Slow Cooker Manhattan Clam Chowder Recipe | Simple Nourished Living (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between clam chowder and Manhattan clam chowder? ›

New England clam chowder is thick, creamy, and milky-white. Manhattan clam chowder is tomatoey, brothy, and clear. Both types share a clean, briny, and slightly-sweet flavor thanks to the clams—but that's about it.

This clam chowder recipe should produce perfectly rich soup. If you'd like your chowder a little thicker, though, you can thicken it with a cornstarch slurry. Simply stir cornstarch into a small amount of cold water (or another liquid, such as wine or stock), then stir the mixture into the simmering chowder.

Manhattan Clam Chowder is lower in calories and fat. It is more nutritious thanks to its vitamin-rich tomato-based broth and abundance of veggies. New England clam chowder is higher in calories and fat because of its heavy cream-based broth.

According to Miriam Webster's dictionary, chowders are defined as thick soups or stews made from seafood with potatoes and onions, with a milk or tomato base. This recipe is made with evaporated milk that yields a thick clam chowder recipe so dense you can almost eat it with a fork.

New England Clam Chowder

This soup is very popular in the Northeast and is often served or thickened with oyster crackers.

The first Manhattan Clam Chowder appeared as a recipe in a cookbook in 1919. The thought of tomatoes in clam chowder so outraged the people of the state of Maine that the Maine legislature introduced a bill in 1939 prohibiting the use of tomatoes in clam chowder.

The most classic and surefire way to thicken a broth-based soup is with a cornstarch slurry. Whisk together equal parts cornstarch (or arrowroot) and water or broth, then whisk it into the pot of soup. A good ratio to get to a pleasant thickness without your soup tasting goopy or heavy is one tablespoon.

Maine and Massachusetts may be the two states most associated with the cream-based clam chowder. In fact, it is known as one of Maine's most iconic dishes and is considered a classic in Boston's historic neighborhoods.

Why is the Manhattan clam chowder famous? ›

The most commonly known variant is referred to as Manhattan clam chowder, containing a thinner broth than its New England cousin, along with a deep red color. This color is derived from the addition of tomatoes, likely due to the large Italian immigrant population of Manhattan.

Russets or all-purpose baking potatoes are high in starch and low in moisture. In soups, they will soak up the liquid and lose their shape. This makes them the ideal choice for making creamy soups or thickening a runny soup. Try using Russet potatoes to create the perfect Loaded Potato Soup.

A "soup" can be labeled one of the following: Bisque is a rich, thick, smooth soup that's often made with shellfish, such as lobster, crab, or shrimp. Broth or Stock is a strained, thin, clear liquid in which meat, poultry, or fish has been simmered with vegetables and herbs.

Many regional variations exist, but the three most prevalent are New England or "white" clam chowder, which includes milk or cream, Manhattan or "red" clam chowder, which includes tomatoes, and Rhode Island or "clear" clam chowder, which omits both.

If you order clam chowder in New England, you will get a creamy, thick broth, whereas the dish served in Rhode Island is a clearer broth. In San Francisco, the area of Pier 39 clam chowder is a version of the original recipe found on the east coast but served in a sourdough bowl.

Introduction of the Tomato – Tomato-based clam chowders came about with the new-found popularity of the tomato in the mid-1800s and the large population of Italians in New York and the Portuguese fishing communities of Rhode Island. By the 1930s, this tomato version had come to be called Manhattan clam chowder.

Boston and New England Clam Chowder happens to be the same which are on the thick, creamy, dairy-based side. On the other hand, there is also another popular version of clam chowder which is known as the Manhattan Clam Chowder which is red and is tomato-based.