Manhattan Clam Chowder Recipe
Manhattan Clam Chowder in a light and flavorful tomato-based broth filled with onions, carrots, celery, potatoes, and bacon.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 360kcal
Ingredients
- 5 pounds clams - Littleneck, Quahog, or Cherrystone clams (see notes)
- 6-8 cups water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ pound bacon
- 3 tablespoon reserved bacon grease - see notes
- 2 small onions - diced
- 5 carrots - peeled and chopped
- 4 stalks celery - chopped
- 1 green bell pepper - seeds removed and diced
- 5 small Yukon gold potatoes (or other waxy potato) - cut into 2-inch chunks (peeling is optional)
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, or whole peeled tomatoes, chopped
- 6 cups reserved clam broth
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- salt + pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the clams under cold running water and transfer them to a large stockpot or heavy-bottomed Dutch oven. Fill with approximately 6-8 cups of water, cover, and set over medium-high heat. Cook until the clams have opened, approximately 20 minutes or so. Discard any clams that fail to open within that time.
- Strain the clam broth through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth. Set the broth aside (we'll be using it later). Once the clams are cool enough to handle, remove the clams from their shells and set them aside (you may wish to keep a handful of clams inside their shells for a somewhat fancier presentation when serving).
- Rinse out the pot/ Dutch oven that was used to cook the clams and set it over medium heat. Add the olive oil and bacon. Cook the bacon until starting to brown and the fat has rendered, approximately 5 minutes or so. Remove bacon from the pot and set it aside on a clean plate lined with paper towels.
- Reserve about 3 tablespoons of bacon grease and discard the rest (or save for something else later).
- Still set over medium heat, add the onions, carrots, celery, and green bell pepper to the reserved bacon grease. Mix well to combine and cook until softened, but not browned, approximately 10-15 minutes (reduce heat to medium-low if needed).
- Mix in the diced potatoes and garlic. Continue to cook until the potatoes just start to soften, about 7-10 minutes.
- Add the bay leaf, tomatoes, and reserved clam broth (start with 6 cups and add more as needed/desired). Mix well and add fresh thyme.
- Increase heat to high and bring to a low boil. Cover and immediately reduce heat to low. Simmer, gently, for at least 15 minutes or so. Add additional broth, if needed. You may also smash a few potatoes against the side of the pot using a wooden spoon to helps thicken the broth.
- As the soup simmers, chop the clams and the bacon into small pieces. Add to the pot and continue to simmer for an additional 5 minutes
- Remove from heat and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Serve garnished with fresh chopped parsley, if desired.
Notes
You can make this recipe using fresh clams (I used littleneck clams) or canned clams. Whichever is easier for you and your family - or you could use a mixture of each. If you plan to use fresh clams, follow the recipe instructions as outlined above. If you plan to use canned clams,
- Replace the 5 pounds of littleneck clams with 2 (10-ounce) cans of baby clams (reserving the juice). If you like your chowder extra meaty/clammy, add an extra can.
- Replace the homemade reserved clam broth with 2 (14-ounce) bottles or cans of store-bought clam juice/broth. This equals 3.75 cups. Add an additional 3-4 cups of water.
Nutrition
Calories: 360kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 641mg | Potassium: 866mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1547IU | Vitamin C: 48mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 3mg
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