• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipes
    • Meats
      • Beef
      • Chicken
      • Pork
      • Turkey
    • Seafood
      • Shellfish Recipes
        • Calamari
        • Clams
        • Crab
        • Lobster
        • Mussels
        • Oysters
        • Scallops
        • Shrimp
      • Fish
    • Salsas and Dips
      • Salsas
      • Dips
    • Soups
    • Side Dishes and Drinks
      • Side Dishes
      • Drinks
    • Breads and Grains
    • Vegetarian Dishes
    • Breakfast
    • Desserts
    • and More!
  • Recipes by Type
    • Puerto Rican Recipes
    • Mexican Recipes
    • Recipes
  • Beyond the Kitchen
    • and More!
    • My Best Blogging Tools
  • Library

Mexican Appetizers and More!

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Puerto Rican Recipes
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Puerto Rican Recipes
    • Recipes
    • About Me
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Seafood » Shellfish Recipes » Baby Clams in Serrano Sauce

    Published: Apr 26, 2015 Modified: Jun 9, 2023 by Catherine Arena Leave a Comment

    Baby Clams in Serrano Sauce

    Share on Social!

    • Facebook
    Jump to Recipe

    These Baby Clams in Serrano Sauce are deliciously flavored and cooked in a fresh garlic serrano sauce. Another delicious seafood appetizer! 

    Baby Clams in Serrano Sauce served in a brown bowl and topped with fresh parsley.

    So let’s talk about baby clams, my favorite topic…seafood! Anything miniature always seems so much more inviting to me. I don’t know if maybe it’s the charming cuteness of it all or maybe just flat-out curiosity of how something so small can heighten my senses to want to try it. When it comes to seafood though, I don’t care if it’s baby oysters, baby mussels, baby clams, I will go through the inescapable, inexorable chore of pulling that little fine meat out of it. There are so many people who are not interested at all in going through the chore of working for such small piece of meat, but not this girl.

    Seafood has that power over me, I will go and become an Alaskan fisherman, abalone diver and dive with great whites, just tell me I can eat this stuff everyday and I’m there! Okay maybe a little exaggeration about that Alaskan fisherman thing. I don’t like the cold! Haha, I bet you thought I was going to say dive with great whites there huh?! Nope that I do already!

    Okay so let’s talk about these baby clams I used for this recipe. Now there are many types of clams but these that I used for this recipe come from China. And believe it or not, I got them in one of the least places you would think. Wal-Mart! Yes Wal-Mart in the frozen seafood section.

    Baby Clams in Serrano Sauce served in a brown bowl and topped with fresh pasley.

    Guys know this I have made many recipes with frozen seafood so if you’re thinking, no way will that work, frozen clams, stop! Don’t let that deter you from making certain recipes. Nowadays, that’s not a thing to worry about. You can get frozen seafood that tastes great because when it’s caught it is frozen at its peak freshness.

    For these baby clams, you don’t have to do to much to them, so I decided to make a serrano pepper infused sauce and cook the baby clams in the sauce. Yum! Great Mexican appetizer! Now note that the sauce will be green because of the serrano pepper but oh soo good and the green color just gives it an unique look! You will definitely stand out with your family and friends with a very different looking appetizer but more importantly, a very delicious one!

    Baby Clams in Serrano Sauce served in a brown bowl and topped with fresh parsley.

    And guess what?! When you are done with your baby clams, don’t throw them away; wash the clams in soapy water, then boil them in water for about ten minutes over medium to high heat and then have them seat overnight in plain water. Discard water and now they are ready to use in your fish tank, or fill a glass bowl or bottle, put them in pretty mesh bags and decorate your bathroom….the possibilities are endless!

    In just a few minutes these baby clams are all done.

    Baby Clams cooking in a garlic serrano sauce in a cast iron skillet-Baby Clams in Serrano Sauce

    📖 Recipe

    Baby Clams in Serrano Sauce served in a brown bowl and topped with fresh parsley.

