Baked Clams Recipe

We’ll show you how to make this mouthwatering Baked Clams Recipe in just a few easy steps! These bite-sized clams are perfect for appetizers or the main course. A squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of melted butter is all you need!

Why You’ll Love This Baked Clams Recipe

Baked Clams are so easy, you’ll wonder why you haven’t tried it before. Fresh clams that are simply steamed and topped with a buttery, flavorful breadcrumb topping.

These clams can be served as a delicious seafood dinner or for appetizers. A squeeze of fresh lemon and a drizzle of butter on top is all you need!

• Surprisingly Easy To Make: Follow our step by step guide to making these baked clams and you’ll be adding them to your dinner or appetizer rotation.
• Homemade is Less Expensive: We all know how expensive it is to go out, especially when ordering seafood. Making seafood recipes at home is much more affordable.
• Make Ahead Recipe: You can make baked clams ahead of time to make parties and holidays a breeze.

How To Clean Clams

First you’re going to buy fresh, littleneck clams from your grocery store or seafood store. You’ll want to soak the clams in a large bowl of cold water for at least 20 minutes or up to an hour.

Remove the clams by lifting them up and out of the water instead of tipping the bowl and draining into a colander. This way, any sand that was purged out of the clams will stay at the bottom of the bowl.

Scrub the clam shells well to remove any sand from the outside of the clams. You can repeat this process if you like, but most of the time once is fine.

How To Make Baked Clams

Making these clams is really so easy, start by steaming the clams in a large pot with lemon. After the clams steam, they get topped with a delicious, buttery breadcrumb topping.

Step by step photos here, but for complete instructions scroll down to the recipe card at the end of the post.

• Steam the clams: After the clams have been soaked and scrubbed, add them to a pot with water and fresh lemons. Steam the clams for about 10 minutes until the shells open. Any clams that don’t open should be discarded.

• Prepare the topping: Make the breadcrumb topping with seasoned breadcrumbs, butter, parsley, seasoning and a splash of white wine. Add the topping to each clam, covering the clams completely with the breadcrumbs.

• Fill and Bake: Remove the top shell from the clam and place onto a baking sheet. Use a knife to separate the clam from the shell for easy eating. Drizzle the tops of the clams with melted butter and bake for 10 minutes until the topping is browned.

What To Serve With Baked Clams

If you’re serving these clams as an appetizer, a few lemon wedges and some more melted butter will do. These clams are so fresh and delicious tasting, you don’t need much more than that.

However, if you’re serving these as a main course, then you might want to have a few side dish options!

• Corn on the Cob
• Easy, Homemade Garlic Bread
• Mexican Street Corn Salad
• Roasted Artichoke Salad
• Escarole Bistro Salad
• Lobster Corn Chowder

Storing and Reheating

Clams are seafood, so typically you’ll only want to keep them in the refrigerator for a maximum of three days. To reheat leftovers, warm them in a low oven covered in foil until just heated through. We don’t recommend reheating these clams in the microwave because they tend to get rubbery.

Some More Favorite Clam Recipes

• Clam Chowder Recipe
• Linguine with Clam Sauce
• Pasta with Fresh Corn and Clams
• Steamers in Beer

Baked Clams Recipe

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• Author: Dan
• Prep Time: 1 hour (for soaking)
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x

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These easy Baked Clams are always a hit! Fresh, steamed clams topped with a buttery breadcrumb topping. A squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of butter is all you need!

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Ingredients

• 2 1/2 dozen littleneck clams
• 1 large lemon, cut into wedges
• 8 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1/2 cup finely diced onion
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh black pepper to taste
• 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 cup cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons parsley
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning

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Instructions

1. Rinse the clams off with cold water. Add the rinsed clams to a large bowl filled with cold water, enough to cover the clams. Let the clams soak for at least 20 minutes or up to an hour. Scoop the clams out with your hands and into a colander. Rinse the clams and then scrub each clam well to make sure all the sand has been removed.
2. Add the clams to a large pot and fill with a few inches of cold water. Squeeze in the lemon wedges and bring to a boil. Cover and steam for 10 minutes or until the clams open. If any clams aren’t opened you can steam them for a few more minutes, after that, any clams that haven’t opened need to be discarded. Drain the water and let the clams cool.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
4. While the clams are steaming, make the topped by melting 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet. Once the butter has melted, add the onions and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, salt and pepper and stir.
5. Pour the breadcrumbs into the skillet and toss to coat in the butter. Add the lemon juice, white wine, parsley, Old Bay and stir. The mixture should be wet and clump together slightly. If it needs more moisture, add a splash more wine and/or lemon juice.
6. Separate the top shell from the clams and place on a baking sheet. Using a knife, separate the clams from the bottom shell and then top with the breadcrumb mixture, dividing between all the clams. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the clams.
7. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes until the topping is golden brown. Serve with more melted butter and lemon wedges.

• Category: Dinner
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American