How to Make a Creamy New England Clam Chowder Dip

I had been thinking about this recipe for months, and when I finally decided to give it a try, I literally jumped for joy and had to call my Mom immediately.  It was so good!

This creamy New England clam chowder dip is a unique appetizer that would be great when served with pigs in a blanket and wings for Super Bowl Sunday!

In just a few short steps, you can make a super thick and creamy New England clam chowder that's been broiled to crispy perfection with panko on top, and served with crackers or a sliced baguette.  

Shucking Your Own Clams

If you plan to use fresh clams (also called quahogs), then just know that shucking them will be work, but in my opinion it will be worth it.  You can of course do it the traditional way and buy a shucking knife, or you can lightly steam them until they begin to open and then pull the meat out.  

I've also read online to put them in the freezer for 30-45 minutes to get them just to the point of frozen, so they are more relaxed and easier to open.  Let me know in the comments below your best technique if you have one!  

For us, we like to go the traditional route and use a shucking knife.  You'll want to be sure to clean and scrub all the sand, mud and debris from the shell, and as you open them, let the clam juice catch in a bowl so you can use it to clean the meat.  

You can watch this video I found on YouTube of this seemingly very nice man at what looks like a family reunion showing how to shuck a clam.  He does a great job explaining how to do it, so let's give him the fame he deserves.

Buying Frozen Chopped Clams

Although we all love freshly shucked clams, convenience often wins out. If you don't have the time to harvest your own clams, then I suggest you pick up a container of frozen fresh chopped clam meat to save yourself time.  

The frozen containers from the fish market are packed fresh and taste just as good.

I picked up frozen chopped sea clams from the Fishermen's View Market which is located at the East End of the Cape Cod Canal in Sandwich. You can also find frozen chopped clams in most grocery stores and fish markets.  

Making the Clam Chowder

Who visits Cape Cod and doesn't try a cup of clam chowder at some point during their vacation? Clam chowder is a staple food in this part of the country - just like Del's Lemonade in Rhode Island or a stack of pancakes with real syrup in Vermont. 

This New England Clam Chowder is much thicker than a traditional cup of chowder tht you'd normally order, but that's the point! I want it to hold up well on a cracker as a dip.

I used onions, garlic, scallions, diced potatoes and crumbled bacon, plus of course the flour, butter, whipped cream cheese and milk to make a creamy and delicious sauce.  

Once you have it all ready to go, make sure to add salt and pepper to taste, then put it in a greased baking dish, top with panko and broil away until the top is crispy and golden.

My favorite way to serve this is with Trader Joe's Pita Crackers, but any pita cracker, saltine or sliced pieces of a baguette should work just fine.

For a detailed list of ingredients and instructions, you can click here to print the full. Or you can click on the recipe card below. 👇 

I hope you enjoy this New England Clam Chowder Dip recipe as much as we do!  

Your friends will be so impressed 😉

Make a Clam Chowder Stuffed Clam

So before I conclude this post, I wanted to mention that if you harvested the quahogs yourself and still have the clam shells, then you could cook this same recipe, but then spoon the chowder into each clam shell. Sprinkle the panko ontop and put it under the broiler to serve it as a "clam chowder" stuffed clam. 

This recipe was was inspired by our favorite Cape Cod stuffed quahog recipe which is also incredibly good.

Making the clam chowder stuffed clam will be a little more work then the dip. Nevertheless it can be perfect when served for dinner with two clam shells and a side salad.

I didn't take a photo of the clam chowder stuffed clam, but trust me, you'll get an A+ for a really cool presentation.

What do you think about this recipe? Will you give it a try? Please let me know by leaving a comment below.

Happy Cooking! 🍽