How to Make a Simple Portuguese Clam Stew

Name: Simple Portuguese Clam Stew
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds littleneck clams (about 20-24, rinsed and scrubbed clean); 3 TBSPs olive oil; 2 links chourico sausage (diced into ¼ inch rings); 1 small to medium yellow onion (diced into ½ inch pieces); ½ green pepper (diced into ½ inch pieces); 3-4 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tsp ground cumin; ½ cup dry white wine; 2 cups clam broth or more; 1 cup cilantro (loosely packed, chopped, or more); 2 TBSP fresh lime juice or more; 2 cups pre-cooked white rice (optional); Steamed white rice; Fresh cilantro (chopped); Fresh lime juice; Hot sauce of your choice; Red pepper flakes; Freshly ground black pepper

Seafood Soups

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portuguese clam stew — Photo by Lynne Graves Photography

It’s hard to beat a good Portuguese seafood stew. Caldeirada (a fish stew), mariscada (a shellfish stew), shrimp mozambique (a shrimp stew), Portuguese-style paellas or any of the variety of spicy stews are almost indescribably delicious. But they can be intimidating to make at home. This simple Portuguese clam stew recipe is a much simpler adaptation of a more traditional Portuguese clam stew, especially great when you’re short on time and/or ingredients.

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Nevertheless, despite its simplicity, it bursts with flavors of both the land and sea. Chourico, the classic spicy Portuguese sausage, is first simmered with onions, green peppers and garlic. Whole littleneck clams are then added, which release their briny, fragrant juices of the sea. The broth is seasoned with white wine, cumin, cilantro and lime juice, to further enliven the taste buds. It all comes together in 15 minutes or less.

If you can’t find chourico sausage in stores, it’s fine to substitute Spanish style chorizo, a closely related dried sausage. You could also substitute linguica, a milder Portuguese sausage compared to chourico. If you’re a foodie like myself, check out this article on the differences between chourico, chorizo and linguica.

Finally, for those of you that may be connoisseurs of Portuguese cuisine, I realize lime juice is not a typical Portuguese ingredient. But I found a squeeze of lime to be the perfect finishing touch to brighten the stew and bring out a little pop of acidic sweetness. My affinity for southeast Asian cuisine with its liberal use of lime juice in soups and stews inclined me to try it. Personally, I loved it.

Kitchen Tools You’ll Need

Medium stockpot for making the soup (best choice) (good choice)
Cutting board
Sharp knives
Ladle

Simple Portuguese Clam Stew

Course Main Course

Cuisine Portuguese

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Author Craig Fear

Ingredients

2 pounds littleneck clams about 20-24, rinsed and scrubbed clean
3 TBSPs olive oil
2 links chourico sausage diced into ¼ inch rings
1 small to medium yellow onion diced into ½ inch pieces
½ green pepper diced into ½ inch pieces
3-4 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp ground cumin
½ cup dry white wine
2 cups clam broth or more
1 cup cilantro loosely packed, chopped, or more
2 TBSP fresh lime juice or more
2 cups pre-cooked white rice optional

Optional seasonings, to taste

Steamed white rice
Fresh cilantro chopped
Fresh lime juice
Hot sauce of your choice
Red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium-sized stock pot. Add chourico, onion and pepper and saute about 5-7 minutes, until chourico is lightly browned and vegetables are softened.
Add garlic and ground cumin and saute a few more minutes. Stir often to prevent burning.
Add the wine, raise the heat and simmer for a few minutes until wine is slightly reduced.
Add clam broth and bring to a simmer. Add the whole littleneck clams, cover and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes or until all the shells open. Add more clam broth, if desired.
Add the cilantro and lime juice and stir in. Taste and add more lime juice, if desired.
Add some of the optional pre-cooked white rice into individual bowls. Ladle the stew into the bowls and add optional seasonings, to taste.

More Seafood Stew Recipes to Try

Cioppino (Italian Seafood Stew)
Bouillabaisse
Bourride (French Monkfish Stew)
Zarzuela de Mariscos (Spanish Seafood Stew)
Caldeirada de Peixe (Portuguese Fish Stew)
Portuguese Squid Stew
Shrimp Mozambique (Portuguese Shrimp Stew)
Traditional Oyster Stew
Maine Lobster Stew
New England Clam Stew
100 Seafood Soup Recipes from Around the World (includes many seafood stews)

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How to Make a Simple Portuguese Clam Stew

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About the Author

Craig Fear is the creator of Fearless Eating and the author of three books, The 30-Day Heartburn Solution, Fearless Broths and Soups and The Thai Soup Secret. After years helping clients with digestive issues, Craig decided to pursue writing full-time. He intends to write many more books on broths and soups from around the world! Click here to learn more about Craig.