pot of creamy chowder simmering in no time. And yes, the sourdough bread bowl is absolutely worth it—it’s the classic way to enjoy chowder on the West Coast.
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Why We Love Our San Francisco Clam Chowder
- It’s the perfect 30-minute recipe.
With ingredients, you can easily prepare ahead of time and store for extended periods — a true “rainy day” San Francisco clam chowder recipe! - Serve it as a hearty clam chowder bread bowl!
It’s also delicious with simple sourdough dinner rolls or even some quick cheesy biscuits with Bisquick. Any hearty, tangy bread for soup is an excellent choice. - It keeps longer than other protein-rich soups with chicken or beef—up to 5 days! And because of the tender ingredients, it reheats quickly with the same tasty texture.
White vs. Red Chowder
This San Francisco clam chowder recipe is an example of a white, or cream-based, soup. Also known as Hatteras Style, Fisherman’s Wharf, or New England clam chowder, this dish version usually features fresh-off-the-boat clams and a unique seaside flavor.
While we’re using canned clams for convenience, you can use fresh instead!
Manhattan clam chowder is a red, tomato-based version. It’s a brothy soup, less thick, and features peeled tomatoes.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Clams: We use 10 cups of minced clams, which equates to 51 ounces of canned.
- Yellow onion: This is a spectacular onion for soups! It keeps its crunch, even after a bit of simmering, and features a rich aroma. The next best option is a white onion.
- Potatoes: Cube these uniformly in 1-inch pieces so that they cook evenly. We recommend the starchy Russet potato or a waxy Yukon Gold.
- All-purpose flour: This is used to form the roux. The section below provides more guidance on using this method.
- Half and half: You could thin out heavy cream with milk (or water if that’s all you have in your refrigerator). It will have the same effect.
- Kinders buttery steakhouse seasoning: This is our preferred seasoning for this San Francisco clam chowder recipe, but any all-purpose seasoning is appropriate.
- Sourdough bowl bread: Crusty on the outside and fluffy on the inside, a clam chowder bread bowl makes this a true San Francisco clam chowder recipe! You can use this homemade bowl for other thick soups like chili recipe easy fast and pressure cooker bean soup. Be sure to learn bread bowls for soup just right for serving!
Recipe Variations
- Bacon and garlic clam chowder: Add a savory depth by sautéing minced garlic and chopped bacon before cooking the vegetables. Use a bit of the bacon grease to flavor the soup base, then garnish with crispy bacon bits for a smoky finish.
- Herbed chowder with leeks and thyme: Swap out onions for thinly sliced leek and add a bay leaf and sprig of fresh thyme while simmering the vegetables. This simple herb combo gives the chowder an aromatic boost that pairs beautifully with the clams.
- Rustic pork and clam chowder: Inspired by old-school coastal recipes, stir in a spoonful of pork fat or bacon drippings to start your roux. Use hearty clam meat and finish with a sprinkle of chopped parsley for a warm and rustic version of this classic.
- Bakery-style sourdough bowls: Make your own sourdough bouls from store-bought dough or check your local bakery for crusty rounds. Lightly toast the inside until golden brown before filling to keep the bowl sturdy and delicious until the last bite.
Equipment Used in this Recipe
- Soup pot
- 2-quart saucepan
- Balloon whisk
How to Make San Francisco Clam Chowder Recipe
- For even cooking, chop the veggies in similar sizes.
Also, be patient with the simmer — the potatoes should be fork tender so that they’re easy to eat along the clams, and you want to let the veggies and broth marry for at least 10 minutes. - Remember to reserve the clam juice.
Instead of sending the flavorful juice down your drain, pour it into the saucepan to make the body of the soup! It makes for a savory and sweet seafood broth with no extra ingredients needed.
- Avoid undercooking the roux.
You might think your roux is complete when the butter and flour are combined, but that’s not the case.
Let the roux cook for 1 to 2 minutes, whisking continuously, until it bubbles. If it’s undercooked, it’ll give your clam chowder an unmistakable floury flavor.
- Carefully and gradually add the cream.
Adding too much cream at once can cause the fat and flour to separate, ruining the consistency of your homemade clam chowder.
To ensure it thickens properly, add the cream in small amounts, about 1 cup at a time, while continuously whisking. Once it’s incorporated, add the next cup until it’s all added, thick, and smooth.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
Giving the bowl a quick run in the oven under your oven’s broiler can keep the bread bowl from getting soggy. But if you’d prefer to maintain that fluffy texture, use clean hands to press down on the soft center, sort of smushing the bread against the crusty sides so that the soup doesn’t penetrate as much.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your clam chowder with bread bowl piping hot, ladled right into a hollowed-out sourdough boule for a classic presentation. For a heartier meal, pair it with a crisp green salad or roasted vegetables. A side of oyster crackers or a crusty baguette is great for extra dipping, especially if you want to savor every bit of the creamy chowder. Don’t forget to top each bowl with freshly ground black pepper or a sprinkle of chopped parsley for a pop of color. If you’re serving this for a cozy dinner or lunch, a glass of chilled white wine or sparkling water with lemon rounds out the meal beautifully.
