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Baked clams are one of those appetizers that make the whole table feel a little more fancy. They bake up buttery, crispy, and just a little spicy, which is exactly how I like them.
Ingredient Breakdown
- Littleneck Clams – Small, tender clams that work perfectly for baking and serving as an appetizer.
- Salted Butter – Creates the rich base for the breadcrumb topping.
- Garlic – Adds bold, savory flavor that works beautifully with seafood.
- Shallot – Brings a softer onion flavor that melts into the butter.
- Lemon Juice – Brightens the topping and cuts through the richness.
- Panko Breadcrumbs – Give the clams that crispy, golden topping.
- Red Pepper Flakes – Add a little heat without overpowering the clams.
- Fresh Parsley – Brings freshness and color to the breadcrumb mixture.
- White Wine – Steams the clams and creates a flavorful broth for the baking dish.
How to clean clams
To clean the clams place them in a large bowl with cold water and 2 tablespoons of salt. This creates a salt water bath for the clams, they will open and start to purge any sand & grit from inside. Place the bowl into the fridge for at least 1-2 hours. When ready to cook, remove the clams with a slotted spoon or tongs and rinse them off. Don’t just pour the water out with the clams because the gritty bits can go back into the clams this way.
What kind of clams are best for baked clams?
Littleneck clams work great because they’re small, tender, and easy to serve as an appetizer. Cherrystone clams work great too, they are a bit larger than littlenecks, so you’ll get more meat to breadcrumb ratio.
More seafood recipes to try
Baked Clams
Ingredients
- 24 littleneck clams
- 1/2 cup butter, salted, 8 tablespoons
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 shallot , minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon Red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
- ½ cup white wine
Instructions
- Make sure the clams are cleaned and purged of any sand and debris before cooking. To do this add the clams to a large bowl covered with cold water with 2 tablespoons of salt. Let them soak in the salted water in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours, they will release the sand.
- Remove the clams from the water with a slotted spoon. Rinse them with cold water and they should be ready to cook.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once melted add the garlic and shallots and cook for two minutes stirring constantly.
- Add the lemon juice, breadcrumbs, red pepper flakes and parsley to the saucepan and stir to combine. Remove and set aside.
- In a pan large enough to hold the clams, add the white wine and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add in the clams, cover and let steam for about 5 minutes. Don’t overcook them or the clams will be rubbery. All the clams should be open. If they don’t all open after 7 minutes, some may not be good, throw those away. Set the clams aside and save the clam juice in the pan.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the clam juice to the breadcrumb mixture and stir to combine.
- Take half of the shell off the clams, the one without the clam meat in it. Stuff each clam with the breadcrumb mixture. Place the clams into a baking dish or on a baking sheet and pour the remaining clam juice on the bottom.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. The breadcrumbs on top should be bubbling and turning brown. Then broil for an additional 2 minutes to get the tops extra crispy. Just be careful not to burn them!
- Serve with some lemon wedges on the side, eat and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
