Food

Our Best Clam Recipes to Get You Chowdering Down

There are so many ways to enjoy clams: steamed, fried, cooked into chowder or pasta, you name it

By SAVEUR Editors

Updated: May 15, 2019

Whoever first pried open a clam and slurped it raw was a brave soul. But it was a glorious person who first steamed a clam open, someone who understood that the true prize of the clam, even more than its meat, is the liquid trapped inside.

Here are our best clam recipes that make the most of that lovely clam liquor as well as that tender meat, from pastas to soups (including four distinct chowders) to steaming pots of seafood, ripe for mopping with crusty bread.

clam and mussel toasts — Serve these toasts immediately so the fried bread remains crispy under all the delicious juices. Get the recipe for Clam and Mussel Toasts »Jenny Huang

Linguine with Clam Sauce — The secret to this simple and satisfying pasta dish is boiling the linguine until it's just al dente, so that it will absorb plenty of the briny, winey sauce when the two are cooked together. Get the recipe for Linguine with Clam Sauce »Landon Nordeman

Clams with Broccoli Rabe and Crispy Prosciutto in Tomato-Wine Sauce — In this impressive one-pan dinner, clams and broccoli rabe are steamed together in a flavorful sauce of tomato purée, white wine, and garlic, then finished with crumbled prosciutto. Get the recipe for Clams with Broccoli Rabe and Crispy Prosciutto in Tomato-Wine Sauce »Linda Pugliese

Clam Cake — These crisp savory doughnuts, a specialty of Rhode Island clam shacks, are bursting with clam flavor. Get the recipe for Rhode Island Clamcakes »Matt Taylor-Gross

Garlic-Steamed Manila Clams — All clams need is garlic and wine to make a perfect pot of steamers. Serve with plenty of crusty bread. Get the recipe for Garlic-Steamed Manila Clams »Romulo Yanes

New England Clam Chowder — The New England classic: briny with clam liquor, smoky with bacon, more clam than potato, and a slurp of cream for good measure. Get the recipe for New England Clam Chowder »Todd Coleman

Pasta Shells with Artichoke-Clam Sauce — In this aromatic dish, shell-shape pasta is dressed in a light tomato and clam sauce with artichoke hearts. Get the recipe for Pasta Shells with Artichoke-Clam Sauce »Landon Nordeman

Korean Clam Soup — A simple, light soup not short on heat or spice. Get the recipe for Korean Clam Soup »Matt Taylor-Gross

Braised Bass and Clams in White Wine and Cream — This classic Portuguese dish of bass and clams cooked in a fragrant broth and finished with a rich glug of cream is adapted from Cimas in Estoril, which has been serving fresh fish to clientele since the '50s, when the establishment was owned by a Scottish spy. Get the recipe for Braised Bass and Clams in White Wine and Cream »Matt Taylor-Gross

Manhattan Clam Chowder — The briny, classic Manhattan-style chowder is made with two types of clams and plenty of tomato. Get the recipe for Manhattan Clam Chowder »Matt Taylor-Gross

Leek and Clam Foil Yaki — Clams, leeks, and king oyster mushrooms get cooked in a foil pouch that resembles a Jiffy Pop. Get the recipe for Clam, Leek, and King Oyster Mushroom Foil Yaki »Matt Taylor-Gross

Razor Clams in White Wine Sauce — Colatura, an Italian fish sauce, brings an umami note to this simple appetizer of meaty razor clams. Get the recipe for Razor Clams Fantasia »Michael Turek

Minorcan Clam Chowder — Don't call it Manhattan clam chowder. This tomato-based soup is Minorcan, and gets a kick of heat from chiles. Get the recipe for Minorcan Clam Chowder »Helen Rosner

Basque-Style Fish with Green Peppers and Manila Clams — This riff on Basque pipérade, a classic dish of stewed peppers, incorporates seafood from the region. Get the recipe for Basque-Style Fish with Green Peppers and Manila Clams »Beth Galton

Finnan Haddie Chowder — This Scottish-style chowder adds smoked haddock and a splash of sherry for a rich flavor and smoky bite. Get the recipe for Finnan Haddie Chowder »Landon Nordeman

Frutti di Mare — The recipe for this shellfish-laden pasta comes from chef Michael Chiarello. Get the recipe for Seafood Pasta »Michael Kraus

potatoes with chestnuts and clams — These stuffed potatoes, which tenderize first in foil packets then crisp up in cast iron atop the coals (or in the oven), are packed with a mix of roasted chestnuts, bacon, and juicy whole clams. Get the recipe for Potatoes with Chestnuts and Clams »Christina Holmes

Philippine Paella — Part Spanish, part Filipino, made with rich coconut milk and hard-cooked eggs for garnish. Get the recipe for Philippine Paella »Matt Taylor-Gross

Martha's Vineyard, Chris Fischer, Entertaining, Clam Mussel Stew — This version of a classic New England clambake cooks the shellfish—both topneck clams and mussels—separately from the potatoes so that their briny juices don't get lost in the boiling liquid. Get the recipe for Clams and Mussels with Spicy Pork Sausage Broth »Elizabeth Cecil

Clam Risotto with Grilled Shrimp — Bottled clam juice is just the thing to amplify the clam flavor in this creamy rice dish, while steamed Manila clams and grilled shrimp strewn across the top drive the point home. Get the recipe for Clam Risotto with Grilled Shrimp »Ingalls Photography

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