Name: Little Neck Clams in Wine and Garlic Broth
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian Seafood
Ingredients: 1/4 cup olive oil; 6 garlic cloves- diced; 3 dozen littleneck clams; 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes; 1/4 tsp. salt; 1/3 cup of white wine; optional: 1/4 cup of clam juice, or more (I used Bumble Bee all natural); 1/2 cup freshly chopped Italian parsley; 1 pound linguine or spaghetti pasta; salt and pepper to taste

Jump to Recipe

Steamed Little Neck Clams in a Wine and Garlic Broth is ready in just a few minutes. If you love seafood, then you’ll love this recipe for little neck clams steamed in a delicious broth!

Little Neck Clams in Wine and Garlic Broth are served over spaghetti in a white pasta bowl.

Linguine or Spaghetti with Little Neck Clams

Tender neck clams cooked in a flavorful wine and garlic broth can be served alone or with your favorite linguine or spaghetti.

We love preparing little neck clams in a broth of wine and garlic, especially during Lent and the warmer months. Of course, on Christmas Eve, we prepare our Feast of Seven Fishes—a tradition of seven different seafood dishes.

But for the holidays, we always serve our seafood salad, and perfect mussels provencale as the appetizer, followed by the first course, little neck clams with linguine or spaghetti.

A large white dish filled with spaghetti topped with white clams and fresh parsley.

Tell Us About Little Neck Clams in Wine and Garlic Broth…

THE TIME: It only takes 10 minutes to cook. That’s how fast clams cook and open up.
INGREDIENTS: There are 6 main ingredients needed for this recipe: little neck clams, olive oil, garlic, white wine, crushed red pepper, and fresh parsley.
STEAMING: While the clams are simmering in the garlic and wine broth, they will begin to open, releasing their natural juices.
FLAVOR: The broth from this recipe is SO flavorful. You may even want to place a spoon next to each plate and some bread to soak up that amazing, flavorful broth!
TRADITION: In our house, this dish is called “Spaghetti Alle Vongole,” dating back to when our mother hosted our family’s Christmas Eve celebration for years. Now the tradition continues at our home, and we continue to serve them all year round.

How to Clean Little Neck Clams?

If this is your first time, no worries. You got this. Just follow our easy steps to clean them, and you’re set to go.

First, transfer your “live” clams into a large pot and set the pot in your sink.
Run cold water over them and gently rub the clams together. This will help eliminate most of the sand that might be on the outside of the shells.
Then drain them and repeat the steps until you no longer see any sand on the bottom of the pot.
Now your clams are ready to cook.

The Cost of Clams

Little Neck clams are not expensive to buy these days. The cost is usually around $6.00 to $8.00 per dozen (or per pound) during the summer months, and usually higher during the holiday season. You can find these clams at our local seafood market, Whole Foods, or Costco.

Make Them at Home

We prefer to prepare this seafood dish at home because it is less expensive than ordering it at the restaurant. Spaghetti with clams typically costs between $28.00 and $38.00 per dish at a restaurant.

When you prepare this dish at home, the cost is typically around $21.00, and it serves 4 to 5 people.

Helpful Tip: Live clams will need to stay on the ice and in an open bag to allow them to breathe until you are ready to cook them.

A bag filled with fresh live clams sitting on a bag of crushed ice.

Ingredients You Will Need:

For this recipe, little neck clams in wine and garlic broth are very easy to make and take only minutes to cook. Don’t forget our video and full printable recipe card are located below. But first, you will need the following ingredients:

little neck clams
olive oil
garlic cloves
crushed red pepper flakes
sea salt
white wine
freshly chopped Italian parsley
optional: clam juice, or more (I used Bumble Bee all-natural)
1 pound linguine or spaghetti pasta

A pot filled with clams cooking in a broth with fresh chopped parsley on top.

How To Make Little Neck Clams in Wine and Garlic Broth?

Little Neck Clams in Wine and Garlic Broth are gently steamed in a delicious broth. It is made with garlic, white wine, crushed red pepper, and fresh parsley.

Altogether, the flavors of wine, garlic, and natural clam juices make this dish so sensational! Don’t forget the crushed red pepper. The smallest ingredient will always give any dish a pop!

IMPORTANT NOTE: While cooking and steaming the clams, if you encounter any clam that DOES NOT OPEN, those are considered “dead” and are the ones you need to fish out and discard.

Watch Video! How to Make Little Neck Clams?

