Easy Gluten-Free Clam Chowder Recipe (San Francisco-Style)

I didn’t set out to make Gluten-Free Clam Chowder, it just happened that way. This is my Mom’s deliciously creamy, ridiculously easy San Francisco clam chowder recipe we’ve been making for decades without any flour—and it’s absolutely perfect. Better yet, it’s made with mostly pantry ingredients in just 30 minutes.

This homemade clam chowder is the perfect comfort food for cold weather. Between the tender potatoes, pleasantly chewy clam meat, smoky bacon, and deliciously creamy texture, this might just be my favorite soup for sweater season.

Jump to:

• What is San Francisco Clam Chowder? Is it like New England Clam Chowder?
• Why You’ll Love This Easy Homemade Clam Chowder Recipe
• Ingredients & Substitutions
• How To Make Chunky Clam Chowder Gluten-Free
• Optional Variations & Dietary Adaptations
• Expert Tips
• Serving Suggestions
• Storage and Reheating Instructions
• FAQs
• More Gluten-Free Soup Recipes
• Gluten-Free Clam Chowder
• 💬 Reviews

What is San Francisco Clam Chowder? Is it like New England Clam Chowder?

American clam chowder comes in two varieties: New England Clam Chowder (a.k.a. Boston Clam Chowder) and Manhattan Clam Chowder. Both are delicious, but they’re wildly different soups. 

New Englanders usually make a creamy, bacon-spiked base, whereas the Manhattan crew prefers a red, tomato-based soup base with no cream. (There is also a “clear” clam chowder that is popular in New England, using clam juice and fish stock as the base without any cream, but I have never been able to find it outside of Cape Cod.)

But, within the creamy New England category exists a smaller subset: San Francisco Clam Chowder. The San Francisco-style is very similar to the New England version—it’s also white, enriched with cream, flavored with smoky bacon or ham hocks, and has big chunks of potatoes. 

The primary difference is that in San Francisco, clam chowder is almost always served in a sourdough bread bowl. San Francisco takes their sourdough VERY seriously! In my experience, SF-style clam chowder also toes the line between the clear and creamy versions with a slightly thinner consistency than many New England-style recipes.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Homemade Clam Chowder Recipe

• Naturally Gluten-Free - My Mom always let the potatoes do the thickening instead of adding a roux. No flour means no gluten!
• Quick & Simple - You only need about 30 minutes (and zero chef-y tricks!) to make this creamy-dreamy San Francisco-style soup.
• Pantry Powerhouse - This easy clam chowder recipe has a short list. The only fresh ingredients you need are bacons, onions, potatoes, and cream. I consider the rest of the ingredients pantry staples—canned clams, a few dried spices, and Worcestershire sauce. The only thing you might need to do a little hunting for is the dry sherry. If your grocery store sells wine, you shouldn’t have trouble finding it.

Ingredients & Substitutions

As promised, you only need a few simple ingredients to make this gluten free clam chowder recipe. Here’s what to grab:

• Bacon - Smoky, salty bacon contributes so much flavor and richness. I use 6 slices of regular, somewhat thin-cut bacon. If you use thick-cut, feel free to reduce it to just 4-5 slices.
• Yellow Onions - For sweetness. In a pinch, red or white onions will work fine.
• Yukon Gold Potatoes - Yukon Golds are great because they have a nice balance of starchiness while holding their shape like waxy potatoes. Plus, they’re thin-skinned, so you don’t have to peel them if you don’t want! I never do—that’s where most of the nutrients are, and also? I just don’t wanna. In a pinch, you can swap in russet potatoes, but you’ll need to keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t get mealy.
• Canned Sea Clams in Clam Juice - I’m pretty sure ALL canned clams come packed in clam broth; just make sure you don’t drain it. It acts like fish stock here, adding a lovely natural flavor. I prefer chopped clams since they have a bit more heft, but you're welcome to use minced.
• Half & Half - I don’t keep half-n-half around on a regular basis, but I DO keep powdered heavy cream and shelf-stable whole milk in the pantry. Half & half is a 50/50 mix of milk and cream, so I just mix it up myself! (You can also mix cream with low-fat milk if that’s what you have.)
• Dried Parsley & Dried Thyme - Mom kept it simple with these two citrusy, earthy herbs. If you only have fresh herbs on hand, use approximately 3x as much of the leaves as you would dried.
• Worcestershire Sauce - This liquid umami-booster adds tons of flavor. Make sure yours is gluten-free (most are), or swap in an adjacent ingredient like fish sauce if needed.
• Dry Sherry - While this isn’t an ingredient you’re likely to use on a regular basis, it is 100% worth seeking it out for this delicious chowder recipe. A few tablespoons take it from good to “holy moly, I’ll eat this whole pot if you don’t stop me.” Can’t find it? Add about ¼ cup of white wine to the pot to deglaze after sautéing the onions, then let it simmer until it’s mostly evaporated before continuing with the recipe.
• Kosher Salt & Black Pepper - Seasoning basics. If you’re using another type of salt (e.g. sea salt), start with smaller pinches since each grain is more concentrated.
• Hot Sauce - My favorite way to serve Mom’s delicious gluten-free clam chowder is with a few shakes of Crystal or Tabasco and a hefty amount of freshly ground black pepper. Feel free to omit it if you prefer!

How To Make Chunky Clam Chowder Gluten-Free

This delectable bowl of yum will be ready to dig into with just 30 or so minutes of kitchen time. Here’s how:

Step 1: Render Bacon Fat. Set your Dutch oven (or heavy-bottomed soup pot) over medium heat. Cook bacon, stirring frequently, until the bacon is beginning to crisp up and the majority of fat is in the pan. Sometimes, there isn’t much. If needed, add a glug or two of olive oil so there's enough to sauté the onions (~1 ½ tablespoons).

