Quick Summary: This low carb Manhattan clam chowder has everything you love about the classic: smoky bacon, a thyme-scented tomato broth, and plenty of clams. Turnips replace the potatoes and hold their shape just as well, with a fraction of the carbs. It freezes well, so make a big pot. Prep: 15 minutes. Cook: 40 minutes, plus an optional rest of up to 1 hour. Serves: 8.
Jump to: RECIPE | Manhattan vs New England Chowder | Ingredients/Substitutions | Why is it Low Carb? | Tips for Flavor | Sides | More Seafood Stews | FAQ
Why isn’t canned Manhattan clam chowder on the grocery store shelves anymore? A while back, my son decided he loved this kind of chowder after having it at a friend’s home in high school, so I went looking for it, being the good mother that I was. I was curious (still am) as to why it didn’t show up at the grocery stores, but I aim to please, so I decided to make it for him from scratch.
That was quite a few years ago, and my son is an adult now, making his own chowders. Since that time, I adopted a low carb lifestyle and went on to coach various low carb diets. The recipe below is for a low carb version of Manhattan clam chowder. It is already fairly low carb, and just needed a swap for the potatoes. I used turnips for the potatoes, and was really happy with the results. I think you will be also!
About my coaching experience: I lost 30 pounds on the slow carb diet in 2013 and have kept it off for over a decade. From 2016 to 2020, I coached more than 400 people through slow carb and low carb diets. The biggest lesson: the people who cooked for themselves were the ones who made it a sustainable lifestyle. The ones who struggled usually had one of three problems. They didn’t know how to cook, they were too busy, or they got bored with the food. My recipes are written for all three: clear directions, easy steps, and big flavor. I’m not a doctor. If you have diabetes, kidney disease, or take medication, check with your doctor before changing how you eat.
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What is the difference between Manhattan and New England clam chowder?
Manhattan clam chowder has a thin, tomato-based broth, while New England clam chowder is thick and creamy, made with milk or cream.
More specifically, Manhattan clam chowder (aka chowdah) has many of the same ingredients as the more well-known New England version. They both include clams, clam juice, onion, celery, bacon (or salt pork), and seasonings. The major difference between the two is that Manhattan chowder has a tomato based broth that is more light and brothy, and often includes carrots or other vegetables. New England chowder has a creamy soup base without any tomato products involved.
Both versions focus on the clams, but if you want something lighter and lower in calories, then Manhattan clam chowder is the way to go.
Ingredients & Substitutions for Low Carb Manhattan Clam Chowder
Ingredients for the low carb version below include bacon, clam broth, onion, turnips, carrots, crushed tomatoes, clams, celery and spices. Substitution ideas are listed below the ingredient image.
- Clams: I used canned clams, as I live in the landlocked state of Minnesota. You could also use frozen clams. If you want to use fresh clams, quahog clams or cherrystone clams are the recommended choices and sometimes you can get them frozen. The recipe below does not detail how to shuck fresh clams however.
- Bacon: I crumbled bacon over each bowl upon serving, but many recipes will add the bacon to the pot while cooking. Using salt pork in the pot while cooking is a good alternative, and some cooks will then brown the cracklings and use as a garnish. Or, just leave out the bacon and focus on the clams. Taste for the need of additional salt as you go, especially if you don’t use bacon or salt pork.
- Clams: This can easily be made as a fish chowder with cod or shrimp instead of clams. My favorite recipe for a fish chowder is this seafood corn chowder with cod.
- Spices/sauces: I enjoy a bit of heat with soups and stews, and added just a little crushed red pepper flakes and a bit of hot sauce. Just be careful that you don’t overpower the soup, as clams themselves are fairly bland. Old Bay or sweet paprika are popular spice blends to use if you don’t want any heat. Grains of Paradise is an unusual spice to try. It is peppery, fruity, and earthy and could work as a secret ingredient.
