Hot Cheesy Clam Dip
on Sep 04, 2020, Updated Aug 12, 2024
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The kind of thing you would order "for the table" without a moment's hesitation.
Every time I come up with something that involved cheese and seafood, I feel compelled to make note of the fact that some people find this combo weird, and some even find it heretical.
I don’t. I find it amazing. Creamy, stretchy, savory cheese meeting up with briny, salty seafood. And in a hot dip no less?! C’mon, seriously – this Hot Cheesy Clam Dip is good stuff. This is great stuff.
Creamy mozzarella and cream cheese meeting up with fresh clams in a hot dip no less. An amazing appetizer.
Gather round and let me tell you The Story of The Birth of The Clam Dip. Once upon a time I was working on a Clam Pizza recipe. In the process I found myself in possession of an extra pint of chopped super fresh clams, which I tucked into the freezer for future use. One day (isn’t this exciting, boys and girls?) I defrosted the clams, with the idea that I would make clam sauce for pasta.
Clam Dip with Cream Cheese and Mozzarella
But then (oh my god, this is the most boring story ever), I had a bag of shredded mozzarella, and some sliced scallions from a stir fry, and I thought what if, instead of a hot crab dip, I made a hot CLAM dip? The kind I imagine you might get at an Old School Italian Seafood Restaurant. You know, For the Table.
Which is the best way in the world of ordering something fattening and/or super indulgent and not having to own it all by yourself. Eg, “Let’s get some garlic bread, For The Table.” “Can we have an order of fries? For The Table?” “Shall we get an order of jalapeno poppers FOR THE TABLE?????”
That wonderful, useful darn table, the justification for so many wonderful orders.
Anyway, this is the kind of dip I would highly recommend making at home. For the Table. And because the clams are the star, do your very best to get fresh, though canned will do in a pinch. And if you are in a fresh clam state of mind, try grilling clams (no need to shuck them!). But speaking of canned clams, you also should give this easy Linguine with White Clam Sauce recipe a go.
What to Serve with Hot Clam Dip:
I usually serve dips with vegetables, but in this case I would recommend crackers. Buttery, innocuous crackers to be specific, like saltines or Ritz crackers. Save the fancy crackers for the graze board or cheese platter.
More Hot Dip Recipes:
- Classic Swiss Fondue
- Hot Corn Queso Dip
- Queso Fundido with Chorizo
- Warm Jalapeno Popper Dip
- Hot Hatch Chile Dip
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Hot Cheesy Clam Dip
Ingredients
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1 cup thinly sliced scallions white and green parts
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Cajun spice blend
- 1 8-ounce package cream cheese softened
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- 1 pint chopped fresh clams drained and 1/4 cup juice reserved
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a-medium sized bowl combine the mozzarella, scallions, Worcestershire, Cajun spice blend, cream cheese and salt. Stir in the clams and reserved juice. Scrape it into a 1-quart shallow baking pan.
- Bake the dip for 20 to 25 minutes until hot and bubbly and lightly browned on top.
Hi Katie-sounds great! Do you think this would work with chopped cooked shrimp? Thanks, and Happy New Year!
that sounds delicious! if you try it please let me know how it turns out!
Looks delicious! If using canned clams, about how many cans would this be? (No fresh ones around here)
I’d say 4 to 6 tins, depending on budget and how clammy you like things, and go for chopped and not minced if possible. Drain them, and save 1/4 cup of the juice to add.