Italian Stuffed Baked Clams

A delicious and classic appetizer for Christmas Eve, these Italian Stuffed Baked Clams are stuffed with chopped clams, garlicky breadcrumbs, and Parmigiano. I finish them with a lemon-garlic sauce drizzled over the top, with extra lemon for serving.

Christmas Eve is so special to Italian-Americans. We love to make all kinds of different seafood dishes like Fried Flounder OreganataorPistachio Crusted Fish.

Looking for more seafood appetizers? Try our Garlic Sage Seared Scallops, or Grilled Clams with White Wine Sauce.

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Our Family's Italian Stuffed Clams

Baked Clams are a staple at both my family's and my in-laws' Christmas Eve dinner, along with a hefty tray of Mussels Fra Diavolo and Italian Seafood Salad (Insalata di Mare). But, we don't make them quite the same. My in-laws leave the whole clam underneath the breadcrumbs while my family chops the clams and mixes them into the filling.

Chopping the clams spreads them throughout the breadcrumb mixture, so you get clam and stuffing together in each bite. The lemon garlic butter sauce is the finishing touch.

Finding 7 fish to make on Christmas Eve can be daunting, but stuffed clams are an easy one to put on the menu. We have it on Our Feast of Seven Fishes Menu for Christmas Eveevery year. They takeless than 20 minutes to prep, especially if you buy them already shucked, and you can stuff them a night in advance. Just ask your fishmonger to give you the clams after he cleans and shucks them so you can fill them with your stuffing.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Clams. For stuffed baked clams, I like to pick a bigger clam, like top neck clams because they have a meaty clam and a large shell to stuff. I'll usually use little neck clams if I'm making something like linguine with clams or Linguine with Red Clam Sauce. Look below to see more about purging the clams.
• Parmigiano. I know we usually don't do cheese with seafood, but we can make an exception for baked clams and Stuffed Calamari.
• Lemon. Finishing them with the lemon garlic sauce is a special touch I learned working in a restaurant. It makes for a really moist stuffed clam.
• Breadcrumb Mixture. Our breadcrumb mixture for these is almost identical to some of our other Italian-American classics, like in meatballs for Authentic Italian Sunday SauceorItalian Wedding Soup. We use Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, with a fine texture.

*Please see the recipe card below for more information on ingredients.

Purging and Shucking the Clams

If you buy the clams in the shell, it's always a good idea to purge them first. If you're buying them from the grocery store, they're most likely purged already, but I still always purge them because if there is any grit in them, it can ruin the dish for some. You can also ask the fishmonger if the clams are purged when you buy them.

To purge the clams, place them in a cold water bath with salt for 1-2 hours. This will allow them to "suck" in the fresh water and filter out any of the sand. You might read about putting cornmeal in with them. That's all nonsense. It's just a cold water bath with salt.

After you remove the clams from the bath, rinse and scrub the clams of any debris to clean the shells. Hold each clam with a dish towel, opening facing away from you. Use a shucking knife and slide it into the side of the clam, closest to one of the corners of the opening. You will need to use some force. Then twist the knife and pop them open. See the image below.

Save the shells for stuffing. You can skip the shucking step if you ask the fishmonger if they'll shuck them for you. Ask for the shells and some reserved liquid for the breadcrumb mixture.

How to Make Italian Stuffed Baked Clams

Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, combine breadcrumbs, Parmigiano, parsley, salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, lemon juice, and olive oil. Add more olive oil until the breadcrumbs reach the texture of crumbly wet sand.

Step 2: After shucking the clams, roughly chop them. Reserve the clam juice.

Step 3: Combine the clams with the breadcrumb mixture. Add clam juice a tablespoon at a time until the breadcrumb mixture is a crumbly, wet-sand texture.

Step 4: In a small frying pan, add butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Then add wine and lemon juice and simmer for 5 minutes.

Step 5: Stuff the clams with about 1-2 tablespoon of stuffing depending on the size of the shells you are using. Drizzle a little bit of olive oil on top of each clam once they are stuffed. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden brown. Drizzle the stuffed clams with the lemon garlic sauce.

Serving Italian Stuffed Baked Clams

Serve them alongside your Homemade Shrimp Cocktail and with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. On Christmas Eve, we always have baked clams as an appetizer with a mussels dish like Steamed Mussels in White Wine and a main such as Baked Red Snapper (Under 30 minutes).

Baked clams are a great recipe to start kids on seafood. I know I was a picky eater growing up, but the stuffing is really flavorful, and although I wouldn't lie to my kid and say, "you won't taste any fish," it is objectively less fishy than other styles of seafood.

Pro-Tips

1. Arrange shucking ahead of time. If you're preparing several dishes for Christmas Eve, ask whether your fishmonger can shuck the clams. Request the shells and save the clam juice for the filling. Most seafood counters will do this.
2. Check the filling's texture. It should hold together when gently squeezed, without liquid pooling underneath. Add reserved clam juice a little at a time, mixing between additions.
3. Match the filling to the shell size. Divide the mixture among the shells rather than forcing the same amount into every one.
4. Make the sauce while the clams bake. Have it ready when the clams come out of the oven so you can finish and serve them warm.

Making Baked Clams Ahead of Time

It's always good to be extra careful when prepping seafood because you don't want to get people sick. Here's the best and safest way to prep clams in advance.

1. Buy clams the day before. You can buy whole live clams a day in advance of shucking. Keep them in a bowl in the fridge, but do not cover them with plastic wrap. Cover with a damp towel.
2. Stuff the clams a day in advance. You can shuck and prep the baked clams completely a day in advance. Stuff the clams and wrap the whole tray in plastic wrap and store in the fridge until you're ready to bake. This will save a ton of time the day you're serving these stuffed clams.
3. Store and reheat leftovers. Once cooked, serve hot immediately. You can store baked clams in the refrigerator for 1-2 days in a covered container. Reheat in the oven until they reach 165 degrees F.

Recipe FAQs

Do I need to purge store-bought clams?

Yes. Purging clams is far and away the most important step. Skip the purge, and you will be eating sandy clams. Soaking the clams allows the clams to release any sand and debris. Some clams are purged when you buy them, but I still always do a quick purge even if it is only 30 minutes.

What are the best clams for baked stuffed clams?

Topneck clams are the best because they have a nice large shell with plenty of meat on the inside.

Can I make baked clams ahead of time?

Yes, you can prep baked clams a day in advance and store them in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic wrap.

Can I freeze stuffed clams before baking?

Freezing the clams will ruin the texture. They will be chewy, and the breadcrumb mixture can become soggy upon baking.

More Christmas Eve Dishes

• Pistachio Crusted Baked Sea Bass
• Linguine with Clams
• Pan-Seared Vermilion Snapper
• Struffoli (Italian Honey Balls)