Manhattan Clam Chowder

Manhattan clam chowder is a tomato-based soup with a bold, savory broth. Think of it as the weeknight-friendly cousin of New England clam chowder, minus the cream. You still get briny clams and tender potatoes, with bacon and a splash of white wine adding depth. It’s a one-pot dinner that tastes like you put in more effort than you did.

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Here is Why This Red Clam Chowder Recipe Works

The Ingredients

• Meat: Smoky bacon
• Produce: Yellow onion, garlic, carrots, celery, Yukon Gold potatoes, parsley
• Pantry: Clam juice, diced tomatoes, chopped clams, Old Bay seasoning, black pepper, red pepper flakes, dried thyme, bay leaves
• Condiments: Tomato paste
• Other: White wine

Another great seafood-based chowder that you have to try is our smoked salmon chowder.

Storage

To store leftover Manhattan Clam Chowder, allow it to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container.

• Refrigerate: Store the chowder in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium until heated through. Avoid boiling to prevent overcooking the clams.
• Freeze: For longer storage, you can freeze the chowder. Place it in a freezer-safe container, leaving a little room for expansion. It will keep for up to 3 months.
• Reheat from frozen: Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat on the stovetop or cook in the microwave. Note that freezing may slightly change the texture of the potatoes.

More Recipes You Will Love

• Chicken Cauliflower Soup: Roasting brings out the subtle sweetness of the cauliflower as the florets become lightly caramelized.  Purred in a blender; then adding a bit of cream gives this soup a thick bisque-like goodness.
• Split Pea and Ham Soup: Homemade Split Pea and Ham Soup is a classic, comforting soup, perfect for the cold winter weather.
• Chicken Noodle Soup: Chicken noodle soup is so comforting not only when you are down with the flu but anytime.

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

5 from 4 votes

Manhattan Clam Chowder

By Pat Nyswonger

Manhattan Clam Chowder is a brothy, low calorie chowder packed with chopped clams and vegetables.

If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.

Servings: 8 servings

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Ingredients 

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• ▢ 4 thick-cut bacon, diced
• ▢ 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• ▢ 3-4 garlic cloves, grated or minced
• ▢ 2 large carrots, cut into ¼ inch cubes
• ▢ 1 to 2 stalks celery , sliced ¼ inch thick
• ▢ 1 cup dry white wine
• ▢ 3 bottles clam juice, 8 ounces each
• ▢ 3 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
• ▢ 1 (28 ounce) can canned diced tomatoes
• ▢ 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ crushed red pepper flakes
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ▢ 3 bay leaves
• ▢ 4 (6 ounce) can chopped clams , with their liquid
• ▢ ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley, for garnish

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Instructions 

• In a Dutch oven or large soup pot set over medium-high heat, add the diced bacon and cook until crisp.  Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Sauté the vegetables for 3-5 minutes.
• Pour in the wine and cook for 1 minute to burn off the alcohol; then add the clam juice, potatoes, tomatoes, tomato paste, Old Bay, peppers, dried thyme and bay leaves.  Bring to a boil; then reduce to low and simmer for 10 minutes.  
• Stir in the chopped clams and their liquid and cook on low heat for 5 minutes.  
• Ladle into soup bowls and top with a garnish of chopped parsley.

Notes

Add the clams at the end. They’re already cooked (especially canned), so they just need a few minutes to warm through. If they boil, they turn chewy fast.

Scrape the pot when you add the wine. That quick deglaze pulls up all the browned bacon bits and makes the broth taste like you worked harder than you did.

Cut the potatoes evenly. Uniform cubes cook at the same rate, so you don’t end up with half mushy and half crunchy.

Adjust the seasoning to your taste. Old Bay has its own salt and spice, so add red pepper flakes a pinch at a time.

No wine? Swap in the same amount of chicken or vegetable broth. It still helps deglaze the pot and round out the flavor.

Tomato options. If you want a smoother chowder, use crushed tomatoes instead of diced, or lightly mash a few potato cubes near the end to thicken the broth.

Make it ahead. The flavor improves after a rest. If you’re making it in advance, add the clams when reheating so they stay tender.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 250kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 34mg, Sodium: 872mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 6g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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