14 clam recipes

Why we love clams

Small, sweet clams are a great way to cook seafood at home. Spaghetti alle vongole is the most classic dish and we've got plenty of variations to try, but clams are also easily added to risotto, paella and seafood stews. They can be cooked in a similar way to mussels with lots of butter or a creamy sauce – serve with crusty bread for saving all the juices.

Easy clam recipes

Linguine alle vongole

The crunchy, chilli-laced pangrattato adds an extra kick to the salty, gloriously glossy sauce made from emulsified clam juice and extra virgin olive oil.

Drunken clams with chorizo

Put clams at the centre of this dish and serve with punchy chorizo. This vibrant recipe is low in calories and ready in just 20 minutes – perfect for a midweek meal. Serve with crusty bread and eat straight from the pan, if you like. We have many more midweek meal ideas here.

Clams in garlic butter recipe with parsley soda bread

Clams are in season from September to April – this easy recipe pairs them with garlicky butter and homemade crusty soda bread. Check out more of our fish recipes.

Clam linguine with turmeric and coriander

Try this spiced version of the famous clam dish spaghetti alle vongole. Inspired by Sabrina Ghayor's travels in Venice, it nods to the old Venetian love for importing spice.

Clams with quick XO sauce

Clams are in their prime in the more wintery months, so give this clams recipe a go with a quick and punchy XO sauce. XO sauce originates from Hong Kong and is traditionally made with dried shrimps and scallops. Check out more of our seafood recipes.

New England clam chowder recipe with oyster crackers

Want to make the most of clams while they're in season? Try them in this thick and creamy sauce with the salty-sweet flavours of bacon and clams (it's an American classic). Oyster crackers are small, salted crackers added to the top of the soup, a bit like croutons. Check out more of our favourite soup recipes.

Garlic chilli clams recipe on sourdough toast

Make the most of clams in our easy, low-calorie garlic chilli clams dish with crunchy sourdough toast. Try this impressive seafood recipe for a weekend lunch.

Cacciucco

Cacciucco is a fish stew from Livorno, a port on the coast of Tuscany, and it should contain five types of seafood. This recipe comes from Caldesi in Campagna, an Italian restaurant in Bray.

Roasted hake with clams, cider sauce and dill oil

Get a taste of the Spanish Camino with this elegant seafood dish from My Million Pound Menu winner, Pilgrim.

Tagliolini alle vongole

A simple, flavour-packed dish combining clams with punchy garlic, fiery red chilli and fragrant herbs, including salty samphire and fresh parsley.

Clams, mussels and chorizo with fino and aïoli

Make the most of clams in this quick classic shellfish soup made easy. Mussels and clams are cooked in sherry and finished off with garlic mayo, aïoli. Serve with slices of baguette for dunking. Love mussels? We have lots more mussels recipes.

Spaghetti with clams and gremolata

Liven up clams in this dish with gremolata, ideal for an easy meal for two. This quick seafood recipe would work equally well with linguine. We have lots more linguine recipes if that's what you're after.

Pork and clams recipe with tomatoes

A quick and easy casual fish supper with clams recipe, perfect for a dinner party with friends. This classic Spanish dish combines the fresh sea flavour of clams with the warm, spicy heat of chorizo. Check out our best pork recipes here.

Clams cooked in cider with smoked bacon, chorizo, parsley and chilli

Put clams are the heart in this seafood recipe. This dish needs to be cooked and eaten straight away, so have your guests in situ whilst you do the cooking. Clams aren’t expensive and are wonderful paired with bacon, chorizo, herbs and chilli.