FAQ’s

What to do when you bring the clams home? As soon as you get home, you must open the bag of clams and allow them to “breathe” … or they will quickly die. Clams need to breathe! It’s best to keep them on ice and chilled in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook them.
What to do if the clams start to open? Immediately run them under “Cold Water” and they should close up. If you encounter any clams that do not close their shell, discard them.
How many clams do we need to buy for a larger crowd? If you are planning to make these clams for a large crowd, you will need to buy more. Plus, it’s a good idea to add some clam juice ( about 4 to 8-ounce bottle). This will help make additional broth, especially for medium-sized or large clams.
How many clams should we purchase per person? We like to buy at least 1 dozen clams per person, which is about 1 pound for 12 clams. If they are the smaller ones, known as New Zealand Clams, then you can get 2 dozen per person.
Where can we purchase a bottle of clam juice? You can buy them at your local seafood market, where you get the clams, or in the seafood section at your local supermarket.
What brand of clam juice should we look for? Any brand of clam juice is fine. I used Bumble Bee Clam Juice or sometimes Cento. You can add in about 1/2 cup or the entire bottle of 8 ounces.

A white pasta bowl filled with spaghetti topped with white clams and freshly chopped parsley.

A Delicious Seafood Dinner

This recipe for Steamed Little Neck Clams in Wine and Garlic Broth is truly an all-star seafood dish for dinner. You’ll have to try it!

Your family and friends will LOVE this recipe. Serve it with a glass of white wine and some crusty bread to soak up that delicious broth.

Also remember, for those who prefer no spaghetti? Serve these steamed clams with a leafy green salad on the side, along with some crusty bread for dipping… The Italian way!

Buon Appetite!

Try These Next!

Spaghetti with Lobster Tails Sauce
Easy Italian Shrimp Salad
Pan-Seared Mahi Mahi
Filet of Sole Francese
Pasta with Smoked Salmon in a Creamy Sauce
Spaghetti with Shrimp Marinara
Easy Baked Shrimp Scampi Dinner
Perfect Mussels Provencale
Mixed Seafood Stew
How to Clean and Prepare Lobster Tails
Shrimp Avocado Salsa Dip

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Little Neck Clams in Wine and Garlic Broth

Yield: 4 to 5 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Steamed Little Neck Clams in wine and garlic broth is SO easy to make. It only takes 10 minutes to cook and only 6 ingredients are needed for this recipe for a quick meal that makes a big impression!

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
6 garlic cloves- diced
3 dozen littleneck clams
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup of white wine
optional: 1/4 cup of clam juice, or more (I used Bumble Bee all natural)
1/2 cup freshly chopped Italian parsley
1 pound linguine or spaghetti pasta
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large bowl, rinse the clams under cold running water and gently rub them together with your hands to allow any sand to rinse off their shells. Rinse and drain a few times, until no sand at the bottom of the bowl is visible. Leave them in cold water until ready to cook them.
In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over low heat and add the garlic. Sauté the garlic for only 1 minute to be fragrant (no need to brown the garlic). Toss in about 1/2 of the chopped parsley, and reserve the other half for later.
Meanwhile, drain the clams into a colander and quickly transfer them directly to the pot with garlic and olive oil. Add in the crushed red pepper and salt. Cover. Stir the clams after a minute.
Allow the clams to steam and simmer with the garlic for about 2 minutes. Pour in white wine and clam juice and cover again, continue to steam the clams, stirring occasionally, for about 2 to 3 minutes. Their shells will open gradually. Once all clams are fully opened, turn off the heat. No need to overcook them.
Toss in the remaining chopped parsley. If serving alone, transfer clams along with broth to a large serving bowl and serve.
Also, if you are planning to serve clams with spaghetti or linguine, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add some salt (about 1 tsp.) and toss in the pasta. Cook the pasta to al-dente. Using a ladle spoon, grab some of the salted water (about 1/4 cup) from the pasta, and add it to the clams.
Drain pasta, and transfer pasta to the pot with all the clams and broth.
Stir and serve into individual serving bowls. Garnish on top with more clams in shells and sprinkle on top with freshly chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
Serves 4 to 5

Notes

Cooks Notes: If you are planning to make these littleneck clams for a large crowd, you will need to buy more clams, and may want to add in some clam juice (about 4 to 8-ounce bottle) to make more broth, especially for medium-size or large size clams. While cooking, if you encounter any clams not opening, fish them out and discard them.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 to 5 servings Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 305Total Fat: 3.1gProtein: 28g

Have a Delicious Day!

Thanks for stopping by….

xo anna and liz

Welcome! From Anna and Liz

We believe the kitchen is the center and the heart of the home. It is where we cook, eat, and unwind with family and friends, creating memorable traditions! Read more…

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