This stuffed clams recipe is such a classic! Also known as clams casino, they're dangerously addictive in the best way, a make-ahead appetizer that's easy to make!
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Why You'll Love Baked Clams
In some parts of the country, these are called stuffies, baked stuffed clams, or simply stuffed clams. Whatever you call them, my Uncle Richard's clams casino recipe is incredibly delicious!
He was a fantastic cook, and one thing that brought him great joy was cooking food, especially for the ones he loved. If he knew you liked seafood, he would prepare some of the best seafood dishes and bring them to you.
All the Italian restaurants around here have their own stuffed clams recipe. Uncle Richard always said this one was from one of the most popular places, but I have to imagine he added his own amazing spin to it. Either way, it's beyond easy to make. Are they healthy? Not really, but celebratory foods often aren't. These are decadent and delicious and the perfect way to wow your friends and family on a special occasion. They're also:
- Made with simple, pantry ingredients
- Prepped and ready to freeze in 10 minutes
- Salty, buttery, and a little spicy
- Impressive presentation
- Wonderful for the holidays
Ingredient Information And Substitutions
- Canned Clams- I went with a combination of chopped and minced canned clams to make things easier! Make sure you head to the seafood counter for the shells though. You can also make your own steamed clams if you prefer to put in the work, go with a few dozen.
- Breadcrumbs- I usually use seasoned breadcrumbs to add more flavor to the "stuffing."
- Butter- Adds flavor and helps hold all of the filling ingredients together.
- Pimentos- These sweet roasted peppers are a traditional addition that's perfect. I usually find them with the Goya products.
- Onion & Celery- For even more flavor (and color) and to add some substance to the filling.
- Cheese- You can use either Romano or Parmesan cheese here!
How To Make This Baked Clams Recipe
Step 1- Chop the veggies.
Melt the butter on the stovetop or in the microwave. In the meantime, add the pimentos, celery, and onion to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
Step 2- Mix the filling.
Pour the melted butter, vegetable mixture, clams, breadcrumbs, and cheese into a large mixing bowl and stir until well combined.
Step 3- Assemble & freeze (or cook).
Divide the filling evenly into the clam shells and pat to smooth the tops. Flash freeze on a sheet pan until frozen solid, then store in a zip-top bag in the freezer until ready to use.
If cooking right away cook at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes and then place under broiler for a minute or two to brown tops.
To cook from frozen, place the frozen stuffed clams recipe on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees F for for around 20 minutes and finish for a minute or two under the broiler until golden brown.. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
My clams casino recipe calls for canned clams — each 6.5-ounce can has ½ cup chopped clams once drained. If you are using fresh clams for the shells, I'd encourage you to buy around 30 and supplement the remaining clams with canned ones.
You can purchase littleneck clams (the shells are the perfect size!) from your local seafood counter. Some stores will sell you the shells on their own. When making clam recipes throughout the year, I always make a point to save the shells for future clam casinos.
Yes, even if a store tells you they're clean, it's still a good idea to clean them on your own to avoid any unwanted grit. Soak them in a bowl of cold water with a handful of salt for 10-15 minutes to purge any sand inside them, then give each clam a quick scrub where the shells meet. Discard any that won't close or broken clams.
Canned clams come already cooked, but if you're using fresh, I recommend steaming them. Place an inch of water in the bottom of a pot, cover, and heat over medium. Add the cleaned clams and cover. It will only take a few minutes to cook, and you'll know they're done when the shells open. Discard any with broken shells or unopened clams — those are bad and you don't want to eat them.
No problem! Just spread the filling in a large enough casserole dish so it's a thin layer (around 1 inch). If necessary, split between two casserole dishes.
The original recipe is meant to be made ahead and frozen, but you can totally pop these directly under the broiler. I'd put them into the middle rack for 10 minutes to het through and then move them up top to brown. Just watch them so they don't burn.
I always save my shells since I make these each year during the holidays. When I serve them, I put a big bowl in the middle of the table to discard the shells. Then, I fill the bowl with hot soapy water and soak them for a bit to loosen anything stuck on them. Once they've sat for a good 10 minutes, I wash them in hot soapy water, scrubbing each shell to remove anything that didn't come off during soaking. Then, I rinse them and place them open-side down on a paper towel-lined sheet pan to dry. I store them in a zipper bag when I'm not using them and give them a quick rinse before cooking next time.
