- American
- Appetizer
- Seafood
- Party
- Baked
- Summer
New England Stuffies
New England Stuffies are a beloved coastal classic that bring together the briny essence of fresh quahogs and the comforting warmth of a savory breadcrumb stuffing. This recipe blends sweet onion, bell pepper, garlic, and smoky chouriço with tender chopped clam meat and bold spices like paprika and Calabrian chili. The mixture is folded into crisped Italian bread crumbs and spooned back into the clam shells before being baked to golden perfection. Stuffies are the ultimate seafood appetizer or party dish—crisp on top, tender in the middle, and packed with bold New England flavor. Serve them hot with a squeeze of lemon for the perfect finishing touch.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 1 hr
- Total
- 1 hr 30 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
Instructions
Purge the clams
Purge the clams by submerging them in a large container filled with 4 cups of cold water and 1 tablespoon of salt. Let them sit for 30 minutes. Lift the clams out without disturbing the water. If there is sand at the bottom, rinse the container, refill with fresh salted water, and repeat the purge for another 30 minutes. Continue until the water is clear and sand-free.
Dry and crumble the bread
Preheat the oven to 275°F. Spread the diced Italian bread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring and rotating the sheet occasionally, until the bread is fully dried. Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool. Transfer to a food processor and pulse into coarse breadcrumbs.
Steam the clams
Increase the oven temperature to 400°F. Fill the bottom of a steamer with water and bring to a boil. Add the clams and steam for 10 minutes. Remove from the steamer and allow them to cool. Reserve 2 cups of the steaming liquid and set aside.
Prepare the clam meat and shells
Using a paring knife, remove the clam meat from the shells and finely chop it into 1/8-to-1/4-inch pieces. Set the meat aside. Separate the top and bottom shells at the hinge. Discard the top shells and rinse the bottom shells to remove any fragments. Place the cleaned shells on a rimmed baking sheet.
Cook the aromatics and chouriço
In a medium Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-high heat until the foaming subsides, about 2 minutes. Add the onion, green bell pepper, and chouriço. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened and the chouriço is crisp and has rendered its fat, about 7 to 10 minutes.
Finish the stuffing base
Stir in the garlic, paprika, and thyme. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then remove from heat. Add 1 ½ cups of the reserved clam broth, the chopped clam meat, crushed Calabrian chili peppers, lemon juice, and parsley. Stir to combine and let cool slightly for about 10 minutes.
Combine the stuffing
In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the clam mixture. Stir until evenly incorporated. Squeeze the mixture with your hands or mash with a spoon until it becomes cohesive. The mixture should have no dry spots, with about half the bread broken down into a coarse paste. If too dry, add the remaining ½ cup of clam broth, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is moist but not wet.
Fill and bake
Spoon the stuffing mixture into the reserved clam shells, dividing it evenly. Bake the stuffed clams at 400°F until heated through and golden brown on top, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Serve
Serve warm with lemon wedges.
Recipe by
Russell Toris
@russell-toris