Steamed clams with chorizo oil served over spaghetti is an easy, flavorful weeknight dinner—perfect for the tail end of summer. If you’ve never cooked clams at home, don’t worry: this dish is simple to prepare and highlights bold chorizo flavor without much fuss. 
I first saw a method for making chorizo oil in an old issue of Food + Wine and was immediately sold. Infusing olive oil with a small amount of dry chorizo multiplies its flavor, letting a little sausage season an entire dish. While the original recipe suggested serving the oil with scallops and yogurt, it also makes a stunning sauce for steamed clams and spaghetti—each bite captures the smoky, paprika-forward character of the chorizo.
Serve this with a crisp green salad and a cold beer for an easy late-summer meal. The pasta soaks up the olive oil and chorizo-infused juices, while the steamed clams add a bright briny contrast.
If you haven’t cooked clams before, here are a few simple tips: buy them fresh from a reputable fishmonger and cook them the same day. When you’re ready to prepare them, check for any open shells—tap them and discard any that don’t close. Toss out any with cracked shells. To remove sand, soak the clams in a large bowl of cold water for about 20 minutes; they’ll expel grit into the water. Lift the clams out and scrub the shells before cooking.
Once cleaned, clams can be grilled or steamed. I like steaming them in a lager-style beer for extra flavor, but white wine or water works fine too. The steaming process is fast and keeps the clams tender while letting them open and release their juices into the pan.
Steamed Clams with Chorizo Oil
Ingredients
- 3 ounces dry chorizo, cut into a small dice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 48 littleneck clams, scrubbed well
- 12 ounces lager-style beer (or water)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 box (13.25 ounces) spaghetti (high-fiber or your preferred pasta)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the spaghetti.
- Combine the diced chorizo and the olive oil in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the chorizo crisps and the oil turns a deep red, about 8 minutes. Keep warm.
- Arrange the cleaned clams in a single layer in a large, deep skillet or sauté pan. Pour the beer (or water) over the clams, cover, and steam until the shells open, about 5 minutes. Discard any clams that remain closed.
- Remove the open clams and add them to the chorizo oil, reserving the cooking liquid in the pan.
- Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking liquid, then drain the pasta.
- Stir the reserved pasta cooking liquid into the clams and chorizo oil to loosen the sauce. Sprinkle the clams with chopped parsley.
- Toss or plate the spaghetti and top with the clams and chorizo oil, spooning the sauce over the pasta. Serve immediately.
This recipe is flexible: use water or white wine if you prefer, and adjust the amount of chorizo to taste. The chorizo oil carries a lot of flavor, so a small amount goes a long way. Enjoy a simple, vibrant seafood pasta that comes together quickly and makes the most of seasonal clams.