Forget a complicated recipe and make this easy slow cooker clam chowder. It still has the amazing clam chowder flavors your family loves.
I made this quick and easy slow cooker clam chowder while camping this last weekend. I remember the last time I made clam chowder in the travel trailer (it was not a slow cooker recipe), it was this amazing Emeril Lagasse New England Clam Chowder Recipe. We love that recipe but I need easy recipes for travel cooking.
This Easy Slow Cooker Clam Chowder recipe has very little chopping (just an onion!) and the hardest part is browning bacon, which I had browned the bacon for this recipe while I made breakfast. You won’t believe how good and thick this chowder is with these simple ingredients.
How to make Easy Clam Chowder:
You will need:
- 21.5 oz. Cream of Potato Soup (two-10.75 oz. cans)
- 21.5 oz. milk (measured in above cans)
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- 13 oz. minced clams (two-6.5 oz cans) add clam juice from cans to the soup if desired.
- ½ cup white onion, diced
- 6 slices bacon cooked, browned and crumbled
- dried thyme (optional)
Directions:
- Add everything to the slow cooker and stir. The cream cheese will melt into the soup during the cooking time.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
Should I add the clam juice to my clam chowder?
If you love a strong clam flavor in your clam chowder, yes! Adding clam juice is okay to do and will give your chowder a great clam flavor.
More soup recipes you’ll love:
- Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana
- Slow Cooker Split Pea Stew
- Slow Cooker Cauliflower Cheese Soup
- Slow Cooker Ham Hocks and Dumplings
- Slow Cooker Turkey and Brown Rice Soup
Easy Slow Cooker Clam Chowder
Equipment Needed:
- Slow Cooker Size: 4 quart or larger
Ingredients:
- 21 oz. Cream of Potato Soup (two-10.50 oz. cans)
- 21 oz. milk (measured in above cans)
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- 13 oz. minced clams (two-6.5 oz cans) add the clam juice from cans to the soup if desired.
- 1/2 cup white onion finely minced
- 6 slices bacon cooked, browned and crumbled
- 1/2 tsp. thyme (optional)
SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
- oyster crackers
- sourdough bread
Instructions:
- Add everything into the slow cooker, including thyme, if using.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours. Stir at the half way point once.
- Serve with crackers and sourdough bread.
- Enjoy!
Can this be frozen?
I have not tried, I don’t usually have luck with dairy or potatoes.
This is a favorite with my family. Making it today in fact. Thanks for the recipe
I made this today and it will now be added to my favorite recipes of all time! It is delicious! Thank you for sharing.
This is a fantastic, quick recipe. My grocery store was out of Cream of Potato Soup (???). I substituted Cream of Mushroom Soup. Love mushrooms anyway. It turned out great. So, if you want a bit of a twist to your standard Clam Chowder try this. Hope you enjoy the twist.
As a side note ~ I think next time I would bring my Cream Cheese to room temperature to make it easier to melt.
MY FAMILY LOVES CLAM CHOWDER! I CAN’T WAIT TO TRY IT. ABOUT THE MILK, MY HUSB. HAS CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE (CHF) WILL THIS WORK WITH EITHER 1% OR FAT FREE INSTEAD? I’LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR RESPONSE. THANK-YOU SO MUCH; PAM M.
Yes! Either will work fine.
THANK-YOU SO VERY MUCH!! I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR HELP. PAM
I’ve been using this recipe for a couple of years and I love it! I also add a bunch of thinly diced potatoes too , it just adds to the heartiness of this chowder.
Great idea, thank you for letting me know this tip.
Very good.. I’ve been using this recipe for three years.. and my family loves it.. it’s fun to tweet it here and there.. super easy..
So great to hear, we love this recipe too.
Super easy and very very good!
Stupid question. Does the cooking time need to be adjusted if I want to double it?
Not a stupid question! Some recipes I do think it needs more time, but I think for this one the same amount of time will work good.
Do you think it would work with chicken and a can of corn instead of clams for chicken corn chowder?
yes that would be good. Like a chicken corn chowder!
Made this for Christmas Eve and my whole family loved it sooo much! Ty 4 great recipe and so easy too! Perfect!!
Can you cook on high to lessen time?
I think that would work fine!
Would this be thick enough to put in a bread bowl?
Yes it would! 🙂
If you are looking for a clam chowder where you can taste the clams this isn’t it. This was more like a potato soup with bacon and the bacon did not go well with the clams. The cream cheese makes this too too heavy. I hate leaving a negative comment but this was so NOT good I had to throw it away.
is that regular milk or is that evaporated can milk you used??
I used regular milk, and it did fine! 🙂