Jul 13 2026

Steamed Clams Recipe

Time1h
Serves4

Littleneck clams steamed in a tomato & basil sauce or wine, garlic & butter.

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Ingredients

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Clams

Tomato & Basil Sauce

Wine, Garlic & Butter Sauce

Method

Preparing the Clams

  1. 1

    Cleaning the Clams

    Place the littleneck clams in a bowl of cold water and allow them to soak for about 30 minutes. This helps them expel any sand or grit.

Cooking the Sauce

  1. 2

    Tomato & Basil Sauce Preparation

    In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.

  2. 3

    Adding Tomatoes

    Add the canned diced tomatoes, 1 cup of fresh basil leaves, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of black pepper. Stir and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.

  3. 4

    Wine, Garlic & Butter Sauce Preparation

    In another saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and sauté until fragrant.

  4. 5

    Adding Wine

    Pour in 1 cup of dry white wine and bring to a simmer. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.

Steaming the Clams

  1. 6

    Combining and Steaming

    Add the cleaned clams to either the tomato & basil sauce or the wine, garlic & butter sauce. Cover the pot and steam the clams for about 5-7 minutes, or until they open up.

  2. 7

    Serving

    Once the clams are opened, remove them from the heat. Discard any clams that did not open. Serve hot with the sauce poured over them, and garnish with fresh parsley if using the wine sauce.

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