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Manhattan clam chowder topped with oyster crackers.
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Manhattan Clam Chowder

A brothier clam chowder filled with carrots, celery, and onion, plus topneck clams for a briny flavor! This classic soup is perfect for a weekend lunch to serve with a sandwich or salad!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Side Dish, Soup
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 152kcal
Author: Vincent DelGiudice
Cost: $20

Equipment

  • 2 large pots
  • 1 strainer or sieve

Ingredients

  • 18 top neck clams
  • ¼ lb pancetta, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced
  • 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1.5 cups passata
  • 2 cups clam juice
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 12 oz can white clam juice
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 parmesan rind
  • 2 cups spinach

Instructions

Manhattan Clam Chowder

  • Add the pancetta to the large pot. Raise the heat to medium and fry the pancetta until golden-brown for about 8 minutes. Add the celery, onions, and carrots to the pot. Saute until softened about 5 minutes.
  • Add the garlic to the pot and saute for another 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and saute for 3 more minutes to caramelize the paste.
  • Pour in the white wine to deglaze the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and scrape the bottom of the pan. Then add the passata and return the soup to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Pour in the chicken stock, the can of white clam sauce, bay leaves, parmesan rind, and the liquid from the steamed clams. Bring to a simmer for 20 minutes.
  • Add the chopped clams and the spinach to the soup and cover for 3 minutes on low heat. Stir in the spinach.
  • Serve with chopped parsley and oyster crackers.

Steaming clams

  • Scrub and rinse the clams. Add the water, ½ cup white wine, and juice from 1 lemon to a pot. Add the clams and raise the heat to medium-high.
  • Steam the clams until they begin to open. Remove the clams as they begin to open and set them aside. Strain the liquid into a measuring cup and set aside.
  • Chop the clams and set them aside.

Notes

  1. Scrub and rinse clams. You want to make sure you get any sand and debris out of the clams. If they are wild-caught, you'll want to purge the clams to make sure there is no remaining sand! I go into detail on how to purge clams in my Italian Stuffed Baked Clams recipe.
  2. Chop vegetables thick. Manhattan Clam Chowder is a brothy chowder, so I like to have bigger cut veggies to add more texture and substance to the soup.
  3. Always fry pancetta starting from a cold pan. This will allow the fat to render before the meat starts frying.
  4. Add extra clams. You can use all fresh clams, but I like to add a white clam sauce with clams for extra clams and flavor to the soup.
  5. Make your own clam stock. Use the liquid you steam the clams in, to make your own clam stock to add to the soup. Just make sure to strain it first.
  6. Add your chopped clams at the end. If you simmer them for 20 minutes with the rest of the soup, they'll just get rubbery and more chewy.

Nutrition

Calories: 152kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 431mg | Potassium: 554mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 4983IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg