Whenever I am missing a day at the beach I love to sauté up some Steamed Clams with Garlic Butter and Wine. Make sure you serve them with a fresh baguette or a side of garlic bread for dipping in the delicious sauce. I like to pair this dish with a chilled medium-bodied Chardonnay. You can almost hear the waves crashing on the beach!
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What are the best clams for steaming?
Steamers, Cherrystones, and Littlenecks are the best clams for steaming and can easily be found at your local grocery store.
What are the differences between these types of clams?
- Steamers – Have an elongated shape to their hinged shell-like mussels. A steamer, sometimes called “soft-shelled clams”, has a pair of thin white shells, they also have a siphon that juts out of their shell. Each pound will have about 10-12 clams.
- Cherrystones – Are a hard shell clam that is round in shape. They are about 2 to 3 inches in diameter and you will get an average of 3 to 5 clams per pound.
- Littlenecks – These are the smallest of the hard shell clams and known for having the sweetest flavor. They measure about 1 to 2 inches in diameter and you will get an average of 10 to 12 clams per pound. These are the type we use, and what is in the pictures.
How to prepare clams for steaming
Steaming clams is a quick and easy process. They are easy to prepare and cook, and they are wonderful to serve for a crowd!
To prepare the clams for cooking, soak the clams for 20 minutes in fresh water. The fresh water will help filter the clams, pushing out the saltwater and sand from their shells. It will take the full 20 minute for the clams to clean themselves of salt and sand.
After 20 minutes rinse off the clam and they are ready to cook!
What is the best way to Steam Clams for serving
Our favorite way to steam clams is to begin with garlic, butter, lemon, and wine. This recipe gives you can amazing delicious sauce to serve with your clams. It is a tasty addition for dipping French Bread or pouring over linguine pasta.
It only takes 8-10 minutes to steam clams, so let’s get started.
- Heat a large heavy saute pan on medium heat
- Melt half of the butter (3 tablespoons)
- Add in the fresh minced garlic and let cook about 30-40 seconds, until the garlic smells fragrant.
- Add the Chardonnay and fresh-squeezed lemon juice. Bring to a boil.
- I prefer to use a buttery Chardonnay wine because it makes a richer sauce.
Ingredients for Steamed Clams 
Steamed Clams with lemon and parsley
- Once you bring the sauce to a boil add the clams and remaining butter, cover with a lid, and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes. Until clams open evenly.
- While clams are cooking finely chop the fresh Italian parsley.
- Set aside to add as a garnish later.
- Prior to serving your Steamed Clams, discard any clams that have not opened, then sprinkle with the chopped Italian parsley. Transfer clams and sauce to a large wide serving bowl, or serve directly from the sauté pan.
- Don’t forget the side of French bread or garlic bread to dip in the sauce!
- I also like to serve these clams on top of linguine.
What pairs well with Steamed Clams
These are a few of our favorite dishes that will go well with steamed clams.
Suggestions for Wine Pairings:
When wine is included in the recipe you can never go wrong pairing the wine you used for the dish. Chardonnay is my go-to favorite. Beyond that look for a medium-bodied white wine. Because Champagne is “always a good choice” you could go with a sparkling Blanc de Blanc.
Your weekday wines: A simple buttery Chardonnay that can be found in the grocery store.
- Select a nice medium-bodied Chardonnay like Acacia or La Crema
Your weekend wines:
- Lloyd Chardonnay, Carneros
- Nickel and Nickel, Carneros
A Special Occasion Wines:
- Kistler Chardonnay
- Peter Michael Chardonnay
- Dom Perignon Champagne
More great seafood recipes to try:
- Seared Halibut with Lemon caper sauce
- Perfect Pan Seared Scallops
- Grilled Salmon on a cedar plank
- Cioppino Seafood Stew
Looking for the perfect pan for clams? This is the pan I used to make mine. I highly recommend it for so many uses: All-Clad Saute Pan
I made these amazing clams during our fun weekend at Capitola Art and Wine Festival. Read all about it here.
Steamed Clams with Garlic Butter and Wine
Equipment
- Large heavy-duty saute pan
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Littleneck clams
- 6 Tablespoons salted butter, divided
- 1 Tablespoons garlic, finely minced
- 1 cup Chardonnay, Choose a buttery Chardonnay for rich sauce
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 Tablespoons Italian parsley, finely chopped
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large heavy saute pan melt 3 tablespoons of the butter Add garlic and saute for 30-40 seconds until the garlic smells fragrantAdd wine and lemon juice and bring to a boilAdd clams and the remaining butter. Cover with lidSteam for about 8 minutes. Check to make sure your clams have opened.
- Remove from heat and remove any unopened clamsSprinkle with 1 tablespoon of parsleyTransfer to a large bowl or serve in the saute pan Serve with lemon wedges and extra 1 tablespoon of parsley on the side