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An Iconic New England Appetizer
Clams Casino is a seafood appetizer that’s appeared on New England restaurant menus for more than a century. It was reportedly created at the old Narragansett Pier Casino in Rhode Island, which is how the dish got its name. It’s simple, a little nostalgic, and still one of the most delicious ways we can think of to serve fresh littlenecks.
Our take stays close to the classic version but softens the flavors a bit by using shallots instead of garlic and sweet bell pepper in place of green. Both choices allow the flavor of the clams to shine. We also broil the clams open, making the dish a little more approachable for folks that don’t have experience shucking clams.
Ingredient Notes
Here’s what you need to know about the key ingredients in this recipe. The complete list, including quantities, is in the printable recipe card below.
CLAMS: Littlenecks (about 1-3/4 to 2 inches) are very tender, making them ideal for Clams Casino, but middlenecks (2 to 2-1/2 inches) work too. They’re slightly firmer and meatier, yet still tender enough for this recipe.
BACON: Thick-cut bacon adds a meatier texture and makes a nicer presentation, but regular bacon works fine if that’s what you have.
SHALLOTS: Sautéed shallots bring a mild onion flavor with a hint of garlic, which complements the clams and bacon without overpowering them.
SWEET BELL PEPPER: Red, yellow, or orange bell peppers add a bit of sweetness and texture. Avoid green bell pepper as its sharper flavor tends to dominate the dish.
FRESH BREADCRUMBS: Soft, fresh breadcrumbs give the topping a light, stuffing-like quality without being heavy or overly bready.
Prep Overview
How to Make Clams Casino
Planning to make this recipe? Here’s a quick overview of how it’s done. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
Opening the clams is the first step, and the broiler makes this surprisingly simple. After a quick scrub under cold running water, arrange the clams on a baking sheet and broil just until they pop open. Use tongs to remove them as soon as they open (clams get tough when overcooked), and when they’re cool enough to handle, reserve any juices they give off and loosen the clam from the shell.
Next, par-cook the bacon and keep a little of the fat in the pan for sautéing the shallot and sweet pepper until they soften. Deglaze with white wine to pull up the tasty browned bits from the bottom, then add the reserved clam juices, fresh breadcrumbs and parsley. You should have a light, moist topping that ensures the clams stay tender during their final trip to the oven.
To finish the dish, spoon a small mound of the topping onto each clam and finish with a piece of bacon. A few minutes in a hot oven is all they need to warm them through and lightly crisp the bacon.
How to Clean Littleneck Clams
Littleneck and middleneck clams are hard-shell varieties, and rarely retain sand like soft-shell clams (e.g. steamers and razor clams). They usually only need a good scrub under cold running water to remove any surface grit.
That said, cautious cooks may still prefer to give hard-shell clams a brief soak in lightly salted water. It’s fine to do, just limit the soak to 20 to 30 minutes and avoid stirring up any sediment at the bottom of the bowl when draining.
SAFETY TIP: Before cleaning, check to be sure your clams are alive. Discard clams with cracked shells or ones that remain unmoving after a gentle tap. Keep the clams chilled on ice or in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook.
Serving Suggestions
After years of enjoying Clams Casino in Rhode Island’s Italian restaurants, we often pair them with other Italian-style seafood dishes at home. They fit perfectly into our Feast of the Seven Fishes menu for Christmas Eve, alongside other favorites like steamed mussels and scungilli salad.
For everyday dinners, it’s an easy starter for baked cod, stuffed shrimp or scallops with pasta, or even a simple Louisiana-style shrimp dish.
Clams Casino (New England Style)
Ingredients
- 2 dozen littleneck clams, (or middleneck clams)
- 2 slices thick cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot, (about 1/2 medium)
- 1/2 sweet bell pepper, diced into 1/4-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the broiler for 5 minutes.
- Scrub the clams under cold water with a soft brush, then arrange them in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet.
- Broil the clams just until they open, 4 to 6 minutes. Use tongs to remove each clam as it opens to prevent overcooking. Discard any clams that stay closed. Turn off the broiler and set the oven to 400°F.
- When the clams are cool enough to handle, remove and discard the top shells. Pour any juices from the baking sheet into a small bowl and set aside. Run a paring knife under each clam to detach it from the bottom shell, then return the clams to the baking sheet.
- Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until browned but not fully crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain, leaving about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pan.
- Add the shallot and diced bell pepper to the skillet and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened.
- Pour in the white wine and scrape up any browned bits. Stir in the reserved clam juice, then mix in the breadcrumbs and parsley. The mixture should be moist but not wet. Remove from the heat.
- Spoon the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the clams and top each with a piece of bacon. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes, or just until the topping is heated through and lightly crisped.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These are delicious and I like the idea of putting the clams under the broiler to open them because I don’t trust myself with a shucking knife – lol. I read what you said about not being an Italian dish, but I remember eating them in Italian restaurants too. I suppose you could replace the bacon with pancetta and throw in a little oregano…
Hi Patricia,
The pancetta and oregano are a good idea. Thanks for that!