Which Clam Chowder Is Red?

You would never confuse one for the other if you knew the difference between New England clam chowder and Manhattan clam chowder. In fact, a lot of people would be very angry with you if you did.

New England clam chowder is thick, creamy, and milky-white. Manhattan clam chowder is tomatoey, brothy, and clear. The clams give both types a clean, briny, and faintly sweet flavor, but that’s about it. Clam chowder, in actuality, is very contentious, and most people either fall into one camp or the other.

Below, I’ll explain the differences between New England and Manhattan clam chowder and then take a closer look at why these two soups frequently cause such intense feelings. But how could something so comforting and delicious spark so much debate?

Manhattan Clam Chowder

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Contrarily, there is no cream in Manhattan clam chowder. Instead, this tomato-based, light, brothy chowder has a reddish hue. This chowder’s precise ancestry is unknown, but numerous sources concur that it originated with the Portuguese fishing communities of Rhode Island, who made frequent trips to and from New York City’s Fulton Fish Market in the middle of the 1800s.

In comparison to New England chowder, Manhattan chowder typically has more vegetables, such as potatoes, onions, celery, and occasionally green bell peppers. Additionally, some recipes call for seasonings like minced garlic or fresh herbs like thyme. Similar to New England chowder, Manhattan chowder is improved by a topping of oyster crackers. Here’s two delicious recipes to try:

New England vs. Manhattan Clam Chowder

There are many different kinds of chowders, including shrimp, corn, chicken, and others, but clam chowder is undoubtedly the most well-known. Clam chowder is typically made with fresh or canned clams, clam broth, potatoes, onions, celery, salt pork or bacon, and either milk, heavy cream, or tomatoes, depending on whether it is made in New England or Manhattan. The key distinctions between these two contentious chowders are listed below:

How to Customize This Clam Chowder Recipe

However, it’s tasty on its own, especially if you enjoy clams and tomatoes. You can alter how thick or brothy it is. In our case, we shortened the recipe a little bit by using canned clams for the majority of the clam portion of the soup.

We don’t have as easy (or affordable) access to quahogs or chowder clams here in California as they do on the eastern shore.

This soup was originally intended for Lent, but then I realized it starts with bacon. If you omit the bacon and begin by adding more olive oil, it would still make a fantastic soup for a Lenten fast.

FAQ

Is Boston clam chowder white or red?

Boston clam chowder, another name for New England clam chowder, gets its distinctive white color and creamy texture from milk, heavy cream, or a combination of the two.

What are the 2 types of clam chowder?

The three most popular regional variations are New England or “white” clam chowder, which contains milk or cream, Manhattan or “red” clam chowder, which contains tomatoes, and Rhode Island or “clear” clam chowder, which omits both

What are the three types of clam chowder?

New England clam chowder, Manhattan clam chowder, and Rhode Island clam chowder are among the most popular varieties.

What is the difference between Boston clam chowder and New England Clam Chowder?

There is no distinction between Boston Clam Chowder and New England Clam Chowder, to put it simply. There are SO many varieties of chowder, which is a soup made with a roux base as previously mentioned.