Crispy Clam Cakes Recipe: How to Make Clam Cakes
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Aug 15, 2024 • 2 min read
Enjoy these crispy, chewy fried clam cakes as a summer snack, or pair them with a bowl of clam chowder on a chilly day for an East Coast–inspired meal.
Learn From the Best
What Are Clam Cakes?
Clam cakes are golden, beignet-like fritters made with a batter of chopped clams, flour, milk, egg, and seasonings. Compared to crab cakes—a patty-shaped fish cake traditionally made with jumbo lump crabmeat, breadcrumbs, and other ingredients—clam cakes are crispier and smaller. These savory clam fritters are simultaneously pillowy on the inside and crisp on the outside.
Serve clam cakes alongside Manhattan or New England clam chowder for an East Coast–inspired side dish or appetizer.
4 Tips for Making Clam Cakes
Follow these simple tips to craft the best clam cakes possible:
- 1. Use fresh clams. Rather than using frozen seafood to make this dish, use freshly cooked clams (or leftover clams from your clam bake) for the best flavor. Canned clams will do in a pinch if fresh clams aren’t available.
- 2. Experiment with seasonings. Add flavor to your clam cake batter with various seasonings and condiments, ranging from spicy additions like cayenne pepper and hot sauce to acidic ingredients like malt vinegar to herbaceous additions like dried parsley, dill, and thyme.
- 3. Fry in batches. Overcrowding the frying pan may leave you with unevenly cooked clam cakes. To avoid this, fry your patties in a few batches, giving them plenty of room to breathe in the pan.
- 4. Store and reheat properly. Leftover fried clam cakes will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat the clam cakes, pop them in an air fryer for a few minutes.
Crispy Clam Cakes Recipe
makes
15 clam cakesprep time
10 mintotal time
30 mincook time
20 minIngredients
- 1
In a Dutch oven or large stockpot over medium-high heat, warm about 3 inches of frying oil to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Alternatively, use a deep fryer.
- 2
As the oil heats, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl.
- 3
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, clam broth, and lemon juice until combined.
- 4
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until they form a smooth batter.
- 5
Stir the chopped clams into the batter.
- 6
Scoop up a heaping tablespoon of the clam batter and drop it into the hot oil. Fry the clam cake until it is golden brown and crispy, about 2–3 minutes per side.
- 7
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried clam cake to a paper towel–lined plate.
- 8
Repeat this process with the remaining batter, cooking 4–5 clam cakes at a time to not overcrowd the pot.
- 9
Season the hot clam cakes with additional salt and serve them immediately with lemon wedges and tartar sauce for dipping.
Become a better chef with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Alice Waters, Gabriela Cámara, Niki Nakayama, Chef Thomas Keller, Yotam Ottolenghi, Dominique Ansel, Gordon Ramsay, and more.