Step 2: Sauté Onions. Add the diced onions to the pan with the cooked bacon and stir. Sauté for about 4-5 minutes, until the onion is beginning to soften and become translucent on the edges.

Step 3: Add the Potatoes and stir to coat them with any remaining bacon drippings.

Step 4: Add Liquid. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper, then add the clams and their juice, half & half, and dried herbs. 

Step 5: Simmer. Bring the soup mixture to a simmer, scraping up all the browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Give it a taste—if needed, add more salt. You want the potatoes to have flavor, so make sure the broth is well-seasoned. Let simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender. 

Step 6: Season. Add Worcestershire, a few shakes of hot sauce (I like Crystal or Tabasco for this application) and salt and pepper to taste. Finally, remove from heat and stir in your dry sack sherry.

Step 7: Serve with a sprinkle of fresh parsley, maybe with some buttered sourdough on the side, for the coziest dinner around. Or if you're doing that whole fancy thing, serve it up in a bread bowl, using the lid as your toasted buttered bread. YUM!

Optional Variations & Dietary Adaptations

• Use Fresh Clams - Since I live in a landlocked state, and since I don’t want the additional cost, canned clams are my go-to. That said, you’re welcome to use fresh clams! Make sure to scrub and soak them to remove any grime, then add them in the last 10-15 minutes of cooking this hearty soup. When they pop open, they’re ready. Since you’re not going to have the juice from the cans, you can use a few cups of jarred clam juice, fish stock, or chicken broth/chicken stock instead. 
• Dairy-Free Clam Chowder - If you love creamy things but the dairy doesn’t love you back, not to worry. You can make this gluten-free New England clam chowder recipe with plant-based half-n-half instead. If you need to make your own, I recommend using unsweetened, full-fat oat milk or almond milk mixed with vegan cream. While you’re welcome to use coconut milk and coconut cream, it will impart a tropical, coconutty flavor if you do. 
• Make It Pork-Free - Swap in turkey bacon if you’d like, though you’ll need to add some extra olive oil or butter if you do. You can also use vegan bacon bits and a splash of liquid smoke if needed.
• Add Other Seasonings & Ingredients - The great thing about cooking is you can let your creativity shine. Have a few stalks of celery that need using? Chop them up and add them to the pot with the onions. Think clam chowder isn’t complete without some Old Bay Seasoning? Use it in place of some of the sea salt. You can also add your own flair—some of my friends use celery seeds, bay leaves, garlic powder, or even a spoonful of mustard seed. You do you!

Expert Tips

• Opt for chopped canned clams rather than minced. The larger pieces feel more at home in this chunky clam chowder!
• Keep mess to a minimum. I like to use my Joyce Chen scissors (still going strong 10 years later!) to cut my bacon thus keeping my cutting board clean for my veggies. You can also semi-freeze the bacon for about 15 minutes to make it easier to chop with a knife.
• Don’t use high heat! Dairy-based soups are more likely to break, so make sure you keep the temp low enough where the soup is just simmering rather than at a full boil.
• Thicken if you wish. My Mom’s gluten-free clam chowder is a bit thinner than some chowders, which doesn’t bother me one bit. BUT, if you like yours thicker, you have a few options:
  • Mash some of the potatoes in the pot, then continue to simmer. This will help release some of the starches. This is my favorite method.
  • Stir in plain instant potato flakes (potato should be the only ingredient) until you reach the desired consistency. 
  • Make a slurry with a few tablespoons of corn starch or potato starch and the soup base. Stir it back into the pot and simmer a few minutes until visibly thickened.
    • NOTE: Arrowroot powder is a common gluten-free thickener, but I don’t recommend it here—it doesn’t do as well in hot recipes and can end up tasting slimy.
  • If you don’t need to be gluten-free, you can also use a traditional roux. Add about 2 tablespoons of butter or milk to a sauté pan and melt/warm it. Add 2-3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour (depending on how thick you like it) and make a roux. Cook until the flour mixture smells nutty. Use a bit of the chowder broth to stir into the roux. Continue adding broth and whisking until the roux is a pourable consistency. Add the roux to the pot, then simmer the soup for 5-10 more minutes before serving.
    • I haven’t tried it, but I imagine your favorite measure for measure gluten-free flour blend would work similarly. I’ve also heard of some folks using a rice flour roux.

Serving Suggestions

• For the true San Francisco feel, serve your clam chowder in sourdough bread bowls. If you’re gluten-free, try your hand at making gluten-free sourdough bread bowls! (Serving it up in a regular glass bowl is perfectly acceptable too. That’s how I usually do it. 😉)
• Feel free to jazz up your bowl with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and a few glugs of hot sauce—original Tabasco or Crystal are my favorites here.
• Hosting a party? Keep your chowder nice and warm using a slow cooker set on low.
• I typically serve some garlic bread and my Mom’s shortcut Caesar salad (made with mayo instead of egg yolks) on the side.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

• San Francisco clam chowder will last in an airtight container in the fridge for about 5 days.
• To reheat, gently warm on the stovetop over medium heat stirring often to prevent scorching. You can also microwave it in 45-second bursts, stirring between each zap.
• I don’t recommend freezing this creamy clam chowder, since dairy-based soups have a tendency to separate in the freezer.

FAQs

More Gluten-Free Soup Recipes

If you tried this recipe for my Mom's deliciously cream, delightfully easy Gluten-Free New England Clam Chowder, let me know how you liked it! I'd love to hear in the comments and reviews below.

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