A little added lemon juice and fresh parsley bring extra brightness to the dip garlic, scallions, and red pepper flakes add some spice and bacon lends meatiness and smokiness.īacon is a huge part of Clams Casino- one of the predominant flavors- so it's important to have it mixed in so that flavor is spread throughout the dip.

The bulk of the dip is comprised of cream cheese and sour cream for richness, smoothness, and tanginess. You can't make a dip with clams alone, of course. The juices help to infuse the dip with more flavor and they also thin the mixture to become easily dippable. Not only are the less expensive, easier to obtain, and pre-cooked and minced to save time, but they also are surprisingly good stand-ins for the texture of flavor of fresh clams when used in a dip like this.įor Clams Casino Dip, we use both the minced clams and some of the juices from the can. And while you can certainly use fresh clams to make dip if you'd prefer, canned, minced clams are my go-to. The key to making Clams Casino in dip form is, of course, the clams. This Clams Casino Dip solves that problem by taking all of the flavors of Clams Casino and transforming them into a savory, creamy, easy-to-make party dip at a fraction of the cost. And if you don't live near the shore, it's even harder to pull off. Because for every bit as delicious as they may be, they're also pretty expensive. But it makes sense when you consider that fresh clams are rarely served at parties at all. It's a little surprising, seeing as the appetizers is well-known and well-loved, and still very much alive on restaurant menus all over. Maybe I was born a couple of decades too late, or maybe I've just been going to the wrong get-togethers, but I've never been to a party where Clams Casino were served. My dad always ordered them whenever they were on any restaurant menu (to be honest, I think we frequented the ones that served them for the sole reason that my dad had to have them), and even though I was typically the type of kid who survived solely off of chicken fingers, cheese, and crackers, I somehow was more than okay with eating clams. This recipe for Clams Casino Dip was also featured on Serious Eats.Ĭlams Casino- the flavorful, open-faced clams with bacon-spiked breadcrumbs- is a dish I've spent almost all of my life eating. The retro hors d'ouerve is transformed into a creamy, easy-to-make dip complete with a bacon-panko topping.

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