    Baby Clams in Serrano Sauce

    These Baby Clams in Serrano Sauce are deliciously flavored and cooked in a fresh garlic serrano sauce.  Another delicious seafood appetizer! 
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep Time: 4 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 6 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 97kcal
    Author: Catherine Arena

    Ingredients

    • parsley coarsely chopped for topping

    CLAMS

    • 2 Pounds baby clams any small clams work, such as little neck clams
    • ½ onion chopped onion
    • 2 garlic cloves finely sliced
    • 1 cup chicken broth
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • 1 lime quartered

    SERRANO SAUCE

    • 1 serrano pepper rinsed, stem removed and coarsely chopped
    • 1 garlic clove
    • ¼ cup olive oil

    Instructions

    Serrano Sauce

    • In a blender, blend serrano pepper, garlic clove and olive oil together until well blended. Set aside.

    Baby Clams

    • In a skillet over medium heat, add serrano sauce and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, add onion and cook until transparent, about 3 minutes.
    • Add chicken broth and salt and pepper to taste. Cook sauce for 2 minutes, add clams and cook for 5 minutes.
    • Add garlic and cook for a minute.
    • Serve immediately in individual bowls with lime. Enjoy!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 97kcal
    Tried this recipe?Click the stars above or below to rate or leave a comment down below!

    More Mexican Appetizer Recipes

    • Camarones coco (coconut shrimp) served on a white round plate with chili duck sauce and lime wedges.
      Crispy Camarones Coco
    • Vieras de Mar, bacon wrapped sea scallops cooked in an oval cast iron skillet, topped with a butter garlic sauce and garnished lightly with parsley and thyme.
      Savory Vieras de Mar
    • Tamales Cubanos (Cuban Tamales) served in a white platter with other wrapped tamales laying beside it.
      Tamales Cubanos (Cuban Tamales)
    • Boursin stuffed mushrooms served on black slate with a glass of red wine beside it.
      Boursin Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

    Reader Interactions

    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

    Join the Discussion Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Profile Picture of founder of Mexican Appetizers and More

    HOLA! WELCOME!

    I'm Cathy! Here we like to talk about food, especially Latin food and appetizers. Love Mexican, Puerto Rican and other Latin food? Come and indulge with me in some of the tastiest Latin appetizers and dishes. 

    More about me →

    Popular Recipes

    • Sopa de Salchichon (Salami Soup) cooked in a large caldero (dutch oven pot) with a side of white rice and avocado halves.
      Sopa de Salchichon
    • Pollo Chuco (Pollo con Tajadas) assembled on a white plate and pickled red onions on the side.
      Pollo Chuco (Pollo con Tajadas)
    • Carne frita served in a white platter with a side of garlic dipping sauce.
      Carne Frita (Fried Pork Chunks)
    • Caldo de Pollo (Mexican Chicken Soup) with carrots, onion, green cabbage, corn cob pieces and jalapenos served in a Mexican clay bowl.
      Caldo de Pollo (Mexican Chicken Soup)
    • Espagueti con carne molida (Puerto Rican Spaghetti) served in a white bowl with a side of bread, tossed salad and grated parmesan cheese.
      Espagueti con Carne Molida
    • Mojarra frita laying on top of a bed of white rice surrounding by slices of red onions and avocado slices.
      Mojarra Frita (Whole Fried Fish)

    Popular Desserts

    • Quesitos (Cream Cheese Puff Pastry) served on a gray plate.
      Quesitos (Cream Cheese Puff Pastry)
    • Mantecaditos served on a plate with more cooling on a wire rack.
      Mantecaditos
    • Limber de Coco (Coconut Limber) prepared and frozen in plastic cups, topped with shredded coconut and ground cinnamon.
      Limber de Coco
    • Limber de Leche (Limber de Crema) served in plastic cups, topped with cinnamon and one flipped over inside cup. Cinnamon sticks laying beside limbers.
      Limber de Leche
    • Pastelillos de Guayaba (Guava Pastries) served on a white platter surrounded by blueberries and strawberry slices.
      Pastelillos de Guayaba (Guava Pastries)
    • Arroz con Dulce Puertorriqueño (Puerto Rican Rice Pudding) served in a white casserole topped with ground cinnamon.
      Arroz con Dulce Puertorriqueño

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Service
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2026 Mexican Appetizers and More

    Unauthorized use and/or duplication of material without express and written permission from this site's owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Mexican Appetizers and More with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.