This Baked Clams recipe is so good. We love ordering baked clams at one of our favorite Italian restaurants in New York City, and I tell you…this recipe is very similar. The perfect appetizer to an amazing meal!
Going with fresh clams is essential to producing the best flavor here. We just love the littleneck clams because they are just the right size and we love the flavor. A good way to make sure all the sand is out of them is to let them sit in a bowl filled with cool tap water for about 20 minutes. Then, lift them out of the water, one at a time, and give them a gentle scrubbing under the faucet. Be sure to discard any clam that has a broken shell, or is opened.
Another obvious key component to really yummy baked clams are the bread crumbs on top. I love packing them with flavor boosters such as garlic, Parmesan cheese and oregano. Just so good.
Man, oh man, this is one appetizer that people just love. You can easily make the bread crumbs up to several days in advance, then assembling these babies and quickly baking them makes them a snap to serve.
And just wait until you hear the rave reviews! The Loon absolutely flips for these, and so do I!
Here’s another great seafood Italian recipe: Shrimp Fra Diavolo (click for full recipe)
Now, it’s time to make this awesome Baked Clams recipe!
Baked Clams
Ingredients
FOR THE BREADCRUMBS
- 3 slices white bread crusts removed, torn into large pieces
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE CLAMS
- 12 littleneck clams rinsed and scrubbed
- 1 cup bottled clam juice
- 3/4 cup prepared bread crumbs
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lemons halved
Instructions
MAKE THE BREADCRUMBS
- Place the bread pieces into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it is coarsely ground.
- Add the cheese, garlic, parsley, and oregano and pulse until the mixture is finely ground.
- Season the bread crumbs to taste with salt and pepper and pulse a couple more times.
MAKE THE BAKED CLAMS
- Pre-heat oven to 400°F.
- Bring a medium-large pot of water to just a boil.
- Carefully add the clams to the water and once the clams have opened, immediately remove with a slotted spoon. Discard any clam that does not open.
- Gently loosen the clam from the shell and discard the top shell.
- Place the clams in a shallow baking dish and spoon 2 tablespoons of clam juice over each one. The juice will spill over, which is good.
- Press about 1 teaspoon of the bread crumbs on top of each clam with your fingers.
- Sprinkle an additional 1/2 teaspoon of the crumbs on each clam.
- Scatter the garlic around the clams.
- Sprinkle the grated cheese over the clams and then drizzle with olive oil.
- Place the dish in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the bread-crumb topping is crispy.
- Turn the broiler on high and broil the clams for 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned (Keep an eye on them, don't let them burn!).
- Serve with the lemon haves and the pan sauce spooned over the clams.