- Herbs: I think thyme is a must for this chowder. Bay leaves are optional and many cooks will add parsley at the end, either as a garnish or an additional flavoring.
- Salt: I use kosher salt in all of my cooking, but a smoked salt like hickory salt adds a depth of flavor that is delightful.
Is Manhattan Clam Chowder Low Carb?
Not the way it’s usually made. Traditional Manhattan clam chowder gets most of its carbs from potatoes, which carry about 23 g net carbs per cup (26 total carbs). Swap in turnips and it becomes a low carb and slow carb soup, with tomatoes, carrots, and onion as the only real carb sources left.
What Can I Substitute for Potatoes in Clam Chowder?
Turnips are the best potato substitute I’ve found for clam chowder. Once they simmer in the broth, they turn tender and mild and hold their cubes like potatoes do, at about 6 g net carbs per cup.
The only ingredient that takes this out of low carb or slow carb territory is the potatoes. I grow a lot of root vegetables at Heathglen Farm and have found that turnips make a great stand-in for potatoes in many recipes.
There are some other less starchy root vegetables that can be used to modify recipes to a lower carb count. I found turnips (6.1 g net carbs per cup) to be the closest in texture to potatoes once boiled, and their flavor was surprisingly mild in this chowder. As a reference point, potatoes have 23.1 g net carbs per cup.
Other root vegetables that would work would include kohlrabi, radish or jicama. Kohlrabi would be my second choice after turnips. Radish (2 g net carbs per cup) might be a little strong in flavor and jicama (5 g net carbs per cup) tends to stay a little too firm in texture.
Celery root is another popular choice, but it runs about 11 g net carbs per cup, nearly double the turnips. Cauliflower and zucchini are lower in carbs but go soft and break apart in a long simmer.
Tips for Flavor
Here are my favorite tips for adding flavor to tomato based soups:
- Thyme works really well with tomato-forward recipes. I use 4 healthy sprigs of thyme with this recipe, but you could easily use more. Fresh is best. If you only use dried thyme, decrease the amount by 1/3.
- The chowder needs to sit for an hour at least to meld all of the flavors together. The flavor improves on the second day. Once rested and cooled, reheat it before serving and before crumbling the bacon on top.
- I added 3 sun-dried tomatoes to the soup while it cooked. Dried tomatoes are concentrated and can really punch up the tomato base. Tomato powder would have the same effect.
- For smoky flavor without the heat, swap the crushed red pepper for smoked paprika. I make mine from Alma paprika peppers grown at Heathglen Farm and sell it at the St. Paul Farmers Market.
Best Sides for Manhattan Clam Chowder
Oyster crackers are the traditional side addition, but of course they are not low carb. Vegetable dishes with a crispy texture are good low carb side dishes for chowders. Here are a few examples:
- Broccoli, Cauliflower & Brussels Salad with Caper Butter Dressing
- Brussel Sprouts Caesar Salad
- Tomatillo Slaw with Jicama and Apple
More Low Carb Fish Stew and Chowder Recipes
Seafood soups and stews lean towards low carb in general, and are easy to modify if they are not totally compliant. Here are a few of my favorites below:
For more ways to cook clams, shrimp, cod, and salmon, browse my fish and seafood recipe collection.
Mussels in Coconut Curry Broth
French Bouillabaisse with Fennel and Orange Zest
Seafood Corn Chowder (not low carb)
FAQ
Yes. Clams, bacon, tomatoes, turnips, and the other vegetables all fit a slow carb lifestyle. If you skip dairy entirely, use olive oil in place of the tablespoon of butter. Here’s my full slow carb food list.
No. Even with turnips, the tomatoes, carrots, and onion add enough carbs that one bowl takes up most of a keto day. It’s a good fit for low carb and slow carb eating.
Yes, this recipe is written for canned chopped clams. Add them off the heat at the end so they stay tender. If you use frozen raw clams instead, simmer them in the chowder until opaque and heated to 145°F before taking the pot off the heat.
