What Makes New England Clam Chowder Different | Summer Shack | Award-Winning Seafood Restaurants in CT & MA (2024)

What Makes New England Clam Chowder Different | Summer Shack | Award-Winning Seafood Restaurants in CT & MA (1)

The cold winter months are coming, and is there anything better than a hot cup of clam chowder to warm you up? Whether you’re curling up on the couch to watch a good movie or need something to take the chill off from shoveling snow, chowder is comforting go-to food. If you’re from New England, you know that all clam chowders aren’t the same. There are several other ways to make clam chowder, and we may be biased, but we think New England’s chowder is the best kind! Chowder has evolved constantly over the years, with its roots dating back to the 1700s in the Northeast. Today, the 3 most popular variations are Rhode Island or “clear” chowder, Manhattan or “red” chowder, and New England or “white” chowder. So, what makes them different and why is New England Chowder that much tastier? The secret is in the thickness. We’re going to take a closer look at how each is made.

Rhode Island Chowder

Made with a tomato broth base and potatoes, Rhode Island chowder doesn’t include any other chunks of vegetables. The absence of milk or cream is what makes it significantly different than other styles of chowder. The clear broth makes the flavor of the clams very distinct. The origins of this chowder are thought to be Portuguese, and it’s often served with clam cakes.

Manhattan Chowder

Manhattan Cowder is characterized by its hearty red-color and tomatoes, which are used in place of milk or cream. Other vegetables including peppers, celery, and carrots are also used in this variation of chowder. This form of chowder also lacks thickness, similar to Rhode Island’s style.

New England Chowder

Also referred to as “Boston-style” clam chowder, New England chowder is milk or cream-based, making it significantly thicker than other regional styles. It’s often made with milk, butter, potatoes, pork, onion, and clams and accompanied by oyster crackers. Of course, the best chowders are made with the freshest ingredients! Many people like to crush up the crackers and mix them into the soup as a thickener or garnish. Summer Shack Chef, Jasper White, also shares his secret of smashing the potatoes for extra thickness in the chowder, and salt pork for some smokiness that’ll contrast the creaminess. The thickness of New England clam chowder is what makes it so delectable.

If you haven’t tried this New England classic yet, head over to Summer Shack for a delicious bowl of chowder or order takeout online from one of our 3 locations in Boston, Cambridge, or Mohegan Sun!

What Makes New England Clam Chowder Different | Summer Shack | Award-Winning Seafood Restaurants in CT & MA (2024)

FAQs

What Makes New England Clam Chowder Different | Summer Shack | Award-Winning Seafood Restaurants in CT & MA? ›

The absence of milk or cream is what makes it significantly different than other styles of chowder. The clear broth makes the flavor of the clams very distinct.

What makes New England clam chowder different? ›

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.

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

What Is Chowder? Chowder is a rich, creamy soup that often contains clams and potatoes. Seafood chowders are typical in the Northeast, with New England clam chowder being the most famous. Other seafood chowders skip the clams and swap in scallops, shrimp, lobster, crab or even fish like cod or smoked salmon.

How unhealthy is New England clam chowder? ›

New England Clam Chowder: (230g): calories 230, calories from fat 120, total fat 13g, saturated fat 9g, trans fat 0g, cholesterol 70mg, sodium 820mg, total carbohydrate 13g, dietary fiber 1g, sugars 3g, protein 11g, vitamin a 8%, vitamin c 6%, calcium 10%, iron 8%.

What state is famous for New England clam chowder? ›

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.

What state eats the most clam chowder? ›

Maine, followed by Massachusetts, is best known for clam chowder. While the whoopie pie is the official state treat of Maine, the state's New England clam chowder is world famous. Cream or milk-based “white” chowder is widely preferred over tomato-based “red” Manhattan clam chowder.

Which is better Manhattan or New England Clam Chowder? ›

Manhattan Clam Chowder is healthier than New England Clam 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.

What goes with New England Clam Chowder? ›

You can go for oyster crackers, warm sourdough bread, salad, french fries… the list goes on. This tasty soup is packed with clam lumps and tender potatoes. It is not only filling and indulgent – but quite easy to make.

