Sake-Steamed Clams made in 10 minutes with just 5 ingredients! Sake brings out amazing flavors from the clams; simplicity at its best!
Today I want to share a popular recipe at Izakaya-style Japanese restaurants, and that is Sake-Steamed Clams, or Asari no Sakamushi (あさりの酒蒸し). It’s super easy and simple with just five ingredients, and you can cook it in 10 minutes!
If you are familiar with Japanese cuisine, you probably know that we rarely use chili peppers as an ingredient. However this dish requires a bit of chili pepper. If you like your food to be spicy, you can definitely add more.
There are many other ways to make sake-steamed clams, such as adding a little bit of butter at the end. This is a wonderful appetizer for a party especially because you can start preparing it after the guests arrive.
The Key for Delicious Sake-Steamed Clams
If you use fresh clams, don’t forget to de-grit (let the clams purge sand and grit) before you cook. I recommend doing this even though the package or fish mongers say “ready to use”. I often taste sand/grit in them, and you don’t want to experience that while eating your delicious clams. You can see my tutorial here.
I hope you enjoyed this Japanese Sake Steamed Clams! If you make this recipe, snap a picture and hashtag it #JustOneCookbook. I love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter! Thank you so much for reading and trying the recipes!
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- ¾ cup sake
- 1 Tbsp ginger (julienned)
- 1.5 lbs Manila Clams/Littleneck Clams (de-grited, see Notes)
- 1 dried red chili pepper
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 green onion/scallion (chopped)
- In a large frying pan, add the sake and ginger and bring it to a boil.
- Add the clams and a red chili pepper. Place the lid and steam on high heat for a few minutes until all the clams open.
- Remove the lid and add freshly ground black pepper and green onion. Shake the pan to make sure the clams are not over-lapping each other.
- Serve with the soup and eat while warm.
Manila Clams/Littleneck Clams: How to de-grit, click here.
Prep Time: De-gritting time (1 to 4 hours) is NOT included in prep time.
Recipe by Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook. All images and content on this site are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without my permission. If you’d like to share this recipe on your site, please re-write the recipe in your own words and link to this post as the original source. Thank you.
This is the best flavoured seafood of all time, I love its strong taste. Nice and simple recipe. And yes I want a visit from Fairly Hobmother!
Such gorgeous clicks Nami! Love the second one. Ginger and sake! Wow! I’m sure these tasted perfect!
Congratulations on receiving a present from Fairy Hobmother, well deserved. So fairies do exist in reality.
I love this dish as I made it quite often at home too. 🙂 You’re so cute with your reaction on the Fairy Hopmother’s visit. I don’t mind that kind of heart attack, obviously! hahaha….take care and have a good day. BTW, have fun shopping on Amazon. hm…I can really use an Amazon gift card myself too.
Nami, you know I really love clams, and this is a great recipe, so different from mine but so appealing! I wanna try it (well, not right now, uh… 10AM :D)
that is so nice of the fairy hobmother!
Congratulations Nami on your voucher and it sounds like you had a fun weekend too! A delicious sounding dish too 😀
I seldom cook clams, but these look so simple and delicious! I really should shop for clams one of these days. Happy to hear that you got an early xmas pressie from the Fairy Hobmother! I promise to be good and hopefully she’ll pay me a visit too! 🙂
Looks very delicious and mouth watering, my favorite too but I prefer to cook in spicy version. Have a nice day.
been a while since i cooked clams! i love de-gritting them…haha fun! 😉
one of my fav soups ever is a simple clam soup with lots of ginger…your steamed clams dish reminds me of it!
So happy the Fairy Hobmother paid you a visit and Happy Shopping! The ginger and sake are a good combo and I’m looking forward to the restaurant reviews.
Congrats on receiving a pressie from the fairy hobmother!! i certainly hope that she’ll pay me a visit to!! 🙂 have an awesome week ahead!
What an awesome gift you received Nami – congratulations!
I love the idea of Japanese steamed clams – I have never eaten clams like this before – sounds heavenly!
🙂 Mandy
It sounds like your weekend was fantastic! I had a pretty good one, too. I’ve never actually tried clams before, but the next time I get the chance, I’m going to go for it, and yours look especially good… Congratulations on your gift!
I always love the tasty stock from cooking a seafood recipe like this especially when it is cooked with sake!
Congrats on the fairy hobmother visit!! I am sure you are excited as I did!