Yes. Cook the vegetables in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika with the garlic and thyme for the smoky flavor bacon usually brings. Cubed salt pork also works if you want the pork flavor without bacon’s smoke.
It’s much lower in carbs than the potato version, and the clams add protein. The broth is high in sodium, so use low sodium clam broth and chicken stock if you watch salt. If you have diabetes, check with your doctor about what fits your eating plan.
Yes. Cook the turnips only until slightly soft so they don’t turn mushy when reheated. Cool the chowder completely, freeze it in airtight containers for up to 3 months, and reheat it gently to 165°F without letting it come to a hard boil, which makes the clams rubbery. In the fridge it keeps 3 to 4 days.
Want a printable reference for your kitchen? The Fish and Seafood Quick Reference Guide covers cooking methods, timing charts, sauce pairings, and holiday planning ideas in 8 pages you can keep next to the stove.
Low Carb Manhattan Clam Chowder
Ingredients
- 3 10-oz cans chopped clams drained, juice reserved
- 2 ½ cups bottled clam juice
- ¼ pound bacon
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 large yellow onion coarsely chopped
- 2 large stalks celery chopped
- 4 small carrots peeled and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ teaspoon celery seed
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves chopped (1 tsp)
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 pound turnips peeled and cut into 1" cubes
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
- 2 small sun dried tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon hot sauce
- freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Drain the clams over a large measuring cup or bowl, saving the juice. Cover the clams and refrigerate them until the end. Add bottled clam juice to the drained juice until you have 4 1/2 cups total.3 10-oz cans chopped clams , 2 1/2 cups bottled clam juice
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until golden and crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon to drain on paper towels and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat.1/4 pound bacon
- Add the butter to the pot, then the onion, celery, and carrots. Cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are soft but not browned.1 Tablespoon butter, 1 large yellow onion, 2 large stalks celery, 4 small carrots
- Add the garlic, bay leaves, celery seed, thyme, and crushed red pepper and cook over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes.4 cloves garlic, 2 bay leaves, 1/4 teaspoon celery seed, 4 sprigs fresh thyme, 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Increase the heat to high and add the turnips, the 4 1/2 cups of clam juice, and the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over medium-high for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, sun-dried tomatoes (if using), and hot sauce. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes, until a fork pierces the turnips easily. If you plan to freeze the chowder, stop when the turnips are just slightly soft.1 pound turnips, 1/2 cup chicken stock, 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes, 2 small sun dried tomatoes, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
- Remove the pot from the heat, take out the bay leaves, and stir in the reserved clams. Season with black pepper and more salt to taste. Cover and let the chowder rest for up to 1 hour to blend the flavors, then rewarm gently if needed without letting it boil.freshly ground black pepper
- To serve, ladle into bowls, crumble the reserved bacon over each one, and sprinkle with parsley.1/4 cup fresh parsley
Notes
- Clam juice: Canned clams vary in how much juice they give, so drain them into a large measuring cup and top it up with bottled clam juice to reach 4 1/2 cups. Three 8-ounce bottles is plenty. I buy clams and clam juice in restaurant-size cans; if you have a source for those, use 4 1/2 cups of clam juice and about 15 ounces of drained clams.
- Substitutions: Cubed salt pork works in place of the bacon. The sun-dried tomatoes are optional but add a deeper tomato flavor. Season with black pepper to taste at the end.
- Frozen clams: If you use frozen raw clams instead of canned, simmer them in the chowder until opaque and heated to 145°F before removing the pot from the heat.
- Freezing: If you are making this to freeze, cook the turnips only until slightly soft (essentially parboiled) so they don’t turn mushy when reheated. Cool completely, package in airtight containers, and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Storing and reheating: Refrigerate within 2 hours and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat to 165°F, but don’t let the chowder come to a hard boil, which makes the clams rubbery.
- Nutrition is an estimate calculated with canned chopped clams, drained.