Manhattan Style Clam Chowder
Serve a delicious bowl of Manhattan Style Clam Chowder, a tomato-based clam chowder recipe made bacon, potatoes, veggies and canned or fresh clams.
Whether you love a good tomato-based Manhattan clam chowder, or a traditional creamy chowder, we say grab a “chowdah” recipe for a Friday meal. For this this healthy Manhattan clam chowder, the acidity of the tomatoes adds a sweetness, along with the carrots and potatoes. It’s a bowl of comfort and we love to serve it with oyster crackers.
Manhattan Style Clam Chowder
So many have raved over our Best Clam Chowder recipe, so we’re excited to share this old-fashioned Manhattan Style Clam Chowder. You either love clam chowder or you don’t. We do!
Why we love this recipe
- Rather than a cream base, it’s lighter and a bit healthier, with clam juice and tomatoes.
- The recipe is simple to make.
- You can make it the night before, reheat and serve the next day!
- Crowd-pleaser served with hot crunchy bread or oyster crackers.
What is Manhattan Chowder made of?
Manhattan Clam Chowder is a chowder recipe made of clams, vegetables and potatoes, simmered in a savory tomato broth. There is no cream, so it’s a healthier version. We love the pop of flavor (salt) with bacon added to the recipe!
Gather these ingredients:
- Cooked and crumbled bacon
- Olive oil
- Spanish onion + celery + carrots + garlic
- Crushed red pepper
- Tomato paste
- Fresh thyme + parsley + bay leaf
- Red potatoes
- Clam juice
- Whole, peeled tomatoes
- Minced clams: optional to use canned or fresh
- Kosher salt or freshly ground black pepper
We use canned clams, but we recommend fresh for this recipe, if you can get your hands on some.
How do you make a tomato-based clam chowder?
- Cook the bacon and set aside. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat (or use the bacon grease). Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and crushed red pepper and cook until tender, about 7 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for another minute.
- Make a bundle of the fresh herbs— thyme, parsley sprigs, and bay leaf and tie together with a piece of kitchen twine; add to the pan with the diced potatoes.
- Add in the cooked, crumbled bacon.
- Pour in the clam juice and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped tomatoes and clams (do not drain the juice). Cover and bring to a simmer and season with pepper to taste.
- Remove the herb bundle.
- Serve with your favorite toppings or sides.
What’s the difference between New England and Manhattan Clam Chowder?
Manhattan Clam Chowder is usually in red color, coming from the whole, peeled tomatoes. It’s also more brothy, and clear, whereas New England Clam Chowder is creamy, thick, and white. Both types share a briny, clammy slightly-sweet flavor.
How do you serve chowder?
I typically serve this chowder with a tossed salad and hot bread or rolls. It is easy to make and tastes wonderful on a cold winter evening, and add your favorite toppings:
- Serve in a bread bowl
- Rolls or Potato Cheese Bread
- Oyster crackers
- House salad
- Corn on the cob
- French fries
- Corn bread
- Crispy bacon on top
- Creme fraiche or sour cream on top
- Cornmeal pancakes
- Serve with a Virgin Manhattan or Best Manhattan Cocktail Recipe!
Tips and substitutions:
- You can leave out the bacon, or use turkey bacon, but the bacon really adds flavor to this soup!
- Use the “fresh herbs bundle” method – it really adds flavor to the chowder!
- Optional to add fresh kale or spinach (for more greens).
- Add more red pepper flakes if you want more of a kick (spice!)
- Serving it as leftover is wonderful – the flavor melds together more the longer it sits.
- Optional to add more seafood, like baby (bay) shrimp, or scallops (cut into small pieces).
More Chowder recipes to try:
Epic Clam Chowder Dinner Board
Get the Recipe:
Manhatten Clam Chowder
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large Spanish onion, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 carrots, finely chopped
- 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
- pinch crushed red pepper
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 sprigs parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 large red potatoes, diced
- 5 cups clam juice, 8-ounce bottles clam juice
- 1 28 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, roughly chopped (do not drain)
- 4 6.5 ounce cans minced clams, do not drain
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt or to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp chopped parsley for garnish
SERVE CHOWDER WITH THESE TOPPINGS OR SIDES:
- Chowder in a bread bowl
- Rolls or thick sliced of crunchy bread
- Oyster crackers
- Side salad
- Corn on the cob
- French fries
- Corn bread
- Crispy bacon on top
- Creme fraiche or sour cream on top
- Cornmeal pancakes
- Potato Cheese Bread
Instructions
- Cook the bacon and set aside. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat (or use the bacon grease). Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and crushed red pepper and cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for another minute.
- Make a bundle of the fresh thyme, parsley sprigs, and bay leaf together and tie with a piece of kitchen twine; add to the pan with the diced potatoes. Add in the cooked, crumbled bacon.
- Pour in the clam juice and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped tomatoes and clams (do not drain the juice). Cover and bring to a simmer and season with pepper to taste. Remove the herb bundle and serve immediately with your favorite toppings or sides.
Notes
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