That sounds like a fun weekend!!! :-)))
Ohhh the Fairy Hobmother!!! I’ve always wanted to “see” a fairy!!! 😉 Lucky girl! I am very happy for you!
I love clams… and almost never find them here… this recipe is not that different to the Italian way of cooking clams/vongole… we use white wine instead of sake and garlic and parsley instead of ginger and green onion… but the method is the same! YUM!
Great information Nami, as always. I loved the details on cleaning the clams. Cooking the clams are easy. The laborious part is cleaning them properly.
Thank you for sharing and congrats for winning a $100 gift card from The Fairy Hobmother for use at Amazon. I hope she has the time to stop by my blog to pay me a visit. Spend it wisely! Happy Monday!
This is so quick & simple – my kind of recipe! Out of curiosity, Why have to shake the pan so the clams don’t overlap each other in step 4?
Oh Fairy Hobmother, please come and sprinkle your fairy dust on me 😛
Hi Shannon, I shake pan so that clams don’t overlap each other…if they are overlapping, it’s possible that clams haven’t open up yet. So you shake and make sure clams are all open. 🙂
Congrats on the win!
The clams look simply perfect.
LL
My absolute favourite shellfish! I like it best in soup. It is quite rare and expensive here so we really had fun eating lots of them in Vegas. You are so lucky, Nami. I want to make these photos my screensaver.
Nami, it must be the “clams in sake” season for all the Japanese cooks! I saw this dish only a couple of days ago at Hiroyuki’s blog and thought I had to try it. Now, seeing your lovely photos and a similar recipe I have decided my next mussels or clams if I find them will be cooked in sake. The chili pepper addition sounds like an excellent idea. In short, your clams look perfect!
Congratulations for the Fairy Hobmother visit and the gift you have received! I hope you will have fun shopping on Amazon! I would of course be more than happy to have a visit from the Fairy Hobmother on my blog 🙂
Congratulations on receiving a present from Fairy Hobmother, well deserved. I have made clam soup before but the western style using white wine:D Got to try using sake the next time.
My family loves clams and I just steamed clams last week with fresh chilli and garlic. Must try your version soon as it looks so delicious.
Congrats for the gift you received from Fairy Hobmother. You’re so lucky!
Nami, I can not believe how easy steamed clams is!!!!! For some reason I am always a bit frightened when it comes to clams and squids, felt like they would be difficult to cook, plus it’s not easy to get my hands on fresh clams, do you think frozen ones would work as well?
Congrats on the gift from Fairy Hobmother, how fun is it to receive an unexpected gift?! What do you plan on buying from Amazon.com? There are just too many choices! Happy shopping!
I have never cooked frozen clams before, but as long as they are fresh (not cooked) it should work I think… Let me know if you try. I’m curious myself. 🙂 I’ve been asked from some readers here about what to buy… I think I’ll save up for a new camera or lens… 🙂
I think I enjoy clams prepared virtually any way but I enjoy them most in simple dishes like this one.
I love going to Monterey/Carmel, rain or shine. Glad you and the fam were able to enjoy a nice getaway. I’m curious to know which restaurant in Pacific Grove you’ll be reviewing–I have a favorite there. Guess I’ll have to wait for the review! 🙂
Have a great week, Nami!
These are beautiful – so fresh and light!
Wow, you’re so lucky…:)!! I also want a visit from the Fairy Hobmother, so do come and visit my blog and give me a voucher Fairy Hobmother…;)!
This is another simple yet elegant dish from you, Nami. I don’t eat clams very often, but when I do I usually eat pipi with XO sauce, which I think is a popular Cantonese dish. I will definitely try this recipe when I have some clams available. Love the sound of clams with sake!
So simple, yet so tasty! Congrats on the visit by the Fairy Hobmother. Enjoy your giftcard! 🙂
Congratulation on your gift from Fairy Hob mother!!!!
These clams look so good….
Nami the pictures are awesome, I simply love the color coordination, beautiful…
Enjoy your gift card and have a blast…..
These clams look delectable Nami! Love the Japanese rendition of the recipe and will be sure to try it one day soon. PS Glad to hear you had a lovely weekend with the family, and of course that you have some spending money thanks to the Fairy Hobmother! I know what I’d be getting… Enjoy!
These look wonderful–steamed clam dishes can look so bland, but I love the touches of green and yellow in yours!
