Clams in Green Sauce: Easy Spanish Tapa with White Wine (58) 2026

Clams in green sauce is a classic Spanish tapa that proves how a handful of humble ingredients can turn into something special. Fresh clams steam open in a fragrant sauce of olive oil, garlic, a hint of cayenne and plenty of parsley, with white wine bringing it all together.

It works just as well as an everyday starter as it does on a celebration table, and the whole thing comes together in about 20 minutes. The only real work is soaking the clams and chopping the aromatics, so the dish is as simple as it is rewarding.

Serve it with crusty bread to mop up every drop of the green sauce, and you have a tapa that tastes like it came straight from a Spanish bar.

Ingredients for Clams in Green Sauce

This recipe makes 2 servings as a starter or tapa.

• 500 g clams
• Salt
• 2 garlic cloves
• 4 sprigs fresh parsley
• 20 g olive oil
• 1 cayenne chili
• 3 g wheat flour
• 130 ml white wine

How to Make Clams in Green Sauce Step by Step

1. Clean the clams

The first thing to do is clean 500 g of clams. Put them in a bowl with cold water and a small handful of salt, and leave them submerged in the salted water for 45 minutes; after that, they will be ready to use.

2. Chop the garlic and parsley

Finely chop 2 garlic cloves and 4 sprigs of fresh parsley. Keeping the parsley divided in two portions will let you add some at the start and some at the end for a fresher finish.

3. Sauté the garlic with the chili

Put a pot with 20 g of olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the chopped garlic and 1 cayenne chili, and sauté over medium-low heat for 2 minutes, taking care not to let the garlic burn.

4. Add the flour, salt and wine

Turn up the heat and add 3 g of wheat flour and a pinch of salt. Stir, cook for 1 minute, then pour in 130 ml of white wine. Mix well and cook for another 2 minutes until the alcohol from the wine has completely evaporated.

5. Add the clams and half the parsley

Add the clams and half of the chopped parsley. Cover the pot and cook over medium-high heat for about 3 to 4 minutes, which is the time the clams need to open.

6. Finish with the rest of the parsley

Once the clams have opened, add the other half of the chopped parsley and mix everything together well. The clams in green sauce are now ready.

7. Serve

Serve the clams in green sauce hot, straight from the pot, with plenty of the green sauce spooned over the top. Crusty bread on the side is the perfect way to enjoy every last drop.

Tips for the Best Clams in Green Sauce

Start with live clams

For this recipe it is essential that the clams are alive when you cook them. Before cooking, discard any with a broken shell, and any that are open and do not close when tapped. Once cooked, discard any clams that have not opened.

Soak them properly

Soaking the clams in cold salted water for 45 minutes helps them release sand and grit. Do not skip this step, as it makes a real difference to the final texture of the dish.

Watch the garlic and the wine

Keep the heat medium-low when sautéing the garlic so it turns golden without burning, which would make the sauce bitter. Let the white wine cook for the full 2 minutes so the alcohol evaporates and leaves only its flavor behind.

30 Recipes I Keep Coming Back to in My Own Kitchen

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Even More Recipes the Whole Family Will Enjoy

After years of cooking, testing, and tweaking in my own kitchen, I've come to believe the greatest dishes are built on straightforward methods, dependable technique, and serious flavor.

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And for anyone steering clear of wheat, my cozy Gluten-Free Lasagna Recipe shows that a classic baked pasta can still be rich, cheesy, and deeply satisfying without any gluten.

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