Clams with Smoky Bacon and Tomatoes

This is one of the easiest, most impressive and delicious seafood dinners you’ll ever make:  Clams with Smoky Bacon and Tomatoes.

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Do you see the broth in the bottom of that bowl?!    It’s a delicious tomato-based broth flavored with smoked bacon, onions and garlic.  When the clams are in the process of steaming, their juices cook out into all of that goodness, too.

Crusty French bread is definitely a MUST with this dish!

I’ve served this meal numerous times over the years and it never fails… I always get asked for the recipe.

This recipe was originally published in August 2015 and I wanted to bring it back in all its glory with new photographs.

My original photo August 2015

Another great thing about this recipe is that everything’s prepared in ONE POT for easy cleanup.    Doesn’t get much better!

This recipe calls for 3 dozen little neck clams so it yields 3 hearty servings as a meal, or you can serve it as an elegant appetizer for a larger crowd before dinner (3-4 clams per person).

Hooray for easy and mouthwatering recipes that everyone thinks you spent an eternity preparing!  Enjoy!  

Originally published August 12, 2015 and updated with new photographs February 14, 2019.

Clams with Smoky Bacon and Tomatoes

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• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 30 mins
• Yield: 3 servings 1x
• Category: Seafood
• Cuisine: American

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Ingredients

• 8 slices thick cut applewood smoked bacon, cut into small pieces
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
• 1–1/2 teaspoons freshly minced garlic
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
• 3 dozen little neck clams, rinsed and scrubbed
• 2/3 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided (1/3 cup for broth, 1/3 cup for garnish)

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Instructions

1. In a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook bacon and onion until onion starts to brown and bacon is cooked, stirring frequently, about 6-8 minutes.
2. Add minced garlic and stir an additional minute.
3. Add tomatoes with juice. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Add clams to tomato mixture and cover. Boil until clams open, stirring occasionally. Discard any unopened clams.
4. Remove from heat and add 1/3 cup of parsley, stirring very gently to combine.  Spoon into shallow bowls and sprinkle with remaining parsley.

Notes

Adapted from Bon Appetit