There are lots of different theories out there, but many say this dish originated at the Narragansett Pier Casino resort in Rhode Island in the early 20th century. They're often called stuffies in the area now, but some restaurants do still call them Clams Casino!
Tips For Making This Stuffed Clams Recipe
- Don't worry about chopping your onions and celery to be perfectly uniform, they're being thrown in the food processor.
- Make sure you're using seasoned breadcrumbs — they add great flavor!
- For the cans of clams, I use a mix of minced and chopped. I encourage you to use at least some chopped so you get some nice chunks of clam in there.
- These are typically served in the half shells of littleneck clams. If you can't find any shells, 2 medium or 1 large casserole dish also work.
- When prepping this clams casino recipe for the freezer, I like to flash freeze first. Once frozen, I transfer them to a freezer zipper bag and store for up to 3 months.
- As the clams cook, keep a very close eye on them. They should get a nice brown color without actually burning. The original recipe was only under the broiler but to avoid burning, I bake first to heat them through and then move them up to brown them. You may need to move them around on the sheet pan during broiling, depending on your oven's hot spots.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- You can make the filling for your clams up to 24 hours in advance — just store it in the fridge until ready to assemble. But this recipe is meant to be completely made ahead and frozen.
- Leftovers and storage- As mentioned, I store these in the freezer for up to 3 months. It's a great way for me to get ahead on all the end-of-year holiday party prep! Otherwise, if you have any cooked clams left over, they'll keep in the fridge for 3 days. Broil to reheat.
What To Serve With Baked Clams Recipe
Now that you know how to make clams casino, it's time to work them into your next party's menu. I serve them on the half shell with a generous squeeze of lemon directly from the sheet pan — they're best enjoyed piping hot. You could pair them with:
- Whole Roasted Chicken
- Crockpot Spiral Ham
- Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Old Fashioned Chocolate Pie
Other Delicious Appetizer Recipes To Try
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a review in the comment section further down. Check out my Amazon Store for all my favorite tools, including those used in this recipe. And follow @thelifejolie on Instagram and TikTok!
Stuffed Clams (Clams Casino) Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter, 2 sticks
- 6.5 ounces pimentos in a jar, drained
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 4 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 ½ cups seasoned breadcrumbs
- 32.5 ounces clams canned- a combination off chopped and minced clams- 5 cans, drained
- ½ cup Romano cheese or Parmesan, grated
Instructions
- Melt butter over medium heat on stove or in microwave.
- While butter melts, add pimentos, onions, and celery to food processor until they are well combined (they should make a wet mixture and be very finely chopped).
- Add your melted butter, vegetable mixture clams, breadcrumbs, and cheese to a mixing bowl and stir until well combined.
- Spoon the mixture into clam shells so that they slightly heap, and pat to smooth the tops.
- Place clams on a sheet pan and freeze. Once solid transfer to zipper freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place clams on a lined sheet pan, filled side up. If cooking right away, bake in the middle rack for around 10 minutes and then broil for 1-2 minutes up top, watching them closely so they don't burn.If cooking from frozen, bake in the middle rack for around 20 minutes and then broil for 1-2 minutes up top, watching them closely so they don't burn.
Video
Notes
- Don't worry about chopping your onions and celery to be perfectly uniform, they're being thrown in the food processor.
- Make sure you're using seasoned breadcrumbs — they add great flavor!
- For the cans of clams, I use a mix of minced and chopped. I encourage you to use at least some chopped so you get some nice chunks of clam in there.
- These are typically served in the half shells of littleneck clams. If you can't find any shells, 2 medium or 1 large casserole dish also work.
- When prepping this clams casino recipe for the freezer, I like to flash freeze first. Once frozen, I transfer them to a freezer zipper bag and store for up to 3 months.
- As the clams cook, keep a very close eye on them. They should get a nice brown color without actually burning. The original recipe was only under the broiler but to avoid burning, I bake first to heat them through and then move them up to brown them. You may need to move them around on the sheet pan during broiling, depending on your oven's hot spots.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- You can make the filling for your clams up to 24 hours in advance — just store it in the fridge until ready to assemble. But this recipe is meant to be completely made ahead and frozen.
- Leftovers and storage- As mentioned, I store these in the freezer for up to 3 months. It's a great way for me to get ahead on all the end-of-year holiday party prep! Otherwise, if you have any cooked clams left over, they'll keep in the fridge for 3 days. Broil to reheat.
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