Clam chowder without cream served in a sourdough bread bowl can taste just as thick and creamy as a higher calorie version. Trust me on this one!
Originally published December 7, 2012
If you’ve ever been lucky enough to visit San Francisco, you probably know about Boudin Bakery.
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Their famous sourdough making expertise is legendary in this wonderful city’s history, however, I don’t want to get into sourdough bread, as much as I do, clam chowder. Before I ruffle any feathers, I know that the East Coast has claim to this dish. However, I do love eating clam chowder in sourdough bread bowls as they serve it at Boudin Bakery.
I haven’t managed to make the sourdough mini-boules (they’re easy enough to find, at least in LA as Trader Joe’s even has them), but I have come up with my own version of clam chowder with which I am very happy!
On an East Coast trip from Maryland to Massachusetts many years ago, I picked up a postcard with a clam chowder recipe on it. It has been in my recipe book ever since, even though I’ve never made it, the recipe on the postcard is the one with which I based my own. I love making this thick and hearty clam chowder without cream.
How to Make Christina’s Clam Chowder without any Cream, in a Sourdough Bread Bowl
Instead of fresh clams, I use canned. Instead of salt pork, I use pancetta, and I’ve made more changes, so it now really is a totally different recipe. It makes a rich, thick and creamy New England style chowder without using any cream. Some clam chowder recipes use up to two cups of cream! (If you can’t find pancetta, you can use salt pork.)
Christina’s Clam Chowder without Cream in a
Sourdough Bread Bowl
serves 6
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 oz (1/2 cup) pancetta, cut into bite sized pieces
- 2 oz (1/4 cup, 1/2 stick) butter
- 2 1/2 tbsp flour
- 16 oz (2 cups) milk
- 12 oz (1 1/2 cups) water or seafood or vegetable stock
- 1 1/2 tsp Kosher or sea salt
- 2 medium sized potatoes, diced (peeled or unpeeled)
- 2 (6.5 oz) cans of chopped clams, liquid and clams separated
- freshly ground pepper
- few sprigs of chopped fresh parsley, and more to garnish, if desired
To serve: 6 small sourdough bread boules
Instructions
Put the olive oil and onion in a large pot over medium high heat and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the pancetta and cook for another few minutes, then remove from pan and set aside.
Now add the butter to the pot, and when melted, add the flour and mix well. Cook for about 4 minutes over medium high heat to cook the flour.
Slowly begin adding the milk, a little at a time. If you add too much milk at first, the white sauce can turn lumpy. Continue to add milk gradually, mixing until it is completely absorbed before adding more, until it has all been added.
If you find you have lumps, just use an immersion blender to fix the problem–I won’t tell! 😉
Next, add the water or stock and liquid from the clams.
Taste for salt, adding more if needed, then put the pancetta and onion, and potatoes into the soup.
Simmer over low heat, stirring often and scraping the bottom to make sure it doesn’t stick.
When the potatoes are ready, add the clams and parsley and cook for three minutes or so. You’ll see how thick and creamy this clam chowder without cream really is!
Taste for salt again, and add some freshly ground pepper and remove from heat.
To Serve ~
When ready to serve, cut the top off of the sourdough boules, and remove some of the inside to form a bowl, and reheat in a hot oven for about 5 minutes, to make the crust crispy.
Finally, ladle the hot clam chowder into a sourdough bread bowl or serving bowl.
You can see how creamy and thick this clam chowder is, without using a drop of cream or half and half!
Of course you can serve it in a regular bowl too. However, I recommend at least having a slice or two of real sourdough bread to eat with it.
If You’re Interested in Making Sourdough Bread Bowls
Although I’ve never made my own sourdough starter or bread, I found this comprehensive article by Brad at the Belgian Foodie about how to make the starter. I’m dying to try it. What about you? Have you ever made your own sourdough starter or bread. Homemade clam chowder would taste even better in homemade sourdough bowls!
HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN SOURDOUGH STARTER
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Christina's Clam Chowder in a Sourdough Bread Bowl
A lower fat, but still thick and creamy recipe for clam chowder.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 oz (1/2 cup) pancetta, cut into bite sized pieces
- 2 oz (1/4 cup, 1/2 stick) butter
- 2 1/2 tbsp flour
- 16 oz (2 cups) milk
- 12 oz (1 1/2 cups) water or seafood or vegetable stock
- 1 1/2 tsp Kosher or sea salt
- 2 medium sized potatoes, diced (peeled or unpeeled)
- 2 small cans of chopped clams, liquid and clams separated
- freshly ground pepper
- few sprigs of chopped fresh parsley, and more to garnish, if desired
- 6 small sourdough bread boules
Instructions
- Put the olive oil and onion in a large pot over medium high heat and saute for 5 minutes. Add the pancetta and cook for another few minutes, then remove from pan and set aside.
- Add the butter to the pot, and when melted, add the flour and mix well. Cook for about 4 minutes over medium high heat, then slowly begin adding the milk, a little at a time. If you add too much milk at first, the white sauce can turn lumpy. Continue to add milk gradually, adding a little more each time, mixing until it is completely absorbed before adding more, until it has all been added. If you find you have lumps, just use a stick blender to fix the problem-I won’t tell! ;)
- Next, add the water or stock, and liquid from the clams. Taste for salt, adding more if needed, then put the pancetta and onion, and potatoes into the soup. Simmer over low heat, stirring often and scraping the bottom to make sure it doesn’t stick. When the potatoes are ready, add the clams and parsley and cook for 3 minutes or so.
- Taste for salt again, and add some freshly ground pepper and remove from heat. When ready to serve, cut the top off of the sourdough boules, and remove some of the inside to form a bowl, and reheat in a hot oven for about 5 minutes, to make the crust crispy. Ladle hot chowder into the bread bowl. Garnish with more parsley if desired.
Notes
Nutrition information is for the chowder without the bread bowl as many people may have it without the bread.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 bouleAmount Per Serving:Calories: 498Total Fat: 19gCarbohydrates: 65gProtein: 24g
PIN FOR LATER ~
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clam chowder without cream
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“Excellent!” Says my husband, a clam chowder lover! I did have to make my own bread bowl as I’m a good distance from a Trader Joe’s.😉 (A 10 hour drive and 2 states away and a different time zone!) This is a simple and quick recipe that will have everyone thinking you are a gourmet chef!
Looks soooooo good. Very similar to the “Bunny Chow” we have here in Durban RSA
A “bunny” is curry of your choice in half a sandwich loaf with the inside hollowed out
and then stuck on top.
Made the macaroon bars last weekend, kids flattened them in no time
Oh I love that name! Glad your kids liked the macaroon bars, but then again, which kid wouldn’t? ;) Thanks for the note, Ian! I appreciate it! CC
Hi Christina,
Made a pot of this soup for my sister a few days ago…she loved it…also, as a kid my mother (Italian) always made this soup without cream. To think she made three meals a day for our family of eleven is mind boggling.
Take care..I love your posts—so very beautiful and inspiring.
Maria
half Italian-half German
Family of 11? Wow, that truly is a feat to cook for that many even once, for me! She must have been an amazing lady, Maria. So happy that your sister loved the clam chowder and thank you for your lovely comments. It means a lot to me. What a great combination you have being Italian and German (similar to Italian and Scottish)! :)
Your post is bringing back fond food memories of San Francisco and Boudin Bakery. I also love Seattle Sourdough with chowder in it. I do make sour dough and tomorrow is bread making day, so, I’m now inspired to make bowl boules and a fish chowder using your recipe to serve for our Sunday lunch.
Oh that sounds wonderful! I love a good fish or seafood chowder, too! Enjoy, Ron!
What a perfect comfort food for fall and winter! It’s one of my favorite soups. I like your lighter version of it and the presentation is just beautiful!
