Manhattan Clam Chowder With Bacon
My Manhattan Clam Chowder features smoky bacon, tender clams, and a flavorful broth. It's comfort food without the cream and I crave it year round.
As soon as the weather gets cooler, I start craving soups like my easy buffalo chicken soup, wedding soup, or my instant pot taco soup. Another one I make often is this Manhattan Clam chowder with bacon. Unlike the cream based new england clam chowder this soup has a tomato broth. It's loaded with clams and chunks of veggies and will warm you up without weighing you down.
Why This Recipe Works: A Sprinkle of Food Science
- Bacon Fat: Rendering bacon fat and using it to cook your veggies is a game changer. It builds flavor into every single bite.
- Deglazing With White Wine: This helps loosen those tasty brown bits and adds flavor and acidity.
- Use Clam Juice Not Broth: It is salty, flavorful, and easy to use too.
Ingredient Notes and Shopping Tips
- Clams: Bar Harbor canned clams are our favorite. Chicken of the Sea is not quite as good but more budget friendly.
- Bacon: I used thick cut bacon. It renders lots of fat and doesn't disappear in the soup.
- Clam Juice: Look for it near the canned fish/tuna at the grocery store. You can also substitute broth for a portion of the clam juice if desired.
- Potatoes: I used Yukon gold. They hold their shape and won't turn to mush in your soup.
- White Wine: Use a dry white wine. I used Sauvignon Blanc. You could also use broth to deglaze if you're avoiding alcohol.
Krystle's Tips: Steal My Culinary School Secrets
- Don't Skip Deglazing: When you pour in the wine scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula. Those brown bits add so much flavor.
- Potatoes Before Tomatoes: Add tomatoes later as the acid will slow down the cooking process of the potatoes.
- Season at the End: We're using a lot of salty ingredients like bacon and clam juice. Taste just before serving and add salt only if needed.
- Don't Overcook the Clams: Canned clams are already fully cooked so they just need to be warmed through. Overcooking or bringing to a boil can make them rubbery.
More Soups To Try
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
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📖 Recipe
Manhattan Clam Chowder With Bacon
Tender clams and hearty vegetables in a flavorful tomato broth. This easy soup is comforting and lighter than its New England counterpart.
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Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 185kcal
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Ingredients
- 4 Slices Thick Cut Bacon Chopped into ~¼ Inch Pieces
- 1 Sweet Onion Diced
- 1 Red Bell Pepper Diced
- 1 Carrot Diced
- 1 Stalk Celery Diced
- 4 Cloves of Garlic Minced
- 1 Teaspoon Oregano Dried
- ½ Cup Dry White Wine
- 3 8-ounce Bottles Clam Juice
- 5 6½-ounce Cans Chopped Clams, Drained Juice Reserved
- 1½ Pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes Peeled and Diced in ~¼ Inch Pieces
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 28 Ounce Can Diced Tomatoes
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley Roughly Chopped
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Instructions
- In a large Dutch Oven, fry bacon until crispy (~7 minutes).
- Add onion, pepper, carrot, and celery to bacon grease. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until softened. Add in garlic and oregano and cook for 1 more minute.
- Pour in wine. Increase heat to high, bring to a boil. Continue until it reduces by about half (~2-3 minutes). Pour in clam juice, reserved clam juices, potatoes, and bay leaf.
- Bring to boil, reduce to simmer. Simmer for ~8-10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
- Pour in diced tomatoes, cook for ~5 more minutes.
- Discard bayleaf. Remove from heat and stir in clams. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish with parsley if desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 185kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 218mg | Potassium: 611mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1891IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg
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I made this Manhattan Clam Chowder with bacon and it was amazing—the smoky bacon with the clams gave it so much depth. Definitely a keeper!
Just baked this Sourdough Man’oushe and it turned out so good—the sourdough crust with the za’atar topping is such a perfect combo!
I'm not sure what you mean? This is a chowder recipe??
Manhattan clam chowder looks delicious I have made it twice already
This clam chowder with bacon is amazing! Such a delicious recipe.
This manhattan clam chowder with bacon is amazing! Such a yummy recipe.
This brought back such wonderful memories of my mom's clam chowder. Your recipe was outstanding!