American · main

Manhattan-Style Tomato Clam Chowder

Manhattan-Style Tomato Clam Chowder reads umami 6.5, salinity 5.7 and richness 5.4 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a American main, about 36 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.6 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.4 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 2.2 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 3.8 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.6 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.6 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.5 · Salinity 5.7 · Richness 5.4 · Marine & Briny 4.9 · Allium 4.1 · Smoke 3.5 · Sweetness 2.9 · Herbaceous 2.0 · Sourness 1.9 · Fruity 1.9 · Earthy 1.6 · Heat 1.6 · Warm Spice 1.4 · Floral 0.8 · Bitterness 0.8 · Citrus 0.7 · Nutty 0.5

What's in it (15)

• bacon — 112 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• celery — 80 g
• carrot — 60 g
• garlic — 9 g
• yellow new potatoes — 454 g
• tomatoes — 794 g
• bottles of clam juice — 454 g
• clams — 553 g
• thyme — 1 g
• bay — 2 g
• salt — 5 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• parsley — 7 g
• hot sauce — 1 g

Time & effort: about 36 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 41.5 kcal, 1.4 g protein, 1.1 g fat, 6.6 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. Cook the bacon in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp and the fat has rendered, 7-8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot.
2. Add the onion, celery, and carrot to the bacon fat and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until softened and the onion is translucent, 6-7 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Add the potatoes, crushed tomatoes with their juices, clam juice, the reserved liquid from the canned clams, thyme, and bay leaf. Raise the heat and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer and cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are fork-tender, 12-15 minutes.
6. Stir in the clams and cook just until heated through, 2-3 minutes — any longer and they turn rubbery.
7. Discard the bay leaf. Season with the salt and pepper, tasting and adding more salt if the broth needs it.
8. Ladle the chowder into bowls and top with the reserved crisp bacon, parsley, and a dash of hot sauce if you like a little heat.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Shrimp Etouffee — Cajun/Creole · Cajun
• Corn and Shrimp Chowder — American
• One-Pot Jambalaya — Cajun/Creole · Cajun
• Marmitako — Basque · Hegoalde (Spain)
• Southern Gumbo — Southern

Keep reading: what umami, salinity, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.