Steamed Clams

Savor the simplicity and flavor of the sea with our wine-steamed clams recipe, a perfect blend of freshness and aromatic herbs for an unforgettable meal. Grab a good bottle of wine and some crusty bread to pull apart, and prepare for tender, fresh clams in no time! You'll never want to make them any other way!

Jump to:

• White Wine Infused Steamed Clams Recipe
• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🔪 How To Make Steamed Clams
• 🍽️ What To Serve With Steamed Clams
• 💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
• 🥡 Storing & Reheating
• ❓ How Long Do Clams Take To Steam?
• ❓ What Do You Soak Clams In Before Steaming?
• ❓ What Are The Best Clams For Steaming?
• 📖 Recipe Card
• 💬 Reviews

White Wine Infused Steamed Clams Recipe

These are always a hit! Steamed clams are one of my husband's favorite of all seafood meals (although our lobster risotto is a very close second favorite seafood dish for him)!

The clams are perfectly steamed with water, white wine, and chopped onions and then paired with drawn butter when served. Add a few fresh lemon wedges and some garlic bread to go with your heaping pile of clams to top off a super seafood night!

🥘 Ingredients

This quick and easy seafood dish is made with just 4 ingredients - add butter and lemon and you've got your drawn butter covered too!

• Steamer Clams - 4 pounds of steamer clams. Fresh and scrubbed to remove sand. Alternatives are hard shell clams like Littlenecks, Cherrystones, or Quahogs.
• Water - 3 cups of water.
• White Wine - ½ cup of white wine. Optional, but use a dry white wine like Pinot Grigio.
• White Onion - ½ of a small white onion, chopped.

*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*

🔪 How To Make Steamed Clams

Grab a few supplies and make sure your clams are fully cleaned, then get started cooking! Everyone will love these easy steamed clams!

You will need a steamer basket, a large stock pot, your measuring cups, a cutting board, and a knife.

This recipe will make enough clams for 8 servings.

Step 1: Heat to boiling. In a large stock pot - add 3 cups (710 milliliters) of water, ½ cup (118 milliliters) of wine, and ½ of a small onion. Place your steamer basket over the liquid and bring to a boil.

Step 2: Add clams. Gently add 4 pounds (1.81 kilograms) of cleaned fresh clams and place the lid back on your pot.

Step 3: Steam until done. Cook at a low boil for 5-10 minutes or until all of the clam shells have opened.

Step 4: Check. Remove any clams that have not opened and discard them. *Some people are OK with opening clams and checking to see if they are still good. Use your own judgment.

Step 5: Portion and serve. Serve immediately.

🍽️ What To Serve With Steamed Clams

These clams are extra wonderful when served with drawn butter, French bread, or garlic bread. Steamed corn on the cob, sauteed green beans, or potato salad are also great options!

Consider serving these clams at special events and holidays like the Feast of the Seven Fishes meal.

💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes

• If serving your clams as the main course, plan on getting 1 pound of clams per person. If serving them as an appetizer, ½ pound per person is good.
• After steaming your clams, remove and discard any that have not opened up during the cooking process.
• Since these are live clams, cooking them the same day you purchased them is best. If not, you can store them for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator covered with a wet cloth before steaming them.

🥡 Storing & Reheating

These clams are really best when enjoyed immediately, but they can be stored for up to 4 days if needed. I recommend de-shelling them before placing them into an airtight bag or container.

Make sure to keep them stored in the refrigerator.

I don't recommend freezing clams as it can cause the texture to become tough or rubbery.

Reheating

If adding your clams to a dish (such as rice, pasta, soup, etc.), heat that dish up.

Once hot and simmering, remove your dish from the heat and immediately add your clams. Stir until well combined.

The heat from the dish will reheat the clams without having to worry about cooking them.

If you are eating the clams by themselves, you can re-steam them for 30-60 seconds.

>>>>See all of my recipes here<<<<

❓ How Long Do Clams Take To Steam?

Steamed clams are pretty quick and simple to make! Depending on the size of the clams, they will take anywhere from 7-10 minutes to open.

❓ What Do You Soak Clams In Before Steaming?

To properly clean out your clams before steaming, they should be soaked in water. This allows the clams to take in the fresh water and spit out any sand.

To do so, leave the clams in the mesh or netted bag you bought them in. Place the bag into a large bowl of cold water and leave them to soak for 5 minutes.

Then, drain the water from the bowl and refill it with fresh water. Repeat the process a couple more times to remove all the grit and sand.

Discarding any partially open or broken clams before cooking is also best.

❓ What Are The Best Clams For Steaming?

Steamer clams (or soft-shelled clams) are perfect for steaming and can easily be found at most supermarkets. With these, you will have approximately 10-12 clams per pound.

Cherrystones (a hard-shelled clam) are another great option. They are larger, so you will receive about 3-5 clams per pound.

Finally, littlenecks are another hard-shelled clam but smaller in size than cherrystones. You'll get 10-12 clams per pound.

📖 Recipe Card