Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Dairy Base
- 225 g cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 60 g sour cream, full fat preferred
Seafood & Flavorings
- 185 g canned minced clams
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 5 ml worcestershire sauce
- 2 ml hot sauce
- 2 g garlic powder
- 2 g onion powder
- 10 g fresh chives, finely chopped
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
- kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 149 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbohydrates
- 4 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 204 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 7 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 44 mg
- Potassium
- 210 mg
- Calcium
- 54 mg
- Iron
- 0.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 12 mg
- Phosphorus
- 115 mg
- Zinc
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 139 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 4.4 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.10 mg
- Niacin
- 0.2 mg
- Folate
- 5 mcg
- Water
- 38 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Open the canned minced clams and drain through a mesh strainer over a small bowl. Reserve the clam juice. Measure out 30ml of the reserved juice to use in the dip, and discard or save the rest for another use.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and sour cream. Using a hand mixer on medium speed or a sturdy whisk, beat the mixture until completely smooth and free of lumps.
Using a rubber spatula, fold the drained minced clams, 30ml of reserved clam juice, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce (if using), garlic powder, onion powder, finely chopped chives, and black pepper into the cream cheese mixture until evenly distributed.
Taste the dip and season with kosher salt if necessary. Keep in mind that the flavors will intensify as it chills, and the chips served alongside will add saltiness.
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator at 4°C/40°F for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Garnish with extra chives right before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Always serve clam dip with a sturdy, thick-cut, or ridged potato chip. Thin chips will break off in the dense cream cheese base.
- For an elevated textural contrast, lightly toast panko breadcrumbs in a pan with butter and sprinkle them over the top immediately before serving.
- While canned clams are traditional and highly convenient, gently steaming fresh littleneck clams in white wine, mincing them, and reducing the steaming liquid to use in place of the canned juice will yield a spectacular gourmet variation.
- Do not skip the chilling phase. The dried spices (garlic and onion powder) need time to hydrate in the dairy base, which transforms the dip from slightly chalky to deeply savory.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container to prevent absorbing other fridge odors.
Troubleshooting
The dip is too thin and runny
Cause: Too much clam juice was added, or a low-fat dairy alternative with high water content was used
Fix: Beat in an additional 30-50g of softened cream cheese to thicken the emulsion
Prevention: Measure the clam juice exactly rather than pouring straight from the can
The dip has unappetizing white lumps
Cause: The cream cheese was too cold when mixed with the sour cream
Fix: Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to warm slightly, then beat vigorously with a hand mixer before adding the clams
Prevention: Leave cream cheese at room temperature for 1-2 hours prior to mixing
Cultural Context
Clam dip rose to immense popularity in the United States during the 1950s, largely driven by the first commercial availability of canned minced clams. Its rise coincided with the post-war boom of television gatherings and cocktail parties, cementing its status as a quintessential, nostalgic American party appetizer.
