This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Amêijoas á bulhão pato is a traditional Portuguese recipe consisting of clams, garlic, fresh cilantro, vinho verde, and lemon juice. This garlic coriander clam recipe has minimal ingredients and is quick and easy to make. Make this classic Portuguese clam recipe as an appetizer or main dish today!
As you all have come to learn, my heritage is Portuguese and I learned to cook via my grandma and mother. One of many things the Portuguese are great at doing, it’s cooking! What I like most about Portuguese recipes are the minimal amount of ingredients, but because they are all so fresh, every dish has so much flavor.
Amêjijoas á bulhão pato is a dish named after Raimundo António de Bulhão Pato, a poet and epicurean of Portuguese society. Almost every meal we have at a restaurant, starts with these clams because we cannot get enough of them.
Why this steamed clams recipe works
Email this Recipe!
Email this recipe to yourself to save for later.
By submitting this form, you agree to receive emails from Girl with the Iron Cast.
- With minimal ingredients, this recipe really showcases the clam
- Using Vinho verde (Portuguese green wine), it helps bring out the garlic aromatics and steam open the clams
- The coriander (cilantro) gives a fresh note to the dish
- The fresh lemon juice adds a bright acidity that pairs wonderfully with the salinity of the clams
- The garlicky lemon sauce is best soaked with delicious crusty bread to enjoy all the flavors of the dish
How to steam clams with garlic cilantro wine sauce
Now that you have everything you need to make this Portuguese seafood recipe, here’s a step-by-step process to easily make these steamed clams…
How to clean the littleneck clams
- Grab a large bowl and place a colander inside. Add clams into the colander
- Fill the bowl with cold water and 1 tbsp kosher salt until all clams are submerged. Allow the clams to ‘spit’ out any dirt that may be inside of them for 20 minutes
- Once complete, discard water outside so you are not pouring sand down your drain
- Take a brush or back of a scrubbing pad and scrub the outside of the clams until they are clean.
Cook the aromatics
In a dutch oven or pot over medium heat, add in the 2 tbsp of olive oil, garlic, and bay leaf. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring so the garlic does not burn, but allowing the garlic to toast
Steam the clams
Add the clams into the pan and sauté them for 1 minute. Pour in the vinho verde and cover the pot. Allow the clams to steam open, which takes about 5-8 minutes. Give the pot a shake every so often which helps the clams open. After the 5 minute mark, take the lid off and remove any clams that have opened and place them in a serving plate or bowl. Allow the rest to open, after 8 minutes if they haven’t opened with a shake of the pot then discard.
What is vinho verde?
Vinho verde translates from Portuguese to green wine. Vinho verde is a young wine that is released three to six months after the grapes have been harvested. Vinho verde has a high acidity, low alcohol content, and slight spritz to the taste. A fun fact is that not all vinho verde is green, about 20% can be red and rosé style.
I love drinking vinho verde on a warm summer day, it is so light and refreshing! If you do not have vinho verde, you can substitute a dry white wine in this recipe.
Tip
- When the clams are steaming, give the pan a shake every so often. This helps some of the more stubborn clams release and open.
How to serve
Once all the clams have been opened and placed in the serving bowl or plate, add the chopped cilantro over the top. Take the remaining sauce from the pot and pour over the clams and cilantro. Squeeze lemon juice over the top of the dish.
How to eat
Serve the clams while warm with a side of bread to dip in juices
How to store
This dish is best served fresh and warm. If you do have leftovers, you can remove the clams from their shells and store in the sauce for 2 days in your refrigerator in an airtight container.
Love clams? Try out these other recipes!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @girlwiththeironcast or hashtag #girlwiththeironcast so I can see your creations!
Portuguese Clams – Amêijoas á Bulhão Pato
Ingredients
- 24 littleneck clams (the smaller the better)
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 4 cloves garlic (thinly sliced using a mandoline)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup vinho verde (Portuguese green wine)
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
- 1 bay leaf
- Baguette for serving
- Lemon juice or wedges (for serving)
Email this Recipe!
Email this recipe to yourself to save for later.
By submitting this form, you agree to receive emails from Girl with the Iron Cast.
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Grab a large bowl and place a colander inside. Add clams into the colander. Fill the bowl with water and 1 tbsp kosher salt until all clams are submerged. Allow the clams to 'spit' out any dirt that may be inside of them for 20 minutes. Once complete, discard water outside so you are not pouring sand down your drain. Take a brush and scrub the outside of the clams until they are clean.
- In a dutch oven or pot over medium heat, add in the 2 tbsp of olive oil, garlic, and bay leaf. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring so the garlic does not burn.
- Add the clams into the pan and sauté them for 1 minute. Pour in the vinho verde and cover the pot. Allow the clams to steam open, which takes about 5-8 minutes. Give the pot a shake every so often which helps the clams open. After the 5 minute mark, take the lid off and remove any clams that have opened and place them in a serving plate or bowl. Allow the rest to open, after 8 minutes if they haven't opened with a shake of the pot then discard.
- Once all the clams have been opened and placed in the serving bowl or plate, add the chopped cilantro over the top. Take the remaining sauce from the pot and pour over the clams and cilantro.
- Serve while warm with a side of bread to dip in juices and lemon wedges to squeeze over clams.
Notes
Clams
- In Portugal the clams used for this recipe are very small white clams. We do not have them here in the US, so try and get the smallest clams possible at the market which will probably be littleneck clams.
Vinho verde
- Portuguese green wine can be found in almost every US grocery and liquor store now (yay!). If you cannot find it, substitute a dry white wine such as pinot grigio for the recipe.
