Do you love cooking with fresh clams? Then you will absolutely adore these beans and clams in white wine sauce… What a surprising and highly delicious flavor combo!
You just have to love the simplicity of these beans and clams!
Look at it, I am amazed how little ingredients you need for this one but in the end you got a super flavorful dish! We love beans here at home, any kind, shape, color or flavor.
We will eat them.
Beans
Oh you have no idea how many bean recipes I have cooked before.
A bunch.
That is how much we love beans!
So yes, I’m always on the lookout for more inspiration and ways to surprise the hubs with yet another plateful of beans.
And yes, he liked these clams and beans to bits. He polished that plate off in no time and asked for seconds of course.
Best Beans and Clams (Alubias con Almejas)
Have you prepared fresh clams before at home?
I like to soak the fresh clams for a couple of hours in cold salted water before preparing them. Because then the clams kind of wake up again, they sense that salted water. And that is why they get the idea that they are back in their usual habitat.
So the clams pick up where they left off.
So the clams will spit out any sand that is still in the shells. When you drain the clams afterwards after they have soaked for a while, you will find a fine layer of sand on the bottom of the bowl.
Salty Water
If you haven’t got the time to soak them, you can use the clams right away of course. They might be a tad crunchier though.
Do you love cooking with fresh clams?
Then you should also try out another delicious clam dish: Portuguese classic of pork and clams or porco a alentejana!
Enjoy!
Best Beans and Clams Recipe
Love fresh clams? Then you will adore these beans and clams with white wine... A delicious combo!
- 16 fresh clams
- 10,5 oz canned white beans (300 g)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 medium garlic clove chopped
- 2 tbsp onion chopped
- 1 glass dry white wine
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- pepper
- salt
- Put the clams in a bowl and discard any broken ones. Add cold tap water until they are fully submerged. Sprinkle with a tablespoon of salt and let the clams soak for at least 2 to 3 hours at room temperature to give them time to purge any sand that is still inside.
After that drain the clams and rinse them well again. Pour the canned beans in a colander or sieve and rinse them gently. Let them drain.
Put them aside until needed later. Add the chopped onion and garlic, rosemary sprig, bay leaves and olive oil to a large non-stick pan.
Place this over medium heat and gently fry the onion and garlic for 4 minutes. Then add the drained white beans.
- Stir and cook the beans for 4 minutes. Then pour in the white wine.
- Let the wine reduce by half. Stir and season with a pinch of pepper and salt.
Then also add the clams.
- Stir gently and put a lid on the pan. Cook the clams and beans for 5 to 6 minutes until they are all opened.
- Check the seasoning and add extra pepper or salt to taste if necessary. Take the pan off the heat, remove the bay leaves and what’s left of the rosemary and scoop the clams and beans into large bowls. Serve hot.
