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American

Manhattan clam chowder

Non-vegetarian

A brothy, tomato-based clam chowder with bacon, potatoes, celery and thyme — the cream-free rival to the New England style.

Manhattan clam chowder is an American soup from United States, ready in about 1 hour 10 minutes and made with clams, potato and canned tomatoes. It serves 6 and is rated intermediate to cook.

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Prep
25 min
Cook
45 min
Total
1 h 10 min
Serves
6
Level
Intermediate
Calories
215

Ingredients

6 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Put the clams (opens in a new tab) and water in a large pot, cover and steam over high heat until they open. Lift out the clams, remove the meat and chop it. Strain the liquid through a cloth-lined sieve to remove grit and keep it.

    Food safety: Discard any clams that are open before cooking or stay closed after steaming.

  2. Step 2

    In a heavy pot, cook the bacon (opens in a new tab) until crisp and the fat has rendered. Add the onion (opens in a new tab), celery (opens in a new tab), carrot (opens in a new tab) and pepper (opens in a new tab) and soften for 8 minutes, then add the garlic (opens in a new tab) for 1 minute.

    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Add the potatoes (opens in a new tab), tomatoes, fish stock (opens in a new tab), the strained clam (opens in a new tab) liquid, thyme (opens in a new tab), bay, salt and pepper (opens in a new tab). Simmer until the potatoes are tender.

    • 18 min
    • medium-low heat

  4. Step 4

    Stir in the chopped clams (opens in a new tab) and heat for 2 minutes only, until just hot through. Finish with parsley (opens in a new tab) and serve with crackers.

    • 2 min
    • medium-low heat

    Longer cooking makes clams rubbery.

About this dish

Origin
New York / Northeast, United States · Commonly attributedThe name links it to New York; tomato-based chowders were also made in Rhode Island.More food from United States
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Soups · Main courses
Cooking method
Steamed, Simmered
Taste
savoury, tangy, smoky, herby
Diet
Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · High-protein · Low-fat
Without the optional extras: No gluten ingredientsWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
One-pot
Cook more with
Clams · Potato · Canned tomatoes · Bacon · Onion · Celery
Techniques
Simmering · Steaming

Allergens

  • May contain: Milkfrom saltine crackers
  • Contains: Fishfrom fish stock
  • May contain: Crustaceansfrom fish stock
  • Contains: Molluscsfrom clams
  • Contains, can be adapted: Wheatfrom saltine crackers
  • Contains, can be adapted: Glutenfrom saltine crackers
  • May contain: Soyfrom saltine crackers
  • Contains: Celeryfrom celery, fish stock

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

215 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 422 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 26%
  • Carbohydrate 39%
  • Fat 35%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy215 kcal51 kcal
Protein14.4 g3.4 g
Carbohydrate21.1 g5 g
Net carbohydrate17.2 g4.1 g
Sugars3.8 g0.9 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre3.8 g0.9 g
Fat8.4 g2 g
Saturated fat2.7 g0.6 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol28 mg7 mg
Sodium867 mg205 mg
Salt equivalent2.2 g0.5 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
736 mg
Calcium
84 mg
Iron
2.3 mg
Magnesium
50 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
154 µg
Vitamin C
28 mg
Vitamin D
0.1 µg
Vitamin B12
6.3 µg
Folate (DFE)
33 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: green bell pepper, saltine crackers.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Soak fresh clams in salted cold water for 30 minutes so they spit out sand.

Common mistakes

  • Skipping the straining of the clam liquor — the grit ends up in every spoonful.

Food safety

  • Buy live clams with tightly closed shells; discard any that stay open when tapped or that do not open when steamed. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Storage

  • Keeps 2 days chilled; freezes reasonably well.

Reheating

  • Reheat gently just to a simmer.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 3, 4

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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