Canned Clams Are The Versatile Pantry Staple You Should Start Buying

Tinned fish is having a moment. Anchovies, sardines, and mussels, and other types of tinned fish have all taken center stage. There's never been a better (or at least cooler) time to embrace canned clams. Yes, the same clams you've probably passed by in the grocery store, wondering if the naturally chewy little bivalve mollusks could possibly translate well to a can. 

Well, the answer is that canned clams don't just translate well — they translate brilliantly. The important thing about canned clams is knowing how to use them. 

Canned clams aren't a great substitute for whole, fresh littleneck clams. After all, you're not prying these open with a shucking knife and serving them on the half shell over ice. Canned clams are a totally new ingredient. And once you embrace them as such, you open yourself to a whole new world that is delicious, convenient, healthy, and reduces food waste.

There's no denying it: Canned clams are convenient. They're shelf-stable, so you can load up on a few cans when they go on sale. Canned clams will last for several years (of course, check the expiration date when you buy them), so you can stock up and have clams ready to go when you are. 

And when compared to the fluctuating price of fresh seafood (don't forget, you're paying not just for the clam meat, but the weight of the shells, too), there's a definite advantage to buying canned clams. The prices are reduced, even if just slightly. 

There's also little food waste. There's no risk of a bad clam, as there might be when you buy a few pounds of fresh clams. That means you aren't going to contribute to the country's ongoing issue with food waste. You can even use canned clams' brine.

Canned clams come pre-cooked, so you're not going to risk undercooked shellfish. And you don't need to factor in any time to get them ready for your sauce or soup. That brings us to the fun part: eating those delicious clams. 

Because canned clams come in small pieces, they're perfect for homemade linguine with clam sauce, where white wine enhances the clams' naturally sweet flavor. They're also perfect for clam chowder. (Because you don't have to cook the clams from scratch, you might as well make it easy on yourself and get your vegetables pre-chopped, too.) Don't forget to add the clam juice for an extra hit of salt. 

And if you haven't tried to make clam dip, embrace your pantry and fridge staples with cream cheese and cream of mushroom soup. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts — much like the canned clam itself.