This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
If you’re looking for an easy and delicious steamed clams recipe, you have to try these garlic butter littleneck clams! Made without wine, they’re a great dinner or appetizer the whole family can enjoy in under 30 minutes, with warm bread or pasta to soak up the delicious sauce.
A Quick Look: Steamed Clams without Wine
- Cooking time: 20 minutes of prep and around 10 minutes to cook.
- Servings – This will serve 4 people for a main dinner recipe, or even more if you add it to pasta.
- Main ingredients: Littleneck clams, garlic, butter, shallots, parsley, chives, and broth.
- When to serve: An easy weeknight meal or weekend dinner to impress guests. They are perfect for a light summer dinner or appetizer, although littleneck clams are most in season October through April. This is when they are most flavorful.
- Dietary information: This recipe is Mediterranean diet friendly. It can also be migraine diet-friendly, lactose free and gluten free (edits given below). These are also wine-free!
- Why you’ll love it: These steamed clams are so easy to make and with my tips on how to clean them, they’ll come out perfect every time. The garlic butter sauce it perfect to serve over linguine or with a warm baguette for dipping.
Although learning how to steam clams can be intimidating for some people, once you realize they only take 10 minutes and open up when they’re cooked through, you’ll wonder why you haven’t made them more often! You could serve them with scallop linguine for a seafood dinner.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Littleneck clams – Littleneck clams are the ones found in most grocery stores and they’re the best for steaming. You want to look for ones that are closed, with no major cracks. When you buy them, keep them on ice and don’t close up the plastic bag they put them in – they’re living and need to breathe. You can store them in the fridge in a bowl until you’re ready to steam them. It’s best to purchase clams on the same day you plan to cook them.
- Butter – Since this recipe really centers around the garlic butter broth, I love to use a higher quality butter like a European-style or Kerrygold. Buy unsalted butter as clams are naturally salty.
- Broth – Vegetable broth, homemade chicken broth, or seafood broth would all work for this recipe. My favorite to use is Bonafide vegetable.
- Garlic and Shallots – You’ll want to use both as they provide a great depth of flavor, but shallots are a little more refined in flavor. They don’t overpower the clams like onion can.
- Herbs – I love to add fresh parsley and chives to this recipe as it really balances the heaviness of the butter.
- Lemon juice – Not necessary, but a little bit of juice on top is perfect!
Guide for Buying Clams
- Clams should be alive – Living clams will be slightly open or fully closed. If they do not close with a gentle tap on the counter, toss them. The fishmonger should do this when you buy them. You can also do them at home before you cook.
- Avoid cracked shells – Tiny cracks around the edges of the mouth are ok, but anything deeper should be discarded.
- They should smell like the ocean – Clams should smell briny, like salt water, and not fishy or stinky.
- Plan for 1 pound per person – Remember everything weighs more with a shell! For an appetizer or if serving with pasta, 1/2 pound should work.
- Store properly – The fish monger will give you the clams in an open bag on ice. Be sure to keep it open so they can breathe! Do not store them submerged in water.
Variations
- Creamy steamed clams – Add 1/4 cup heavy cream after removing the cooked clams, and simmer down with the sauce.
- Simple steamed clams – You can omit the herbs if you don’t have them on hand and just want a simple garlic butter sauce.
- Pasta – Spoon the clams and sauce over 8-12 ounces of cooked linguine pasta.
- Dairy free – Use your favorite butter substitute or use ghee for lactose free. Or substitute with all olive oil.
- Migraine diet – Omit the lemon juice.
How to Make Steamed Littleneck Clams
Step 1: Cleaning the clams is a very important step. Use a brush to scrub the shell while you run them under cool water. Then set aside on a towel. If the clams are very sandy/gritty, consider doing a water bath for them with the instructions below.
Step 2: Add the butter and olive oil to a large pot (that has a lid) and heat over medium. Add in chopped garlic and shallots, stirring for about 1 minute.
Step 3: Pour in the broth and gently add in the clams. The broth will not fully cover the clams, that’s ok. Bring the broth to a simmer over medium high heat, then turn the heat to low and cover the pot.
Step 4: Simmer for 7-10 minutes, or until all the clams have opened on their own. Sometimes a little poke can get them to open. If one has not fully opened after cooking a bit longer, discard it.
Step 5: Carefully remove the clams to a separate bowl, and pour the broth over top. Then sprinkle with fresh herbs.
For clams in a cream sauce – Add the heavy cream after removing the cooked clams, and simmer the broth for 4-5 minutes to reduce the sauce. This will give you a stronger, concentrated flavor. Then return the clams to the creamy garlic sauce.
Do I Need To Soak the Clams?
Often you don’t need to do this if buying clams from a good fishmonger, but if the calms are extra sandy or dirty, you can submerge them in cold ice water for roughly 15-20 minutes, then carefully remove them. Do this after you scrub them. This allows them to spit out any sand or grit. Do not leave them for longer, or the clams can die.
