Anadama breadToast a thick slice of the cornmeal and molasses loaf and butter it.
CornbreadA warm square on the side, a little sweet against the salty broth.
Oyster crackersDrop a handful on the bowl at the table so they stay crisp.
Pilot bread (hardtack)Crumble a piece into the bowl and let it soften before you eat.
PopoversBring them hot from the oven and tear one open for butter.
Saltine crackersCrush a few into the bowl to thicken it, or butter them and eat them beside it.
Sourdough bread bowlLadle a thick white chowder into the hollow loaf and eat the bowl last.
From a clam shack or a shore dinner 6
Baked haddock with cracker crumbsSqueeze lemon over the crumb topping at the table.
Baked stuffed shrimpServe them hot from the oven, with melted butter for dipping.
Clam cakesEat the fried balls dry, dipped in the chowder between spoonfuls.
Clams casinoPass a platter of the bacon-topped half shells before the bowls come out.
Steamed clams with broth and butterSwish each clam in the broth, then dip it in melted butter.
Stuffed clamsServe the baked shells hot, with a lemon wedge.
A salad, a sandwich or a pickle 5
ColeslawA cold, crunchy spoonful on the side of a hot bowl.
Dilly beans (pickled green beans)Stand a few in a glass on the table for something sharp to bite.
Green saladDress it sharply, with lemon or vinegar, to cut a creamy chowder.
Grilled cheese sandwichCut it into fingers for dipping into the bowl.
Lobster rollSet a roll beside a cup of chowder for a full lunch.
On top of the bowl 4
Crisp bacon bitsScatter them on at the last moment so they keep their crunch.
Extra chopped clams, warmed in butterSpoon them into the middle of each bowl so nobody goes short.
Fresh thyme leavesStrip a few over a red, tomato chowder just before serving.
Snipped chivesA pinch over a white chowder for color and a mild onion taste.
Something sweet after 6
Apple cider doughnutsPass a plate of them with coffee on a cold day.
Blueberry pieServe a slice at room temperature when the bowls are cleared.
Boston cream pieCut thin wedges; custard and chocolate are rich after a cream soup.
Indian puddingSpoon the warm cornmeal and molasses pudding into small dishes.
Saltwater taffyPut out a dish of the wrapped pieces for the walk home.
Whoopie pieCut each one in half for a table that is already full.
Drinks 2
Coffee milkStir coffee syrup into cold milk and serve it in a tall glass.
LemonadePour it tart and cold, over plenty of ice.
How it works
What to eat with clam chowder starts with crackers. These 30 ideas add breads, plates from a New England clam shack, salads, a sandwich, toppings, desserts and drinks.
Read the full guide
What do you eat with clam chowder?
The usual partners of clam chowder are saltines or oyster crackers, which are small and six-sided. With the white New England kind they are oyster crackers, crushed into the bowl to thicken it or scattered on top. Clam cakes, found mostly in Rhode Island, are often served alongside and dipped into the chowder.
What to eat clam chowder with for a full meal
A thick white chowder can go in a bread bowl, often a hollowed sourdough loaf, and the bread is eaten after the soup. Thinner soups make the bread soggy too quickly, so keep the loaf beside a clear or tomato chowder. Then add one cold, crisp thing, such as a green salad or coleslaw.
A cup before a seafood plate, a bowl when the chowder is the meal.
Keep rich sides small. A cream chowder is already a filling bowl.
Questions and answers
What do you eat clam chowder with besides crackers?
Bread. Cornbread, a hot popover or toasted anadama bread, a traditional New England loaf made with cornmeal and molasses, all soak up the broth. A grilled cheese sandwich cut into fingers is good for dipping too.
What toppings go on clam chowder?
Crisp bacon bits and snipped chives suit a white chowder, and a spoonful of extra chopped clams never hurts. Thyme is often used to season the red, tomato kind, so a few fresh leaves fit there.
What main dish goes with clam chowder?
Baked haddock with cracker crumbs, baked stuffed shrimp or a lobster roll. Steamed clams, with their broth and melted butter, keep the meal to one shellfish.
What dessert goes with clam chowder?
Blueberry pie, a whoopie pie, or Boston cream pie, a custard-filled cake long popular in Massachusetts. Indian pudding, a New England dessert of cornmeal baked with milk and molasses, is usually served warm.
What do you drink with clam chowder?
Without alcohol: tart lemonade, or coffee milk, which is coffee syrup stirred into cold milk and has been the official state drink of Rhode Island since 1993.