Spanish White Bean & Clam Stew
This Spanish white bean and clam stew is the kind of comforting, flavour-packed dish that feels both rustic and a little bit special.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 lb littleneck clams or pipis cleaned
- 1 onion finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves finely diced
- 1 chilli finely diced (optional)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 16 oz cannellini beans
- 1/4 cup parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Clean / purge clams: Place the clams into cold salted water and leave to sit for 30 minutes or until they purge any sand or grit they may have contained in their shells. Drain the clams and give them a rinse under cold water.
- Make sauce: In a large saucepan on a medium heat, bring the olive oil to heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and chili and cook for 3 more minutes or until the garlic is soft and fragrant. Stir frequently. Add the white wine to the pan and cook for 2 minutes or until 50% of the wine has been evaporated.
- Steam clams: Add the clams to the pan and stir through the sauce. Pop the lid on and increase the heat to high. Cook for 5 minutes or until the clams shells have opened. Shake the pan to encourage them to open. Once the clams have opened, remove them from the sauce with a slotted spoon and place into a bowl. Allow to slightly cool and the remove the clam meat from the shell with your fingers. Reserve several clams in the shell to place on top of the stew at the end to act as a garnish.
- Add beans & clam meat: Add the beans, clam meat and a pinch of salt to the pan with the sauce and stir through on a low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Finish: Add the parsley to the pan and stir through. Serve immediately with some crusty white bread.
Video
Notes
- Pipis vs clams: Pipis are a type of small surf clam commonly found in Australia and are slightly sweeter and more delicate than many other clams. If using other varieties like vongole or littleneck clams, the cooking process remains the same, just keep an eye on size as larger clams may take a little longer to open.
- Freshness is everything: When buying pipis, they should be tightly closed or close when tapped and smell clean and ocean-like. Avoid any that are already open and don’t close when touched.
- Soaking is essential: Always soak pipis in cold salted water for at least 20–30 minutes before cooking. This helps them release any sand or grit so you don’t end up with a sandy broth. In Australia, some pipis and clams come vacuum packed and state they have already been cleaned. When this is the case, you can skip this cleaning or purging step.
- Discard any that don’t open: Once cooked, any pipis that remain closed should be discarded as they are not safe to eat.
- Don’t overcook: Pipis cook very quickly, usually within 3–5 minutes. As soon as they open, they’re ready. Overcooking will make them tough and chewy.
- Use the natural juices: As the pipis open, they release a beautiful salty, ocean-like liquid into the broth. This is where so much of the flavour comes from, so avoid adding too much salt early on.
- Clean as you go: If your pipis are particularly sandy, you can lift them out of the soaking water (rather than draining) so any grit stays at the bottom of the bowl.
- Size matters: Smaller pipis tend to be more tender and cook faster, while larger clams may be slightly chewier but still delicious when cooked properly.
- Serve immediately: This is not a dish that benefits from sitting. The pipis are at their best right after cooking when they are tender and juicy.
Nutrition
Calories: 190kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 250mg | Potassium: 131mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 428IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 3mg
