One-Pot Spicy Clams Recipe

This vibrant One-Pot Spicy Clams is a seafood feast as well as being incredibly fresh! Steaming the clams in white wine makes the broth go briny and rich, which along with the spicy serrano chile adds a zesty kick to this stew that is so satisfying with crusty bread.

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One-Pot Spicy Clams Recipe Ingredients

• The Aromatics:
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 serrano chile, halved lengthwise and sliced (remove seeds for less heat)
• The Broth & Clams:
  • 1 can (28-ounce) whole peeled tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine (like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)
  • 4 pounds littleneck clams, scrubbed thoroughly
  • Kosher salt (to taste)
• For Serving:
  • Crusty bread (Baguette or Sourdough)

How To Make One-Pot Spicy Clams Recipe

1. Sauté aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the sliced garlic and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3–4 minutes until the onion is softened and fragrant.
2. Build the sauce: Add the chopped tomatoes and the sliced serrano chile. Continue to cook for about 3 minutes until the liquid has evaporated and the sauce looks thick and almost dry. This concentrates the tomato flavor.
3. Boil the wine: Pour in the white wine. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a rapid boil.
4. Steam the clams: Gently dump the scrubbed clams into the pot. Cover immediately with a tight-fitting lid. Cook for 7–9 minutes, shaking the pot occasionally to move the clams around. Peek inside; the clams are done when their shells have popped wide open.
5. Season: Discard any clams that did not open. Taste the broth and add a pinch of kosher salt if needed (clams are naturally salty, so go easy!).
6. Serve: Ladle the clams and the spicy tomato broth into shallow bowls. Serve immediately with big chunks of crusty bread for dipping.

Recipe Tips!

• The Grit Patrol: Sand ruins clam chowder! Scrub the clams under cold running water with a stiff brush. For extra insurance, soak them in cold salted water for 20 minutes before cooking; they will spit out any sand inside.
• The Open/Shut Case: Follow the golden rule of shellfish: If a raw clam is open and won’t close when tapped, throw it away (it’s dead). If a cooked clam stays closed after steaming, throw it away (it was bad).
• Sauce Concentration: Don’t skip the step of cooking the tomatoes until “almost dry.” This fries the tomato solids in the oil, caramelizing them slightly and removing the tinny taste before you add the wine.
• Wine Choice: Use a crisp, dry white wine that you would enjoy drinking. An oaky Chardonnay can make the broth taste bitter, so stick to Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.

What To Serve With One-Pot Spicy Clams Recipe?

This One-Pot Spicy Clams Recipe is a light yet flavorful meal that focuses entirely on the broth! A loaf of warm French Baguette or Sourdough is absolutely mandatory to soak up the wine and tomato juices. For a complete dinner, start with a simple Arugula Salad with lemon vinaigrette to cleanse the palate! If you want to bulk it up, toss the clams and sauce with Linguine for a spicy seafood pasta.

How To Store One-Pot Spicy Clams Recipe

• Refrigerate: Remove the clam meat from the shells and store it in the broth in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheating rubberizes the clams, so do it very gently.
• Reheat: Warm the broth on the stove until hot, then drop the clam meat in for just 30 seconds to warm through.
• Freeze: Freezing is not recommended for cooked clams in the shell. The texture becomes tough and the shells become brittle.

One-Pot Spicy Clams Recipe Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 320 kcal
• Fat: 12g
• Carbohydrates: 15g
• Protein: 35g

Nutrition information is estimated per serving (without bread).

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