Clams casino gets butchered more than any appetizer on the planet. Soggy breadcrumbs, rubbery clams, zero seasoning – restaurants treat it like an afterthought. The real deal has a crispy, golden top that shatters when you bite down, revealing sweet clam meat underneath.

Our pro tip: you steam the clams just until they pop, save that broth, and mix it into panko with rendered bacon fat. Then you broil at screaming high heat for exactly 3-5 minutes. That’s it, but most places skip the broth and overcook everything.
The broiler finish gives you that golden, crusty tops that crackle when you bite down. These disappear at parties faster than you’d think possible – even people who claim they “don’t really eat clams” (the OG Girl Carnivore herself included) somehow find themselves reaching for thirds. If you’re on a seafood kick, try Fritto Misto next—it’s another golden, crispy crowd-pleaser.

🔪 Ingredients for the Best Clams Casino
For Steaming the Clams
- Middleneck clams, purged and scrubbed clean
- Water
- Lemon juice
For the Topping and Assembly
- Bacon, diced
- Butter, melted
- Shallot, minced
- Red bell pepper, minced
- Garlic, minced
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Parmesan cheese, grated
- Fresh Italian parsley, chopped (plus more for garnish)
- Lemon juice
- Dried oregano
- Red pepper flakes (optional, but who doesn’t love a little heat)
- Rock salt or coarse salt (optional, for the baking sheet)
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven with lid
- Fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth
- Medium skillet
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Broiler
📝 Step-by-Step: How to Make Clams Casino
- Steam the clams: In a large pot, add water, lemon juice, and clams. Cover and bring to a boil. Steam 5–8 minutes, shaking the pot occasionally, until shells just pop open. Transfer clams to a bowl to cool. Discard any that don’t open.
- Strain the broth: Pour the steaming liquid through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean bowl to catch any remaining grit. Save for later.
- Prep the clams: Remove and discard top shells. Use a small knife to loosen meat from the bottom shell, leaving it inside.
- Cook the bacon and veg: In a skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a mixing bowl, leaving 2 to 3 tablespoons bacon fat in the skillet. Add shallot and bell pepper; cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add veggies to the bacon bowl. If you’ve got the grill fired up, you can use the same two-zone setup we use in our Grilled Scallops recipe to char the bacon topping before broiling.
- Make the topping: Stir in butter, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley, lemon juice, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Add three tablespoons of clam broth. Mix until moist, adding more clam juice if needed.
- Assemble the clams casino: Preheat broiler to high. For stability, spread rock salt on a rimmed baking sheet. Nestle the clam half-shells into the salt. Spoon topping over he top of each clam to completely cover them.
- Broil: Broil 3–5 minutes, watching closely, until golden brown.
- Finish & serve: Garnish with parsley. Serve hot with lemon wedges.

🔄 Substitutions & Variations
- Swap the bacon: Pancetta or prosciutto works beautifully.
- Boost flavor: Replace water with a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio for steaming.
💡 Meat Nerd Tips
- Clam selection: Middlenecks are the sweet spot – sweet and tender, perfect for stuffing, but not rubbery like larger cherrystone. You can find a similar balance of flavor in our Connecticut-Style Lobster Roll recipe.
- Breadcrumb texture: Panko gives more crunch than regular breadcrumbs; don’t substitute unless you like a denser bite.
- Bacon fat flavor: Keep a little of the rendered fat in the mix; it’s the smoky glue that holds the topping together.
- Stable shells: Rock salt keeps the clams upright, so the topping doesn’t spill. No salt? Crumple foil into a bed.
- Don’t over-steam: Remove clams as soon as shells pop open for tender meat.
- Watch the broiler: They can burn in under 30 seconds – don’t walk away.
- Purge properly: Soak clams in salted cold water for 30 minutes to expel grit, then scrub shells before cooking.
- For even more buttery, garlicky seafood goodness, our Bagna Cauda is a must-make dip alongside these.

🍽️ What to Serve with Clams Casino
- Serve as a showstopping appetizer at a seafood feast or your Feast of the Seven Fishes.
- Pair with a crisp white wine or a cold martini.
- Round out the spread with Grilled Oysters or Shrimp Cocktail for a retro seafood platter.
🧊 Make-Ahead, Storage & Reheating Tips
- Leftovers: Store in the fridge up to 1 day. Reheat under a broiler for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Make ahead: Steam clams and prep topping up to 4 hours in advance. Assemble and broil just before serving.
Have you tried this recipe? Do us a favor and rate the recipe card with the ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ and drop a comment to help out the next reader.
Clams Casino Recipe

Recommended Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven with lid
- Fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth
- Medium skillet
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Broiler
Ingredients
For Steaming the Clams
- 18 middleneck clams purged and scrubbed clean
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
For the Topping and Assembly
- 6 slices bacon diced
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- ¼ cup minced shallot
- ¼ cup minced red bell pepper
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- Rock salt or coarse salt optional, for baking sheet
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
Steam the clams
- In a large pot or Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid, add water, lemon juice, and the clams.
- Cover the pot, place it over high heat, and bring the liquid to a boil.
- Continue to steam, shaking the pot occasionally, for 5 to 8 minutes, or just until the shells have popped open.
- Transfer the opened clams to a bowl to cool. Discard any clams that don’t open.
- Reserve the steaming liquid and strain it through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean bowl to remove any sand.
- Once the clams are cool enough to handle, discard the top shells.
- Use a small, sharp knife to disconnect the clam meat to the bottom shell, leaving it loose in the shell.
Make the Clams Casnino
- Place a medium skillet over medium heat and add the bacon.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until it’s crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Transfer the bacon to a medium mixing bowl, leaving 2-3 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the skillet.
- Add the shallot and bell pepper to the skillet and cook until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Scrape the cooked veggie mixture into the bowl with the bacon.
- To the same bowl, add the butter, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley, lemon juice, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
- Add about three tablespoons of the clam broth and mix everything together with a fork until it is well combined and moist.
- If the topping appears too dry to hold together, mix in a bit more of the clam broth until the desired consistency is reached.
- Turn the oven setting to broil on high.
- To create a stable base for the shells (optional but recommended), spread a thick layer of rock salt or coarse salt on a large, rimmed baking sheet.
- Spoon the breadcrumb mixture over each clam in its shell, covering it completely.
- Transfer the stuffed shells to the baking sheet snugly inside the salt.
- Broil for 3 to 5 minutes, watching constantly, until the topping is golden brown.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
- Use middleneck clams for the best balance of size and tenderness.
- Don’t skip purging: a quick soak in salted water keeps grit out of your dish.
- Save a splash of the clam broth when steaming; it moistens the breadcrumb topping.
- Rock salt or crumpled foil under the shells helps keep them from tipping in the oven.
- Watch the broiler closely—the topping can go from golden to burnt fast.
- For extra flavor, steam clams in white wine instead of water.
- Make-ahead tip: Prep and stuff clams up to 4 hours in advance, then broil just before serving.
Nutrition
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❓FAQs About Clams Casino
Clams Casino are clams baked with breadcrumbs, bacon, garlic, and herbs for a smoky, briny appetizer.
No – eat the clam and topping, then discard the shell.
Yes, you can prep the clams and topping earlier in the day, then broil right before serving for the best texture.
Baked clams are usually minced clam stuffing in shells, while Clams Casino features whole clams topped with bacon and breadcrumbs.
No. Clams get tough and watery once frozen and reheated.