Manhattan Clam Chowder (Printable Version)

Tomato-based chowder with clams, potatoes, and vegetables—a lighter, zesty seafood soup ready in 1 hour.

# What You 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 and supplemented with bottled if 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

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

# How to Make:

01 - If using fresh clams, scrub them clean 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 and reserve the clam cooking liquid, discarding any grit.
02 - In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrots, and bell pepper. Sauté until softened, approximately 6 to 8 minutes.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add potatoes, diced tomatoes with juice, clam juice, reserved clam liquid, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine thoroughly.
05 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
06 - Gently stir in chopped clams and simmer for an additional 3 to 5 minutes to heat through.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Remove and discard bay leaves. Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's dairy-free but somehow feels comforting and rich, thanks to the tomatoes and clam broth doing all the heavy lifting.
  • Fresh clams taste cleaner and brighter than canned, but if you're short on time or budget, this recipe adapts beautifully to either.
  • The vegetables soften into the broth while staying distinct—you actually taste the carrots, the celery, the garlic, not just soup.
  • It feels fancy enough to impress people, but honest enough to make on a regular Tuesday when you want something that tastes like the ocean.
02 -
  • Fresh clams open at different rates, so don't assume they're all done just because most have popped—give them their time, and discard any that stubbornly refuse to open after 10 minutes.
  • The clams release a lot of sand and grit when they cook, so straining that liquid through a fine sieve or cheesecloth is non-negotiable if you want a clean-tasting soup and not crunchy bites.
  • Don't oversalt early in the process; clam juice and canned tomatoes both carry salt, and it concentrates as the soup simmers, so taste at the very end and adjust carefully.
  • If you're tempted to speed things up by cranking the heat to high, resist—a gentle simmer keeps everything tender and lets flavors meld instead of competing.
03 -
  • Don't skip straining the clam cooking liquid if you're using fresh clams—even a tiny amount of sand ruins an otherwise perfect bowl.
  • Make this soup a few hours before serving or even a day ahead; the flavors get better as they sit, and you can reheat it gently without overcooking the clams.
  • If your potatoes are taking forever to cook, they might be too large or your heat might be too low—cut them smaller next time or trust that medium-low heat is actually better here than high heat.
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