Stovetop Lemon-Garlic Manila Clams with Wilted Greens
A second seafood option that isn’t tuna/steelhead: clams steamed in a lemon-garlic broth with sautéed greens. It’s fast, impressive, and very seasonal for the PNW in early spring.
Back to full listIngredients
- Live Manila Clams (sustainably sourced), 1 lb 1 lb $9.99 (reg)
- Jumbo Yellow Onions (1 lb) 1/2 onion, thin-sliced $1.29 (sale)
- Simple Truth Organic® Garlic Bulbs (3 ct) 3 cloves, minced $2.79 (reg)
- Fresh Organic Lemon - Each 1 lemon (juice + wedges) $1.69 (reg)
- Simple Truth Organic® Chicken Broth (32 oz) 1 cup (use as steaming liquid if you don’t want wine) $1.99 (sale)
- Organic Spinach (or Organic Lacinato Kale) 5–6 oz spinach (or 1/2 bunch kale) $3.49 (reg)
- Olive oil 1 1/2 Tbsp
- Black pepper to taste
- Optional: butter 1 Tbsp for richness
- Optional: crusty bread or cooked potatoes for serving (not on sale list)
Instructions
- Clean clams: Rinse and scrub clams; discard any that are cracked or don’t close when tapped. (If sandy, soak 20 minutes in cold salted water, then rinse.)
- Build the base (stove): In a large pot with a lid, heat 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil over medium. Add sliced onion with a pinch of salt; cook 4–5 minutes until softened. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds.
- Steam: Add 1 cup broth (or water/wine), 2 Tbsp lemon juice, and black pepper. Bring to a strong simmer. Add clams, cover, and cook 6–9 minutes, shaking the pot once or twice, until clams open. Discard any that stay closed.
- Wilt greens: Stir in spinach (or thin-sliced kale) and cook 1–2 minutes until wilted. Swirl in 1 Tbsp butter (optional). Taste the broth; add more lemon if you like.
- Serve: Ladle clams and broth into 2 bowls. Serve with lemon wedges and something to soak up the broth (bread or roasted/boiled potatoes).
Cook time: 35–45 min
Estimated cost: Medium
Health notes: High protein, relatively light. Watch sodium (go easy on added salt; clams are naturally briny).
Drink pairing: Dry Riesling, Muscadet, or a crisp sparkling brut.