What two ingredients must be present for the soup to be called a chowder? ›

What two ingredients must be present for the soup to be called a chowder? Traditionally speaking, chowders always contain seafood and veggies, and most times, potatoes and onions.

What makes clam chowder Manhattan rather than New England? ›

Manhattan Chowder

Manhattan Cowder is characterized by its hearty red-color and tomatoes, which are used in place of milk or cream. Other vegetables including peppers, celery, and carrots are also used in this variation of chowder. This form of chowder also lacks thickness, similar to Rhode Island's style.

What is the chowder capital of the world? ›

In fact, did you know that Edwards County, Illinois, is the Chowder Capital of the World? So ordained the county commissioners in 1958 as a salute to downstate chowder. Also known as southern Illinois chowder, downstate chowder bears virtually no resemblance to seafood chowder.

How to tell if clam chowder is bad? ›

Smelling and looking at your clam chowder is a great way to tell if it's spoiled. You're likely dealing with spoiled soup if it has an off smell, mold appears, or if the texture has become watery or slimy. The presence of an off color, especially a darker shade, can also be an indication of spoilage.

Which is healthier, lobster bisque or clam chowder? ›

CLAM CHOWDER VERSUS LOBSTER BISQUE

You might think all clam chowders are equal, but the Manhattan version is tomato-based, whereas the New England kind is made with milk or cream, which makes it much more fattening. But when it comes to calories, lobster bisque, which is made with heavy cream, is the highest of all.

Is Manhattan clam chowder bad for you? ›

Is clam chowder healthy? Since New England clam chowder is a thick cream based soup with potatoes, many feel it is not very healthy. But Manhattan clam chowder is a tomato based soup filled with carrots, celery and potatoes making it less fatty and more healthy than its creamy cousin.

What is the most popular clam chowder? ›

New England clam chowder is perhaps the most popular and well-known iteration of the dish. It's a classic combination of clams, onions, corn, celery, bacon or salt pork, and potatoes.

Can Muslims eat clam chowder? ›

Just be sure to avoid using any prohibited ingredients in cooking, such as wine in fish broth or bacon in clam chowder. For cooking, use whole ingredients like vegetables and grains, and when using partially processed foods like broth or sauces, carefully check the ingredients and look for a Halal seal.

What place eats the most seafood? ›

Fish and seafood are popular all over the world in nearly every culture. But, as the numbers show, there are some significant differences between nations and regions. Overall, China is by far the world's largest consumer of fish, with 57,474 tons annually.

Which state consumes the most fish? ›

People in Kerala ate fish most frequently, with more than 50% including it in their daily diet, followed by Goa (36.2% daily consumption) and West Bengal (21.9%). Meanwhile, Assam and Tripura had the highest weekly consumption. Overall, 78.6% men ate fish in 2019-21 compared with 65.6% women.

What cities have the best clam chowder? ›

Food Travel: Best Clam Chowder Cities in the U.S.
  • Boston, Massachusetts. We'd be remiss if we didn't say it: Boston is one place that puts its beloved “CHOWDA!” on the map for many Americans, and for a good reason. ...
  • New York City, New York. ...
  • Seattle, Washington. ...
  • Santa Cruz, California.

Why do they call it chowder? ›

The word chowder is a corruption of the French chaudière (“cauldron”), and chowder may have originated among Breton fishermen who brought the custom to Newfoundland, whence it spread to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and New England.

How do you thicken New England Clam Chowder? ›

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.

What is a good substitute for clams in clam chowder? ›

This Vegan Clam Chowder is inspired by the classic New England Clam Chowder. It's made with a thick and creamy non-dairy milk base, tender potatoes, fragrant aromatics, and oyster mushrooms as the perfect clams substitute. Serve with oyster crackers and fresh parsley for the ultimate dinner tonight!

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Tish Haag

Last Updated:

Views: 5576

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (47 voted)

Reviews: 86% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Tish Haag

Birthday: 1999-11-18

Address: 30256 Tara Expressway, Kutchburgh, VT 92892-0078

Phone: +4215847628708

Job: Internal Consulting Engineer

Hobby: Roller skating, Roller skating, Kayaking, Flying, Graffiti, Ghost hunting, scrapbook

Introduction: My name is Tish Haag, I am a excited, delightful, curious, beautiful, agreeable, enchanting, fancy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.