Baked Clam Dip is easy to make and full of the classic baked clam flavors, but without all the hard work! This crowd-pleasing spread is full of minced clams, spicy hot sauce, and simple breadcrumbs!
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This baked clam dip is the perfect addition to your holiday appetizer menu! Surround this dip with Wellington crackers for your guests to use. My favorite cracker for this dip is the traditional water cracker or the cracked pepper water cracker variety! Check out all the different varieties of Wellington Crackers and have a bunch handy to serve to your guests!
This baked clam dip is a staple at our Christmas Eve dinner. Traditionally, Italians create a dinner that incorporated seven fishes, since they don't eat meat on Christmas Eve. We serve this as an appetizer, or even as part of the meal!
This recipe is brought to you in collaboration Wellington Crackers. Thank you for supporting the brands that make my blog possible!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's easy to make! One pot and one baking dish is all you need to make this dip. It could not be simpler!
- It tastes like baked clams, but without all the hard work! Baked clams are delicious, but they can be a pain to open, cook, and bake. Take out all the hard work and clean up by making this dip instead!
- It can be made in advance! During the holidays there is always a million things to do. Make this dip ahead of time, place it in the refrigerator, and when you are ready to bake it, pop it in the oven. Serve hot!
Ingredients You'll Need
- Canned clams- Four 6.2 ounce cans, the juice reserved. Minced clams are best, but if you can't find minced cans, buy chopped clams and do a little more chopping when you open them.
- Lemon- The juice of one lemon, about 1 tablespoon.
- Onion- one large onion, chopped into very small pieces.
- Breadcrumbs- Homemade is best if you have them, but if not, your favorite Italian Style breadcrumbs are the way to go.
- Olive oil- Butter can be substituted
- Hot sauce- your favorite variety.
Canned Clams vs Fresh Clams
For recipes like this in which there are a lot of other ingredients, canned clams are the way to go. They are easy and taste just as delicious as fresh clams.
You don't want to go through the trouble of opening clams, cooking them, then chopping them. Not to mention canned clams are much cheaper than fresh clams.
I like to use fresh clams when they are the star of the show, such as in pasta or even cooking fresh clams right on the barbecue.
Don't be afraid of canned clams, they save time and are delicious!
Equipment
How To Make Baked Clam Dip
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Open the cans of clams and drain them, reserving the liquid.
- Add the clams and the lemon juice into a small saucepan and simmer together for 10 minutes.
- Add the onions, 1 ½ cups of the reserve clam juice, olive oil, and oregano to the clams. Simmer for 2 minutes until the onions have softened.
- Remove from the heat and add the hot sauce, pepper, and breadcrumbs. Mix until well combined. The mixture should look moist, but not soupy.
- Add the mixture to a baking dish, top with parmesan cheese, and bake for 15 minutes. Serve with a variety of Wellington Crackers.
Step By Step Photos
Tips and Tricks
- Serve this baked clam dip surrounded by Wellington crackers. Water crackers, cracked black pepper crackers, sesame water crackers, or whole grain multigram crackers all hold up beautifully in this dip!
- Make it spicier! If you are like me and you like spice, instead of 1 teaspoon of hot sauce, add 2! After you add the hot sauce, give the dip a taste to see if you want to add a little more.
- Depending on the type of breadcrumbs you use will depend on how much liquid they soak up. You want the dip to be moist, but not too thin. I find that adding all the liquid from all four clam cans gives a little too much liquid.
- Substitute panko breadcrumbs for Italian style breadcrumbs, if you have them. That will give the dip a little more texture and will be just as delicious!
Questions About Baked Clam Dip
Yes! You can put the clam dip together fully, add it to the baking dish, then top it with aluminum foil and place it in the oven until you are ready to bake it.
Yes! You might need to use a little more clam juice, but your favorite gluten free breadcrumbs can be used instead of wheat breadcrumbs.
Yes! You can make the entire dip ahead of time, take it to where you need to go, and heat it up when you get there.
Other Recipes To Try!
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📖 Recipe
Baked Clam Dip
Ingredients
- 4 cans Minced Clams 6.4 ounces
- 1 Lemon Juiced
- 1 large Onion Diced into small pieces
- ¼ cup Olive Oil
- 1 ½ cups Bread Crumbs
- 1 tablespoon Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Hot Sauce
- ½ teaspoon Ground Pepper
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese Grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Drain the cans of clams and reserve the liquid in a separate bowl.
- Add the clams to a saucepan. Squeeze the lemon juice into the saucepan and simmer the lemon and clams together for 10 minutes.
- Add the onions, 1 ½ cups of clam juice, olive oil, and oregano. Simmer for 2 minutes until the onion softens.
- Remove from the heat and add in the breadcrumbs and hot sauce. The mixture should look moist, but not soupy. If it is too dry, add a little more clam juice.
- Add the mixture to a baking dish and top with parmesan cheese and paprika. Bake for 15 minutes or until the top gets golden brown.
Notes
- If you can only find whole or chopped clams in the grocery store, place the drained clams on a cutting board and cut them into very small pieces.
- To make this dip ahead of time, combine all the ingredients together and then cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Place it in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake and serve the dip.
- This dip is best served hot.
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