These sauteed razor clams are cooked Spanish-style with chopped garlic, bright lemon juice, and fresh parsley. It is a beautiful and impressive seafood dish that is ready to eat in under 5 minutes!

If you are a seafood lover, you'll love razor clams. They are easy to prepare in a couple of minutes, are packed with protein, and taste amazing. Spanish-style razor clams are the perfect main dish to serve at dinner parties or whenever you are craving a light seafood meal. Served with pasta, steamed or pan-fried veggies, sauteed razor clams are a wonderful lunch or dinner option!

Recipe Ingredients

Razor clams. Fresh, cleaned clams. They should be slightly open but close when tapped and smell pleasantly like the sea.

Olive oil. To saute the clams and garlic.

Garlic cloves. Fresh and chopped. A strong and fragrant flavor that pairs well with seafood.

Fresh parsley. Flatleaf or curly parsley gives a fresh herby flavor to this dish and pairs nicely with the other ingredients.

Lemon. The juice of half a lemon. Gives a bright citrus freshness, providing a nice contrast to the briny flavor of the clams.

How to make sautéed razor clams

First and most important, clean your clams to remove all the sand. You can read more on how to properly clean razor clams later in the post.

Heat olive oil in the medium size pan. I used a cast iron pan but you can use whatever pan you like or have. Add minced or chopped garlic and green onions to the pan along with clams.

Cover the pan with the lid and cook on medium heat for about 3 minutes. Open the lid and add chopped parsley and lemon juice right on top of clams. Stir it around and cook for another 30 seconds.

Serve immediately with your favorite side dish or simply by itself. So fragrant and delicious!

How to clean razor clams

To clean razor clams from sand just ran cold water over them. It will remove the sand that is attached to the clams from the outside. There is no need to soak clams in cold water with salt to remove sand, like in this cockles recipe.

The cleaning process is very quick. If unsure, you definitely can let them soak in salt water, for 30 minutes. I didn't and it worked just fine.

What type of clams are they?

Razor clams are long narrow saltwater clams. They can be predominantly found in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. A popular choice in Spanish cuisine, razor clams are known for their long and narrow unique shape resembling a flute or bamboo cane.

They taste briny with a slightly sweet flavor. To complement its taste, strong aromatic ingredients such as garlic and lemon are often cooked with razor clams to enhance their flavors.

Be careful not to overcook razor clams because they can become very chewy and unpleasant to eat. Quick cooking methods such as boiling, steaming, or sauteeing are the best ways to cook them. Once cooked their shells will fully open, revealing the tasty clams inside.

Substitutions

Clams. Cockles or mussels would be a great substitution for razor clams if you can't find them near you.

Herbs. Other fresh herbs like cilantro, basil, dill, or tarragon would also nicely complement the other flavors in this Spanish-style razor clams recipe.

Citrus. Instead of lemon juice, you can use lime juice and/or zest for a different pop of flavor.

Variations

Serve these sauteed razor clams on their own or with your favorite creamy pasta dish or salad.

Clams in red sauce. Toss the clams in a creamy or spicy tomato sauce and serve over pasta.

Add white wine to the pan sauce. Cook the clams with a splash of your favorite white wine to create a pan sauce with even more flavor.

If you like a little bit of spice, cook the clams with fresh or dried chilies or red pepper flakes for a subtle hint of heat.

Frequently asked questions

Storage

Eat what you made in the first day. I do not recommend storing cooked clams for longer that 2 days in the fridge. They lose flavor and get spoiled pretty quick.

Do not freeze sautéed razor clams. When reheating, put them in the pan and simply sauté until heated through . For couple minutes. Do not overcook! Microwave may work for reheating as well but is not recommended.

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Hope you will like this sautéed razor clams Spanish style recipe as much as we do. Rate the recipe if you made it and leave a comment below if you have any questions or suggestions.