There’s a restaurant near my apartment called Hart’s (if you haven’t been, you simply must go), and they have the most phenomenal clam toast on their menu. A clam toast that I verifiably dream about. A clam toast that every time I go I’m like, “wow, I really need to recreate that clam toast.” And after saying that for over two years – it has finally happened. It just takes me a while! Here I took the concept of their clam toast: pancetta toasted with lots of onion and garlic, chilies and a super savory broth, and turned it into a version of my own that uses an herb butter and some leafy greens. If you don’t have herb butter, no worries, regular butter will work just fine here, too! The real star is the clam broth that goes perfectly with a thick slice of sourdough.
Clam toasts are by nature so easy and so impressive, which is what makes me love them all the more. What this recipe is doing is cooking down aromatics, adding an herb butter and then white wine. The wine reduces into a wonderful base, and then the clams steam open on top, releasing all their flavorful, briny juices. If you haven’t had clams before but love a fine-dining moment, I suggest Clam Toast as your next date-night recipe. It takes 30 minutes, it is so beautiful and it is insanely delicious.
What you will need for this clam toast, plus substitutions!
This recipe is everything I love in the world. Yes, it does use ramp butter from my previous post, but you can also make (or buy) any herb butter and it will work fantastically well!
Here’s everything this recipe calls for, with my suggested substitutions in bold:
- 12 small Littleneck clams
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large slices of sourdough bread
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped – 2 shallots can also work here
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 3 large garlic cloves, grated or finely chopped
- 2 cups ramps (optional), or any leafy greens – Swiss chard, spinach and kale are all lovely here!
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons ramp butter or any herb butter – Store-bought herb butters work, or you can make an herb butter following this recipe.
- 1 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 lemon, for zest and juice
- Freshly ground black pepper for finishing
- Chili oil optional, for finishing, I like Brightland’s Ardor Oil for this – Any chili oil will work here (but go for a chili oil, not a chili crisp)
How I select and wash my clams
When choosing clams it’s easy to think bigger is better, but I like to opt for small Littleneck clams for this recipe. Not only do they cook faster, they tend to be a bit sweeter and have a better texture. Your fish monger should ask which types you prefer, and I always opt for the smaller guys!
Now cleaning clams for this clam toast is where things can get tricky. They need to be CLEANED for you to have an enjoyable clam cooking experience. I like to do this by getting out a big bowl (my salad spinner always comes in handy for this), submerge the clams in water and scrub them in the water. Then drain, rinse the clams, and repeat until the water runs clear. You can also reserve this dirty clam water for plants or gardening! Avoid the waste, you know?
How to prepare the clam toast
I like to mise en place everything for this recipe beforehand, because then it comes together quite quickly.
First I toast the bread, but you can skip that if you are using other serving options for this toast (see below). Once the bread is out of the pan, I add a bit more olive oil an begin the cooking process!
First, add the diced onion to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften 5-6 minutes. Season with a small pinch of salt. Add 1/4 cup of water and continue to cook. As the water simmers off, this will allow the onion to fully soften but gain no color.
When the water has completely evaporated, add the garlic and cook until it is fragrant 3-4 minutes. Then add the leafy greens, red pepper flakes, and stir in the butter.
When the butter is fully melted, add the white wine. Bring this to a simmer in the pan and let it reduce by almost half.
When the wine has reduced but the mixture is still quite brothy, add the clams to the pan. Cover for 6-8 minutes and let the clams steam open. If any clams remain closed after 10 minutes of steaming, discard them (they are not fit for eating).
Taste the broth around the clams and season with salt, if needed. I find it almost never needs it.
Scoop half of the clams and a lot of their broth over each slice of toast. Zest the lemon over each toast, then cut off a lemon wedge to put on each plate for serving.
Crack over some freshly ground black pepper and drizzle each toast with chili oil. Eat with a knife and fork, and probably a napkin!
Other serving suggestions for this clam recipe
What this recipe gives you is an unctuous, salty, herby clam broth, and the beauty of that is that it doesn’t need to be a toast! Ok…based on the name, I highly suggest it be a toast, but I like to give you options.
You can serve this recipe over rice if you prefer that, or you can cook pasta to the side and then swirl it directly into the pan when you are done cooking.
You can also pair this with any grain you love, or just eat it on it’s own with a spoon to catch all the broth. The clams are the star, everything else can be adjusted around them!
Looking for similar date night recipes?
I have a few that I absolutely love!
Where traditional Pasta alla Vodka uses alcohol to emulsify the sauce, but not flavor it, this Pasta alla Tequila uses the alcohol to do both. The mezcal gives a smoky, rich flavor to the sauce, making it creamy, rich and absolutely addictive.
This salmon recipe is sweet, slightly spicy, rich and tender, and done in no more than 30 minutes – and that’s being generous. If you want a quick, delicious and impressive protein that’s easy to make, this salmon recipe is it.
Clams and corn simmered with Serrano peppers, scallion and garlic feels like my perfect end-of-summer meal. The only thing that could possibly improve it is dots of preserved lemon butter, which melt deep into the crevices of the clams shells. Pile the clams on top of thick slices of toast and let the salty, buttery broth melt into the crispy bread.
And that’s it for this elevated at-home Clam Toast!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Clam Toast with Herb Butter
This simple clam toast recipe is packed with flavor and so incredibly simple to make. You just cook down your aromatics, let everything reduce with a bit of white wine, and then let the clams quickly steam open, releasing all their amazing flavor. You can serve this with toast and easily impress a crowd. Or you can serve it over any grain, it might be called a toast – but it’s versatile!
Ingredients
- 12 small Littleneck clams
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large slices of sourdough bread
- 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 3 large garlic cloves grated or finely chopped
- 2 cups ramps (optional) or any leafy greens
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons ramp butter or any herb butter (see note)
- 1 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 lemon for zest and juice
- Freshly ground black pepper for finishing
- Chili oil optional, for finishing, I like Brightland’s Ardor Oil for this
Instructions
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Submerge the clams in a large bowl of water. Scrub them and mix them in the water, then drain the water and repeat until the water runs clear. Set aside.
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Set a large sauté pan with a tight-fitted lid over medium heat. Add a glug of olive oil and let it heat up for a few minutes. Add the bread to the pan and toast for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden. Set aside.
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If the pan is looking dry, add another 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
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Add the diced onion to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften 5-6 minutes. Season with a small pinch of salt. Add 1/4 cup of water and continue to cook. As the water simmers off, this will allow the onion to fully soften but gain no color.
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When the water has completely evaporated, add the garlic and cook until it is fragrant 3-4 minutes. Then add the leafy greens, red pepper flakes, and stir in the butter.
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When the butter is fully melted, add the white wine. Bring this to a simmer in the pan and let it reduce by almost half.
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When the wine has reduced but the mixture is still quite brothy, add the clams to the pan. Cover for 6-8 minutes and let the clams steam open. If any clams remain closed after 10 minutes of steaming, discard them (they are not fit for eating).
-
Taste the broth around the clams and season with salt, if needed. I find it almost never needs it.
-
Scoop half of the clams and a lot of their broth over each slice of toast. Zest the lemon over each toast, then cut off a lemon wedge to put on each plate for serving.
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Crack over some freshly ground black pepper and drizzle each toast with chili oil. Eat with a knife and fork, and probably a napkin!
Notes
*Note: If you don’t have herb butter around, this recipe will also work well with a high-quality, salted butter!
