Garlic Butter Clams and Prawns Skillet with White Wine Tips, FAQ & printable recipe

Tips for success

Use the best butter you can find for this dish, since it is the main source of flavor in the sauce. Unsalted butter lets you control the salt level, and you can always add more kosher salt at the end. Taste the sauce before serving, because the clams release their own salty liquid as they open.

Work quickly once the seafood goes into the hot skillet. Have the lid, the cheese and the parsley ready on the counter so you can finish the dish while everything is at its peak. A wooden spoon is useful for stirring the clams and scraping the bottom of the pan without damaging the cast iron surface.

Variations

• Spicy chili version: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the melted butter along with the garlic. The heat blends into the sauce and pairs well with the sweet clams and prawns, while keeping the same simple method and timing.
• Lemon finish: Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the skillet just before serving, after the parsley and cheese go on. The bright acidity lifts the garlic butter and emphasizes the sweetness of the shellfish.
• Extra tomatoes: Double the cherry tomatoes and add them to the skillet with the prawns, letting them soften into the wine sauce. Their juices make the garlic butter sauce brighter and slightly more abundant for bread.
• Cheese-heavy topping: Increase the grated hard cheese to a generous handful and sprinkle it over the shellfish in the final minute, letting it melt slightly into the golden sauce before serving straight from the skillet.

Storage and make-ahead

Fridge

Store leftover clams and prawns in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, and cool them within 2 hours first.

Reheat

Reheat gently in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of water or broth until just warmed through. Avoid high heat, which toughens the prawns.

Leftover clams and prawns should be cooled for no more than 2 hours at room temperature before they go into the refrigerator. Transfer them to a shallow airtight container so they cool faster, and discard any clams that remain closed.

Keep the sauce and the shellfish together, since the garlic butter helps keep the prawns moist. Leftovers keep for up to 2 days in the refrigerator, and the shellfish is best eaten within the first day for the most tender texture.

This dish is best cooked just before serving, because the prawns and clams lose their texture if they sit. You can, however, prepare the components in advance: scrub the clams, peel and devein the prawns, mince the garlic, chop the parsley, and grate the cheese up to a day ahead.

Keep the shellfish chilled in the refrigerator in a covered container. Measure the butter and wine so the cooking goes quickly when you are ready. With this prep done, the actual cooking takes about 10 minutes at the stove.

Serving ideas

Serve the clams and prawns straight from the cast iron skillet at the table, so the garlic butter stays hot and the shells remain in the pan. Provide a small bowl for empty shells and a spoon for the sauce.

A loaf of crusty bread is the best partner, since it soaks up the golden garlic butter that collects at the bottom of the pan. A simple green salad with lemon dressing adds freshness without competing with the seafood.

For a fuller meal, serve the skillet alongside a pot of plain steamed rice or a bowl of buttered pasta to catch the extra sauce.

A chilled dry white wine, similar to the one used in the cooking, makes a natural pairing. Keep the grated cheese and extra parsley on the table so guests can add more to their own portions.

Frequently asked questions

Recipe card

Garlic Butter Clams and Prawns Skillet with White Wine

Prep 15 minCook 10 minTotal 25 minServes 2

Ingredients

• 1 lb fresh littleneck clams, scrubbed
• 8 raw prawns, peeled and deveined
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp finely grated hard cheese, such as Parmesan
• kosher salt to taste

Instructions

1. Rinse the clams under cold water and discard any with broken shells. Peel and devein the prawns. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Mince the garlic finely with a large chef's knife, then chop the parsley and set everything aside on the board.
2. Set a handheld rasp grater over the board or a small bowl. Grate the hard cheese finely until you have a fluffy pile of shreds. Set it aside for the final garnish.
3. Place the cast iron skillet over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the minced garlic and stir for about 1 minute, until it turns fragrant and just golden. Do not let it brown or turn bitter.
4. Pour in the white wine and let it bubble for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping up the bits from the pan, until the liquid reduces slightly and looks like a light, glossy sauce.
5. Lay the prawns in the skillet in a single layer, along with the halved cherry tomatoes. Turn them with tongs for 1 to 2 minutes, until they just begin to turn pink on the outside. Season lightly with kosher salt.
6. Nestle the clams with their closed shells among the prawns. Cover the skillet with a lid or foil, or stir gently with a wooden spoon, and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, until the clams pop open. Discard any clams that stay closed.
7. Spoon the melted garlic butter over the shellfish several times. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, until the prawns are opaque and curled and the clams are fully open. Make sure the prawns reach 145°F (63°C) internal temperature.
8. Scatter the chopped parsley over the skillet and dust with the grated cheese, then add a light extra grating over the top. Serve straight from the cast iron skillet with extra sauce spooned over the shellfish.

Contains: crustaceans, mollusks, milk, sulfites

Estimated nutrition per serving

Calories

420

Protein

34 g

Carbohydrates

8 g

Fat

26 g

Fiber

1 g

Sugar

2 g

Sodium

980 mg

Automatic estimate from the ingredient list, not laboratory-verified.