Get ready for a taste of the East Coast classic - Manhattan Clam Chowder with a twist! This quick and easy soup recipe is perfectly authentic, yet lightened up! It's warm and rich, yet it's not heavy making it perfect for any time of year!
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And, if you're looking for more super tasty soups, you have come to the right place!
Try my Greek Chicken Orzo Soup, Creamy Vegetable Soup, or my Mexican Chicken Soup! They're full of flavor and satisfying without being too heavy!
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Manhattan Clam Chowder is a robust, tomato-based counterpart to the creamy New England style. This iconic East Coast dish is beloved for its tangy and savory profile and it's so good anytime. I'm a big fan of year-round comfort food and this hits the mark.
And yet, there's always room for a little bit of a revamp when it comes to traditional recipes. This version, while true to its Manhattan roots, offers a lighter, more health-conscious take without skimping on the classic, hearty flavor.
What You'll Need
Bacon, Salted Butter, Onion, Carrot, Celery - Don't all good recipes start with these things? Bacon and butter make everything better. Onion, Carrot, and Celery are the classic base veggies for almost all comfort food!
Cauliflower - It's my secret weapon to making this soup recipe a bit lighter. I love, love it here. You can absolutely use potato instead, though. They are 100% interchangeable!
Clam Juice and Chicken Broth - For the soup base. I love adding the clam juice for it's briny addition. Chicken broth rounds out the flavor.
Bay leaves and dried thyme - For the herby, earthiness.
Tomato Sauce and Tomato Paste - For the classic tomato-based broth that is quintessential Manhattan Clam Chowder.
Heavy Cream - Just to make it better. And, richer. And, creamier. And, wonderful.
Canned Clams - This is what I use because we live a long way from the nearest ocean. If you're lucky enough to have fresh seafood in your area, use that!
How To Make It
This chowder recipe is truly one of my favorite comfort meals. It's full of flavor, hearty, and has loads of tender clams. As a seafood lover, this is a dream in a bowl for me. What's almost as good is that this recipe is so easy and comes together so quick.
To start the clam chowder, sauté some diced bacon and butter until the bacon is almost cooked through. Add in the celery, onion, carrot, and diced cauliflower. Cook these for a few minutes until they begin to soften. Next, add in the tomato paste. Stir and cook the tomato paste until it becomes a deep red color.
At this point, your kitchen should smell like a million dollars. I'm in talks with some people to turn this smell into a candle, but I digress.
Next goes in the clam juice, chicken broth, tomato sauce, dried thyme, and bay leaves. Bring this mixture to a simmer, cooking until all the vegetables are fork tender.
A little heavy cream is added just to cut the acid in the tomato paste and sauce. It's just a little something-something to make this chowder silky and delicious.
To finish our Manhattan Clam Chowder, simple add in the drained and rinsed clams. Cook until they're warmed through. As always, taste for salt and pepper levels. Add some if you would like.
Also, remove the bay leaves at the end. You don't want pieces of bay getting stuck in your teef. It's not good.
Ladle the clam chowder into bowls, serve with a side of crusty bread, and enjoy!
Canned Clams vs Fresh Clams
I use canned clams for this chowder recipe because I do not live an area with good quality fresh seafood. Canned clams are widely available, affordable, and are super delicious.
However, if you are lucky enough to have access to good quality fresh clams, then I would 100% use those!
The Snow's Ocean Chopped Clams are incredible, however. No, I'm not sponsored. I use my own monies. That's what I use and have no plans on changing anytime soon!
Serving Ideas
This Manhattan Clam Chowder doesn't need much to improve it. I like to simply finished mine with a sprinkle of extra bacon and some red chili flakes. However, I think it's almost mandatory to serve it with crusty sourdough or your favorite bread recipe. Here's a couple of mine!
recipe frequently asked questions
Is this recipe gluten-free?
My Manhattan Clam Chowder recipe is 100% gluten-free. Should gluten be a concern, rejoice—this recipe is naturally without it. No need to make any substitutions for that dietary concern.
What if i don't like clams?
Don't worry, boo! I got you. If you're not a clam lover, shrimp would be my first suggestion. In my opinion, it's one of the least seafoody tasting of the seafoods. I also think, poaching salmon in the chowder until its perfectly cooked would be amazing. Halibut would also be a lovely fish to use.
If seafood is still not your jam, throw in some shredded rotisserie chicken! That would make a phenomenal chowder that will appeal to even the pickiest of palates!
What in the world is clam juice?
I get it. Clam juice doesn't necessarily sound that appetizing, but all it is, is clam broth. When clams are cooked, they release a liquid and it becomes clam juice. It's what give this clam chowder recipe so much flavor. I highly recommend getting some, however, chicken or veggie broth would be fine.
For another classic take on clam chowder, try my New England Clam Chowder Recipe!
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Store leftovers of this soup in an airtight container for up to 3 days. It will stay good in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat, you can use the stovetop or the microwave. Just do so slowly. Don't attempt the cook the fire out of it all at once. Creamy soups need a little time and TLC when getting rewarmed.
Recipe
Manhattan Clam Chowder Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon, diced
- 3 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 med onion, diced
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 1 head cauliflower, diced
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 8 oz bottles clam juice
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½-1 cup heavy cream
- 2-3 cups canned baby clams, drained and rinsed
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven, over med-high heat, sauté the diced bacon with the butter.
- Add in the onion, carrot, celery, and cauliflower. Continue to sauté for just a few minutes, until the veggies begin to soften. Add the tomato paste, stirring until a dark red color develops.
- Add the clam juice, chicken broth, tomato sauce, bay leaves, dried thyme. Simmer until the veggies are tender.
- Add heavy cream to the chowder mixture and bring it back to a simmer.
- Add in the drained and rinsed clams. Cook until the clams are warmed through.
- Remove the bay leaves and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
If you guys make this awesome twist Manhattan Clam Chowder, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I absolutely love to hear from you all and always do my best to respond to each and every one of your comments! And, as always, be kind. I'm only human.
Thank you!
I am so incredibly happy that you are here! I hope you try my Manhattan Clam Chowder recipe and fall in love with it. If you make this recipe, please share and tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok! And, please leave a comment or review. I absolutely love seeing each and every one of your kitchen masterpieces. And, as always, if you ever have any questions about any of my recipes, please don't hesitate to contact me!
Happy Cooking!
-Rufus
Rufus for Real is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. I may earn a commission, with no additional cost to you, if you purchase through those links.
Rufus for Real is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
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