Thank you so much, Iryna!
This chowder looks wonderful, especially in that bread bowl. Can you tell me what brand of clams you recommend? I bought some once and they were horrible.
Hi Mimi, I usually buy Trader Joe’s clams, however, I do know they don’t always carry them and it probably varies from store to store, too.
My family’s recipe (from New England – Boston and New Bedford – has less flour but only uses milk. I like Boudin, but am not a fan of sourdough bread… one of MY weird quirks! Just because from Sicily – loved it! Will follow up with you!
I’m feeling better and better about admitting to you how many different foods I don’t like! haha! This is one I would never have suspected though! I LOVE a good sourdough, especially with chowder! :)
Potatoes are great thickeners for creamy-styled soups without actually using cream. Your recipe sounds really good! Will pin this to my soups board and make it sometime soon.
Agreed! Thanks, Peggy! Let me know how you like it!
I have to try this. I love clam chowder and I have never made. It is about time and this is the perfect recipe.
I hope you do give it a try, Cathy! :)
This looks gorgeous Christina! I love soups and stews in boules. If your travels ever take you to Ireland again, the seafood chowder you can find on the west coast, especially in Clare and Galway, is outstanding! xX
Oh I had the most gorgeous seafood chowder in Dublin last November! I’m sure it’s even better out by the coast! Thanks, Michelle!
What size exactly for the tins of clams and any idea if one had real clams? I really miss clam chowder living in france..
Clams are ridiculously expensive and tiny but I’d love to try it with lardon and definitely some cream or creme fraiche added. I ate clam chowder (Campbell’s) every single lunchtime when I was in grade school…yum
Hi Carole, I just added the size of the tins (6.5 oz). I would LOVE to try this with fresh clams, but have yet to do so. I’m sure you wouldn’t need that many clams for a pot of chowder. Let me know if you try it. :)
That pancetta! What a brilliant addition! Every aspect of this recipe screams delicious comfort food. Love it!
Another way to use that pancetta! :) Thanks, Valentina!
I ate this before. yummy!
Christina I looooove this!! When I’m at Boudin Bakery, I always get chili in a bread bowl. I can eat practically the whole bowl (with some butter on the side). Need to try with clam chowder next!
I’ve never even thought to have the chili! :)
I love the clam chowder in bread bowls from Boudin Bakery in San Fran – SOOOO good! Even though I grew up near Boston the first clam chowder I ever had was actually on a cold windy rainy day during a family vacation to San Fran! This soup sounds so good and love that you used pancetta!
It is delicious, Vicky!
I love clam chowder…it was one of my favorite soups when I was growing up. I haven’t made it in ages and you’ve reminded me I need to!
Have to have our fix now and then!
Bread bowls are my jam! I lived in California for thirty years close to San Fransisco, I used to go there so much just for the bowls!
I don’t blame you! You were very fortunate to have done that for so long!
Christina, I love that you don’t use cream and that it’s a non-guilty soup that looks absolutely delicious. I must try this, even without the sourdough bowl …
It is wonderful in a normal bowl, too! :) Thanks, Jill!
[…] add some cream to it, but you really won’t miss it if you don’t. I based this on my clam chowder recipe which is also rich and creamy, without added cream. A bit of flour and potatoes and one little […]
Fantastic looking soup! I want to get myself a large bowl of bread right now! Congrats on getting the top 9!
Thank you, Jeff!! I appreciate you stopping by and commenting on my post-it means a lot to me! :) CC
Oh my goodness, I need this in my belly right now!!
Hi Meg! Thanks for you comment! Haha! You’re probably somewhere cold as it’s too hot for chowder today in LA ;)
Reminds me of home. We have similar traditional dish, it’s actually mushroom soup served in bread :)
Ooh, I’ve always wanted to make cream of mushroom soup, but never have! I so love mushrooms and mushroom soup! :) CC