Clams Posillipo in Red Sauce is a quick, easy dish full of briny, savory seafood flavor. Fresh clams are gently simmered in a light tomato and white wine sauce with anchovy, parsley and plenty of garlic. This restaurant-style recipe can be prepared at home in about thirty minutes and is perfect as an appetizer, light entrée or served over pasta.
If you want pasta with your clams, try linguine with red clam sauce or a quick pasta with canned clams. Other seafood favorites include shrimp oreganata in white wine butter, spicy garlic shrimp and sautéed calamari.
What is Clams Posillipo?
“Posillipo” refers to the waters off the Posillipo Cape in the Bay of Naples, an area famed for high-quality seafood. While the name’s use in the U.S. may be an adaptation, the idea—fresh shellfish in a light tomato sauce—is very Neapolitan.
Also called zuppa di vongole or zuppa di clams rossa (red), Clams Posillipo is a simple yet impressive seafood dish. It’s a staple at many Italian-American “red sauce” restaurants and closely related to mussels marinara.
The word zuppa usually means soup in Italian, and while this dish isn’t strictly a soup, its brothy tomato sauce fills the shells and is often enjoyed with a spoon.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy (one pan) – Ready in about 30 minutes with straightforward technique.
- Versatile – The same approach works for mussels or can be adapted to white wine, lemon-garlic butter, sake or even Asian sauces.
- Flexible serving – Serve small portions as an appetizer or larger ones as a main course or with pasta.
- Restaurant-worthy – Impressive flavor with minimal effort and less expense than dining out.
Few seafood dishes feel as stylish and effortless as Clams Posillipo. If you enjoy shellfish, this is a great recipe to try.
Ingredients for Clams Posillipo
Key ingredients used in this zuppa di vongole:
- Clams – Top neck or littleneck clams are ideal. Avoid larger cherrystone or chowder clams unless you plan to chop them; they can be chewy. Choose clams with intact, tightly closed shells that smell like the sea.
- Tomatoes – Whole canned tomatoes crushed by hand give great texture; diced or crushed work if you prefer a smoother sauce. Use a high-quality canned tomato for the best flavor.
- Anchovies – A few anchovy fillets add subtle umami and depth to the sauce; they dissolve into the aromatics.
- White wine – A light, dry white like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc adds acidity and complexity. Substitute broth or a splash of lemon if avoiding alcohol.
- Garlic and fresh parsley – Important aromatics; parsley brightens the finished dish. Omit dried parsley—use fresh.
- Extra virgin olive oil – For sautéing the aromatics and building flavor.
See the recipe card below for exact quantities and full instructions.
Clams Posillipo Step-by-Step (Pro Tips Included)
Overview of the main steps:
- Purge the clams – Soak live clams in cold salted water for 1–2 hours to remove sand. Even if your fishmonger says they’re purged, do it yourself for the cleanest result.
- Make the base – Gently sauté garlic, anchovies and crushed red pepper in extra virgin olive oil over medium-low heat until the garlic softens and the anchovies dissolve (about 4–5 minutes).
- Deglaze and sauce – Add white wine, scrape up any browned bits, then stir in the tomatoes, half the parsley, salt and pepper.
- Simmer – Reduce the sauce over medium heat for about 10 minutes to thicken and cook off alcohol.
- Steam the clams – Add cleaned clams to the simmering sauce, cover, and steam over medium-low heat, shaking the pan occasionally. Remove clams as they open; discard any that stay closed.
- Finish and serve – Return all opened clams to the pan or transfer to a serving bowl with the tomato juices, sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve immediately with crusty bread.
Pro tips: the clams will add salt to the dish, so season sparingly. If you skip wine, use a light broth or clam juice instead. Use a quality canned tomato—its flavor matters with so few ingredients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Littleneck or top neck clams are best for this recipe. Avoid clams with cracked or broken shells and discard any that are open and don’t close when tapped. Fresh clams should smell like the sea, not fishy.
Use live clams the day you buy them when possible. They can be kept 1–2 days in the refrigerator on a bed of ice in a colander inside a bowl, uncovered. Never store them sealed in plastic where they can suffocate.
Purge clams by soaking them in cold salted water (about 1/4 cup salt to 3–4 quarts water) for 1–2 hours. Sand will settle to the bottom of the bowl. Rinse the clams and repeat if necessary.
Do not overcook clams. They are done as soon as their shells open—remove them immediately to prevent toughness.
Yes. Fresh tomatoes work well but may need extra simmering time to reduce. Adding a tablespoon or two of tomato paste helps intensify flavor and thicken the sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Clams Posillipo as an appetizer or main course. It’s ideal year-round and a classic for Christmas Eve’s Feast of the Seven Fishes. Pair it with a mixed green salad, toss with linguine, or serve alongside spaghetti aglio e olio. Always include crusty bread to soak up the savory tomato juices.
Recipe Variations
Ways to vary the dish:
- Add pork – Brown Italian sausage, ‘nduja or pancetta before the garlic for a meatier version.
- Turn up the heat – Increase crushed red pepper, add Calabrian chile paste or sauté jalapeño with the garlic.
- Bouillabaisse-inspired – Add sliced fennel and a pinch of saffron with the tomatoes for a Provençal twist.
- Make it a pasta – Toss with capellini or linguine and serve the clams and sauce over the pasta.
- White version – Omit tomatoes and increase the wine or broth for clams in a white sauce.
- Alcohol-free – Substitute vegetable, chicken or seafood broth or clam juice for the wine.
More Italian Seafood Recipes
There are many classic Italian seafood dishes to explore, from baked clams oreganata and mussels marinara to shrimp scampi and various calamari preparations.
Kitchen Tools & Cookware Needed
Tools to make this recipe: cutting board and sharp knife, measuring cups and spoons, multiple bowls for prep, wooden or silicone spoons, tongs, and a large skillet or Dutch oven for cooking and serving.
Recipe Card
Clams Posillipo in Red Sauce (Zuppa di Clams)
Ingredients
- 2 dozen clams (top neck or littleneck), purged
- ¼ cup fine salt (for purging)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp chopped or thinly sliced garlic
- 3–4 anchovy fillets
- Pinch crushed red pepper
- 1 cup dry white wine (such as Pinot Grigio)
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
- ⅓ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided
- Pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Purge the clams: clean shells and soak in 3–4 quarts cold water mixed with ¼ cup fine salt for 1–2 hours in the refrigerator. Drain and rinse; repeat if water is very cloudy.
- Prepare ingredients and have everything ready.
- In a large skillet over medium-low heat, heat the olive oil. Add garlic, anchovies and crushed red pepper and cook until the garlic softens and the anchovies dissolve, 4–5 minutes.
- Pour in the wine and scrape up any browned bits. Add the tomatoes, half the parsley, a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 10 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce.
- Add the cleaned clams, distributing them evenly. Cover, lower heat to medium-low, and steam, shaking the pan occasionally. As clams open, transfer them to a bowl; discard any that remain closed.
- When all clams are cooked, return them to the pan or place them in a serving bowl and ladle the tomato sauce over them. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve immediately with crusty bread.
Notes
- Always purge clams yourself even if the seller says they are cleaned.
- Use littleneck or top neck clams for best texture; larger clams can be chewy.
- If avoiding alcohol, substitute broth or clam juice for the wine.
- Best when served fresh; reheat leftovers gently in a skillet with their sauce—do not microwave.