Congrats on the visit from the fairy! I got a visit the other month–so exciting. I bought my new cutting board with the Amazon card…I can’t wait to use it. These clams look lovely, Nami. Gorgeous photos, as always! x
I have never heard of the Fairy Hobmother before haha thats great! Congratualtions 🙂 well deserved!
This recipe looks delicious, Nami! You must of had an amazing time with your family =]
I have never heard of the Fairy Hobmother, but will be so thankful if she comes by my blog and leaves me a special treat! =] This is why I love blogging… xoxo
こんばんわ！
とっても美味しそうです。
アリゾナでもクラムは以外と新鮮な物を買う事が出来るので作ってみたいです
サンタクルーズ、、主人の祖父母が住んでいた所で
何度か遊びに行きました。
雨に降られたのは残念ですが、とっても素敵な場所ですよね
Wow, you got quite a gift from the Fairy Hobmother! Lucky girl! Now, onto these clams, they look fabulous!
This dish is looking lovely Nami…. ! I loved the way you presented and made it and am sure it tasted heavenly…regards, sonia
Clams is one of my favourite seafood; whether in hot & spicy stir fry or steamed! I know for sure, the way you cooked it, it sure does taste absolutely delicious!
Steamed clams are a staple favorite in my family, and my hubby is a big fan of it! Over here, we get the steamed clams with Chinese white wine, but I am intrigued by your sake version!:)
I am pretty sure it is just as enticing; if not better, and as usual, your photos just take my breath away!
Oh, congratulations on the win; you are such a lovely person, it is no wonder that the Fairy Hobmother takes a liking in you too 😀
Beautiful post, Nami! Your visit from the Fairy Hobmother was so well-deserved, you are wonderful! Have a great evening!
OMG that is awesome that the Fairy Hobmother visited you! I want her to visit me too. Nami these clams look awesome! Steamed clams are my total weakness, I love them in all different preparations. This looks so oiishi!
Ooooh!!! This sounds lovely, and so so easy!! I’m glad you don’t actually need a steamer for this dish.
I never seen before this type of dish but looks lovely Nami. very interesting.
First off – the clams are stunning! Secondly – congratulations on the visit from the Fairy Hobmother! I keep seeing her around the bloggy world…it’s time to visit Cooking Healthy For Me!
Glad to hear you had a great weekend with your family! The clams look so beautifully delicious. Congrats on the visit from the Fairy Hobmother! Very well deserved.
Wow…congrats on the Fairy Hobmother visit, Nami!!! I got lucky to be visited by her months ago but not lucky enough to get as much as you did! I guess I deserve another visit hah! LOL.
Your Sake Steamed Clams sounds yummy. I love clams but I haven’t cooked them with sake. Would love to try this soon!
Gorgeous clam dish! You always make everything look so easy Nami. My kids love seafood, so I may give this a try. We just went to Monterey about a month ago and visited the aquarium too. Looking forward to hearing about where you dined!
Oh, and I make a wish upon a star…..that the Fairy Hobmother will visit me before I wake. 🙂
I need to try clams – it’s been a while since I had my last taste.
I’ve gotten an email from Fairy Hobmother before, but thought it was just a SPAM 😀
I think this is the first recipe I have ever seen with julienned ginger… was there a reason behind this? I love the simple flavours that are locked in this recipe. Great work Nami!
Hi Jeff! Really? We julienne ginger a lot for our cooking – either julienned or grated or sliced. The reason behind julienned ginger. Hmm… actually I’m not sure. Depending on the dish I change how ginger is cut. Julienned works for stir fry kind of dish so that julienned ginger is scattered around, while grated ginger for soup or sauce and sliced ginger is for stew/soup…. but tha’s how I do it though. 🙂
Whenever i see fresh claims in the wet market, i’m sure grap some. My Chinese way is almost the same ingredients, but we use Chinese cooking wine or Tiew Heng wine. Normally we steam it over boiling water..Love your Japanese way too, as I don’t need to prepare the steaming tray ^^, just cook straight from the frying pan, i must try this way soon. Thanks Nami!
It is so great that you also got a visit from the fairy hobmother!
That dish looks really refined and delicious.
Cheers,
Rosa
Hobmother? O.o honestly never heard about. congrats to your price! even if I win I wouldnt be able to use a amazon gift card. lol
anyways…. Your clams look awesome, but unluckily I am not into clams and mussels and all other shells. simply not my thing. But I do like the way u cook them in sake, am a total sake fan ( Iam not an alkoholic), but again thats difficult if not impossibel to get here.
