Manhattan Clam Chowder (Printable Version)

Vibrant tomato-based chowder with tender clams, potatoes, and aromatic vegetables for a zesty seafood experience.

# What You'll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 2 pounds fresh littleneck clams or 3 cups canned chopped clams, drained with juice reserved

→ Broth & Liquids

02 - 3 cups clam juice, reserved from clams plus bottled as needed
03 - 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
04 - 1 cup water

→ Vegetables

05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
07 - 2 celery stalks, diced
08 - 2 medium carrots, diced
09 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
10 - 3 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
11 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Seasonings & Garnish

12 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
15 - 2 bay leaves
16 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
17 - ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
18 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

# Directions:

01 - If using fresh clams, scrub them under running water. Place clams in a large pot with 1 cup water, cover, and steam over medium-high heat until clams open, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Remove clams from shells and chop coarsely. Strain cooking liquid through a fine mesh, discarding any sediment, and reserve the liquid.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion, celery, carrots, and bell pepper. Sauté until vegetables soften, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add diced potatoes, canned tomatoes with juice, clam juice, reserved clam cooking liquid, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, red pepper flakes if using, salt, and black pepper. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
05 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
06 - Gently stir in chopped clams and simmer for an additional 3 to 5 minutes to heat through completely.
07 - Taste chowder and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Remove and discard bay leaves. Ladle into serving bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's naturally dairy-free but tastes like pure comfort, with the tomato base adding a bright acidity that makes each spoonful feel alive.
  • Fresh clams steam right in your pot, releasing their own briny liquid that becomes the backbone of the entire soup.
  • The vegetable soffritto (onion, celery, carrots, bell pepper) creates a flavor foundation so good you'll smell it before you taste it.
  • Cleanup is genuinely easy because everything happens in one pot.
02 -
  • Fresh clams must be alive before cooking—they should close when tapped, and any that refuse to open after steaming should be discarded immediately without question.
  • Don't overcook the clams once they're added at the end; they go from tender to rubbery in the span of a few minutes, so set a timer.
  • The reserved clam cooking liquid is essential and contains the mineral-rich flavor that makes this chowder sing, so always strain and save it.
  • Canned clams are perfectly respectable if fresh ones aren't available or affordable—their juice is still valuable, so reserve and use it.
03 -
  • If you want a smokier version, cook 2 ounces of diced bacon until crispy before adding your vegetables, then use the bacon fat as your cooking medium—the clams and tomato still shine, but now there's a savory undertone that feels less expected.
  • Oyster crackers are the traditional pairing, but honestly, crusty sourdough bread torn into chunks and used for dunking changes the entire experience in the best way.
Go Back