Tomato and vegetable soups meet rich and succulent clam chowder with this Instant Pot Manhattan Clam Chowder recipe! With a salty and savory taste of clams in every bite, this chowder will become your next favorite pressure cooker recipe.
This delicious Instant Pot Manhattan Clam Chowder (sometimes called red clam chowder) recipe is full of amazing classic chowder flavor, healthy ingredients and a mouth-watering red broth. If you love chowder, you'll love this recipe!
This American classic soup, while healthier than it's creamy New England style counterpart, it's just as rich in flavor thanks to clam juice, tomato juice, and lots of fresh herbs and seasonings. You'll get a delicious mouthful of clams, vegetables and potatoes in every bite!
I love clams because they don't have an overpowering, fishy taste like many seafoods do. Clams have a nice, salty taste and a chewy texture that makes them easy to enjoy. They are fabulous in chowders and soups.
Instant Pot Manhattan clam chowder is so easy to make that you'll be amazed at how something so simple could be so fantastic tasting.
EASY INSTANT POT RECIPES TO TRY NEXT
Yield and Serving Size
Yield: 4 quarts (16 cups)
Serving size: 16 ounces (2 cups)
This recipe makes 8 servings. You'll need at least a 6-quart pressure cooker for this recipe as written. If using a 3-quart Instant Pot, you'll need to decrease the recipe by half.
Ingredients
To make Instant Pot Manhattan clam chowder you need:
- Proteins: canned clams are the star of any clam chowder and what makes it special. I use chopped clams, but whole baby clams are fine too. Bacon is also used, and can be substituted with salt pork or pancetta if desired.
- Vegetables: carrot, celery, onion, and baby potatoes (or other waxy potatoes).
- Broth: a combination of clam juice, tomato juice, diced canned tomatoes and tomato paste gives this chowder an out-of-this-world flavor! Don't skip on any of these or make any substitutions here.
- Seasonings: minced garlic, bay leaves, salt and pepper, fresh thyme and fresh parsley. While fresh herbs give the chowder the best flavor, dried ones are an acceptable substitute. Crushed red pepper is also used to give the soup a hint of spice- but don't worry, it won't make it spicy so to say. The after bite will just have a little kick to it, which is necessary for great tasting Manhattan clam chowder!
Instructions
STEP 1: Using the saute setting on the Instant Pot or your air fryer lid, cook the bacon until crispy. You may need to do this in batches. Remove the bacon to dry between paper towels, keeping the bacon drippings in the inner pot. When the bacon has cooled, break it into small pieces.
STEP 2: Set the pressure cooker to saute on high for 5 minutes, leaving the bacon drippings in the pot. Cook the potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, and garlic in the drippings, stirring often.
STEP 3: Pour in the clam juice and deglaze. Add the tomato juice, diced tomatoes and their juices, tomato paste, and liquid from the canned clams (but not the clams just yet), salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, and bay leaves. Tie the fresh parsley and thyme sprigs together with cooking twine and put into the pot. Do not stir. Close and seal the pressure cooker lid. Set to pressure cook (manual) on high for 10 minutes.
STEP 4: When complete, do a controlled quick release of the pressure. Open the lid and remove/discard the bay leaves and sprigs of parsley and thyme. Stir in the reserved canned clams. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
Serve warm topped with the cooked bacon bits, extra crushed red pepper flakes and fresh parsley or thyme. Oyster crackers are another great toppings that many people enjoy adding to clam chowder.
Enjoy!
Store Instant Pot Manhattan clam chowder in a covered container in the fridge for up to 1 week. In the freezer, it can be kept for 3 months for optimal quality. Put into large freezer bags and lay flat for easy storage. Defrost overnight in the fridge.
Manhattan clam chowder is great when served with simple salads and crusty breads. Garlic bread, cheese bread, and Italian bread are all delicious options, especially for dipping into the broth! Roasted vegetables and a side of bacon are good choices, too.
If you enjoyed this recipe, make sure to give it a star rating and let me know what you thought in the comments! And follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for more delicious recipes!
MORE PRESSURE COOKER SOUP RECIPES
Recipe
Instant Pot Manhattan Clam Chowder
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon or salt pork
- 1 lb baby potatoes or other waxy potatoes, diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 2 celery ribs diced
- 1 sweet onion diced
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 3 cups clam juice
- 2 cups tomato juice such as V8
- 1 cup diced tomatoes plus juices
- ⅛ cup tomato paste
- 1-2 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 sprigs fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 24 oz canned clams plus liquid
Instructions
- Using the saute setting on the Instant Pot or your air fryer lid, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon to dry between paper towels, keeping the bacon drippings in the inner pot. When the bacon has cooled, break it into small pieces.
- Set the Instant Pot to saute on high for 5 minutes, leaving the bacon drippings in the pot. Cook the potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, and garlic in the drippings.
- Pour in the clam juice and deglaze. Add the tomato juice, diced tomatoes and juices, tomato paste, and liquid from the canned clams (but not the clams), salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, and bay leaves. Tie the fresh parsley and thyme sprigs together with cooking twine and put into the pot. Close and seal the pressure cooker lid. Set to pressure cook (manual) on high for 10 minutes.
- When complete, do a controlled quick release of the pressure. Open the lid and remove/discard the bay leaves and sprigs of parsley and thyme. Stir in the reserved canned clams. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
- Serve warm topped with the cooked bacon bits, extra crushed red pepper flakes and fresh parsley or thyme.
Tammy
can you do this on the stovetop and for how long
Kristina
Yes you can. Change the cook time in step 3 to allow the soup to come to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. Enjoy!
Rose Pollot
Can you use fresh frozen clams as opposed to the canned ones?
Kristina
Yes, frozen claims would work too!
Katie Youngs
This clam chowder sounds so delicious!
Jerika
This is what we call a comfort food!:) Thanks!:)
Amy Liu Dong
Definitely looks absolutely delicious and yummy. Love this dish, it gives a great vibe and is perfect for this cold weather in my place.
Audrey
This was so easy to make in my instant pot!
Lindsay Howerton-Hastings
YES! I love creamy clam chowder but tomato based things are my JAM. This version was so good, I don't always use clam juice and really loved it in this. A total winner!
Stacey
This was so good and perfect for dinner (we've had so much snow lately so all I want is soup)! I love the herbs and crushed red pepper flakes in this recipe!
nancy
i haven't had a good chowder in a long time. This was hit the spot
Sunrita
What a soothing and delicious soup. Love the addition of bacon bites . So delicious!