Serving Suggestions
Pair this steamed littleneck clams recipe with crisp and refreshing sides like this apple fennel salad, kale crunch salad, or bibb lettuce salad. The acidity from the salads pairs nicely with the rich garlic butter broth. Don’t forget a warm baguette or bread for dipping!
You can also make spaghetti with clams by boiling spaghetti and tossing the sauce and clams with the pasta.
Storage Instructions
Clams are best enjoyed fresh, but will store well in the fridge for up to 2 days in a sealed, airtight container. I do not recommend freezing.
To reheat steamed clams – Place the clams in a pot with the broth and heat over low heat till just warmed through.
Recipe FAQ
Clams will naturally open when they’re cooked! Once the shell pops open, the meat inside should be opaque and tender. Sometimes if a clam isn’t fully opening but the rest are cooked, gently tapping it will get it to pop open. If not, it can be discarded.
While you can use any deep pot with a tight fitting lid, Dutch ovens work best to capture the steam and allow the clams to cook through quickly. If using a smaller pot, try to not overcrowd the pot so the clams cook evenly.
While most clam recipes use white wine to cook the clams, this recipe is just as delicious without it. We use a little bit of lemon juice to add acidity or even a small splash of vinegar would work in a pinch.
More Quick Seafood Recipes
It can be difficult to find good seafood recipes without wine, so besides these littleneck clams, you may enjoy this pan-seared seabass, cobia recipe, or incredibly popular baked halibut recipe. You might also like this shrimp scampi without wine!
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 review in the recipe card! Don’t forget to tag me @thedizzycook on Facebook and Instagram, and follow along on Pinterest for more great recipes!
Garlic Butter Steamed Clams (without Wine)
Ingredients
- 2-2.5 pounds littleneck clams, plan for about 1 pound per person for dinner or 1/2 pound for an appetizer
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 shallots, peeled and chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 1 – 1/4 cup vegetable broth , can sub chicken broth
- 1/2 cup loosely packed parsley leaves
- 1 – 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
- 1/2 lemon to squeeze over top (optional)
Instructions
Buying, Storage, and Prep for Clams
- Have your fishmonger discard any clams that have large chips in the shell, or are open and don't close with a light tap on the counter. Store them in an open bag on ice, or in a bowl in the fridge till ready to use. They're best made the same day. Before serving, run them under cool water and scrub the shells really well. Place on a dry towel and lightly pat them dry. See notes below if they're extremely gritty/dirty.
Steamed Clams
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot with a lid, melt butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add shallots and saute for about 1 minute, stirring often. Then add garlic and cook another 30 seconds, till fragrant.
- Add broth and bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to a simmer. Then carefully add in clams. Cover the pot with a lid and simmer over low heat for 7-10 minutes. Clams will open when they're done. If one does not open, give it a little longer to simmer. Throw out if it does not open.
- Remove clams from the pot with a slotted spoon and place into a big bowl. Turn the heat up to medium high to get a strong simmer going. If using heavy cream, stir it in here. Simmer the broth an extra 4 minutes or so, until it's reduced enough to your liking. Pour the reduced broth over the clams.
- Top with fresh parsley and chives, and fresh lemon juice, if using. Clams should not need seasoning as they're naturally salty. However, you can always add more to your liking.
Notes
- Soaking method – If the clams are extremely dirty/gritty – submerge them in a deep bowl with ice cold water for 15-20 minutes to expel any extra grit/sand. Carefully remove each one (do not dump) and place on a towel. Do not leave them longer than 20 minutes in the water. If you buy them from a grocery store like Whole Foods, you probably can skip this step as they’re typically pre-washed. Just rinse and scrub them.
- Servings – This recipe as written serves 2-3 people for a full meal and 4 people as an appetizer. Plan about 1 pound per person for a meal, or 1/2 pound for an appetizer.
- Dairy free – Use 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil instead of butter/olive oil combo and leave out the heavy cream. Or you can use your favorite butter sub, or ghee for lactose free.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
THANK YOU so much for an elevated sauce without alcohol in it!!! First one I’ve found that’s not just butter and garlic. I’m making this tonight!!! Can’t wait!!
You’re welcome!! It’s a favorite in our family!
Hi, I’m making this but don’t see when to add the white vinegar?! Thanks!
Hey! It’s just in the last step if you’re adding it. Or you can use lemon, if tolerated.
My wife and I had an unconventional thanksgiving….clams and lobster!
Thank you for the most amazing clam recipe! The broth was sooooo good!!!!
Thanks again!
What an amazing idea!! This is giving me inspiration for next year.
Thank you so much for this recipe. I made it for my family and they all loved it. Even the kids enjoyed having clams for the first time and replied with, “We love spending time with you guys and eating clams!” I definitely will make this one again.
Thank you, Joel! That’s such a great story.
Great summer recipe thank you!