Steamed Clams in White Wine

These Steamed Clams in White Wine are garlicky, buttery and a show stopping appetizer. Be sure to have some crusty bread to soak up the juices! 

One of the wonderful things about living in the Pacific Northwest is the access to wonderful, fresh seafood. Manila clams being one of my personal favorites. 

I created this recipe several years ago when I was making steamed clams for the person in my life who loved clams the most, my grandma. If you could’ve just see my grandma’s eyes light up whenever someone mentions the idea of eating clams, there would be no way that you could resist making them for her. Always her favorite way: loaded with wine, butter and garlic.

And now that she is no longer with us, whenever I’m missing her I whip up a batch of these. And of course serve them with plenty of crusty bread to soak up all of the buttery, wine goodness. 

Let’s talk about what you’ll need to make them. 

Steamed Clams in White Wine Ingredients: 

• CLAMS: Because I live in the Pacific Northwest, Manila clams are the clams that I have access to. Use whichever fresh littleneck clams that you have in your area. 
• BUTTER: Clams and butter go hand in hand. I recommend using unsalted butter because clams can be pretty salty on their own. 
• GARLIC: In this recipe, the more garlic the better! You want that buttery garlic flavor to shine. 
• WHITE WINE: Make sure to use something that you like to drink out of the bottle because the flavor will be concentrated. I prefer to use a dry white wine like sauvignon blanc or chardonnay. 
• SHALLOTS: Thinly sliced shallots will add a subtle onion flavor without being over powering. 
• PARSLEY: Adds freshness and a pop of color. 

Step by Step Photos and Instructions: 

Making steamed clams in white wine is really easy! The most time consuming part will be cleaning the clams. Because they tend to have sand in them it is important to soak them for at least 30 minutes before cooking to remove any sand inside. Other than that, the clams cook really quickly! 

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• STEP #1: Use a bristle brush to scrub the outside of the clams. Place clams in cold water and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of water into the bowl. Add the clams and allow to soak for 15 minutes. Remove the clams using a slotted spoon and repeat the process once more with clean water. You’ll be soaking the clams for at least 30 minutes total.
• STEP #2: In a large pan melt butter over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic. Cook just until garlic starts to become fragrant, about 30 seconds. 
• STEP #3: Add in the wine. Place cleaned clams into pan, cover and cook over medium heat until the clams open. 7 – 10 minutes. 
• STEP #4: Discard any clams that did not open, this means they were dead before cooking and are unsafe to eat. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve with crusty bread. 

Storage and Leftovers:

Steamed Clams are best when eaten right away. They won’t reheat very well.

If you love clams, you’ve got to check out these other clam recipes:

New England Clam Chowder : you cannot go wrong with this creamy, classic chowder!

Linguine with Clams is an Italian Classic and for good reason!

Baked Clams are a show stopper of an appetizer. Perfect for party season!

Clam Dip is a must make for your next potluck

Note: Originally published in 2009. Updated in 2024 with a new recipe, step by step photos and nutrition information.