Recipe FAQs
The biggest difference is that an authentic San Francisco clam chowder recipe serves the soup in a bread bowl. The New England dish, alternatively, is served with oyster crackers.
And that’s the only difference!
Giving the bowl a quick run in the oven to under your oven’s broiler can keep the bread bowl from getting soggy.
But if you’d prefer to maintain that fluffy texture, use clean hands to press down on the soft center, sort of smushing the bread against the crusty sides so that the soup doesn’t penetrate as much.
Cornstarch is a popular option, as you only need a little for a big effect, but we use flour in the form of a buttery roux. Not only does it thicken the soup and make it creamy, but it also adds a silky, luxurious texture while deepening the flavor.
This soup can keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Store in an airtight container and do not let it sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Reheat slowly on the stovetop, stirring constantly, until the potatoes soften and the clams warm through.
More Easy Soup Recipes You’ll Love…
- Soup With Canned Tomatoes
- Cream of Jalapeno Soup Recipe
- Instant Pot Tortellini Soup
- Soup Recipe with Great Northern Beans
If you tried this San Francisco Clam Chowder recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Clam Chowder with Bread Bowl
Equipment
- soup pot or Dutch oven
- 2-quart saucepan
- balloon whisk
Ingredients
- 51 ounce can minced clams (9 cups) *see notes below
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 cup diced celery
- 2 cups potatoes diced in 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup carrots diced in 1-inch cubes
- ¾ cup butter
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 quart half-and-half cream or 50/50 combination of whole milk and heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons all purpose seasoning (we prefer Kinder's Buttery Steakhouse seasoning)
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Drain juice from clams into a 6-quart saucepan or stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, potatoes and carrots. If needed, add water to cover the vegetables, and simmer over medium heat until tender.
- Meanwhile, in a 2-quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until bubbly. Gradually whisk in half-and-half, 1 cup at a time, and keep whisking until soup is thick and smooth.
- Add half-and-half mixture to pot with vegetables. Stir in clams just before serving. When clams are heated through, stir in seasoning, then salt and pepper, to taste.Serve warm in sourdough bread bowls.
Notes
- Giving the bowl a quick run in the oven under your oven’s broiler can keep the bread bowl from getting soggy. But if you’d prefer to maintain that fluffy texture, use clean hands to press down on the soft center, sort of smushing the bread against the crusty sides so that the soup doesn’t penetrate as much.
- We recommend checking big retailers like Costco, Sam’s Club, BJs, Smart & Final, Amazon, or Walmart online for large cans of minced clams to make this soup more budget-friendly.
- Bacon and garlic clam chowder: Add a savory depth by sautéing minced garlic and chopped bacon before cooking the vegetables. Use a bit of the bacon grease to flavor the soup base, then garnish with crispy bacon bits for a smoky finish.
- Herbed chowder with leeks and thyme: Swap out onions for thinly sliced leek and add a bay leaf and sprig of fresh thyme while simmering the vegetables. This simple herb combo gives the chowder an aromatic boost that pairs beautifully with the clams.
- Rustic pork and clam chowder: Inspired by old-school coastal recipes, stir in a spoonful of pork fat or bacon drippings to start your roux. Use hearty clam meat and finish with a sprinkle of chopped parsley for a warm and rustic version of this classic.
- Bakery-style sourdough bowls: Make your own sourdough bouls from store-bought dough or check your local bakery for crusty rounds. Lightly toast the inside until golden brown before filling to keep the bowl sturdy and delicious until the last bite.
- It’s a perfect 30-minute recipe, with ingredients, you can easily prepare ahead of time and store for extended periods — a true “rainy day” San Francisco clam chowder recipe!
- This soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Store it in an airtight container, and do not let it sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Reheat slowly on the stovetop, stirring constantly, until the potatoes soften and the clams warm through.
Nutrition
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101 Game login says
I absolutely loved this recipe! The combination of creamy clam chowder served in a bread bowl is perfect for cozy evenings. I can’t wait to try making it myself; your step-by-step instructions make it seem so easy. Thanks for sharing this delicious comfort food!
tubemate says
I tried this clam chowder recipe with the bread bowl, and it was a hit! The flavors were so rich and comforting, perfect for a cozy dinner. I loved how the bread soaked up all the delicious broth. Thanks for sharing such a fantastic recipe!