My husband though, would enjoy this dish. I d serve ti maybe with some rice. any other idea with what I could serve them?
These clams are gorgeous!! I love clams but they’re not common in Israel (partially because they are not kosher). So for now I will just have to drool over yours! I’d of course love a visit from the fairy hobmother!
Another stunning dish, Nami! And totally DELISH! It must be like eating at a restaurant dining at your house… And congrats on a visit from the Fairy Hobmother…her prize package has increased since her visit to my blog…LUCKY you!!!! Have a wonderful day, my friend. xoxo
I love clams and I love sake…This should be great! Congrats on your gift certificate win 🙂 I’d love a visit from the Fairy Hobmother! Maybe I’d buy a Staub Round Cocotte.
These clams are absolutely stunning! I LOVE your photos, everything looks so bright and delicious, wow! Thanks for sharing Nami, you did an incredible job =]
Hi Nami-I love the steamed clams with the Sake…a genius idea! I always make it Italian style, with the white wine, garlic, and dried chili peppers, sprinkle with Italian parsley.
Love the Japanese version of one of the yummy clams. Can’t wait to see your restaurant review. It’s so nice that you and family got to take some time off for the weekend.
It was such a pleasure to meet up with you, in SF. Loved every minute of our time together!
Congratulations on the fab. winning from the fairy hobmother! Such a generous gift to chose from Amazon. I wish she could come my way…she really gets around:DDD
Hugs,
Elisabeth, yes it was really nice to meet you! I feel very honored that I could meet you in person! I wish I could stay longer!
Hello Nami, I’m glad you had a nice time with your family this weekend.
Your clams looks amazing, I love them! I can eat a large pot of clams and then lay down feverish 🙂
Congratulations on your gift from the Fairy hobmother!
Have a great day!
How wonderful! I too had the Fairy Hobmother visit last week 🙂 Congrats…
Lucky you – getting a gift from the fairy! I want a visit too!!
Also, these clams look delicious. Can I tell you something? I’ve never tried clams in my life! The closest I got to shelled seafood was mussels. I’m not so adventurous when it comes to seafood, but your recipe looks very tempting..
Wow, it looks like Santa visited you a bit earlier this year ; )
I hope you guys are doing good there. We miss you…
As you know I am not big fan of clams, but my husband and oldest son are very much into them:)) Lovely recipe and amazing presentation!!! Congrats on the Fairy visit!!! Aren’t they incredible?
What an easy and simple recipe! I love that and I ‘m sure it tastes fab.
My mother would often steam the clams for us to eat. We used to get a big bowl and just chomp away.
My Taiwanese friend made something very similar with squid. I quite enjoy drinking this soup. Clam or oyster, I should try it out.
So exciting that you got a “special” visit. And this recipe looks so simple and delicious.
I want those sake steamed clams NOW! Make my wish come true. Of course, I wish that Fairy Hobmother visit me too! But I need to eat and have the strength to wait.
Oh! These clams look great…I never had it with sake…so easy and simple to make! The pictures are awesome as always.
And yes, I would love a visit from the fairy Hobmother…
Hope you are having wonderful week Nami and congratulations on the gift card 🙂
This reminds me of a very cute and funny book I read today to my students called Singing Shijimi Clams by Naomi Kojima. It is hilarious because the pictures are reminding me of the story where the clams are sleeping comfortably and snoring away until they realize they are going to be cooked in miso soup but then with their cute singing the witch has a change of heart who decides to return them to their home! Back to your recipe … it is looking so deliciously although I have never eaten clams before. Oh and I would love a visit from the fairy!!
I love clams but it’s hard to get good ones here in Iowa. Thanks for sharing 🙂 And I would *love* a visit from the fairy Hobmother 🙂
Good to know you had a fun time with the family. Those clams look delicious & I see you used chili pepper to ‘spice’ up the clams:)
Mmm, I bet this would be fabulous with a handful of udon noodles thrown in to go with all that lovely sake sauce. 😉
Oh gosh I LOVE sake steamed clams!! I could eat the entire pot of them. Not kidding 🙂
The hubby and I are both huge fans of steamed clams. I’ve never made them, but since you make it look so easy, I’m wondering why I’ve never made them. Well, this looks like a great recipe to start with! Ginger and sake – YUM! Congratulations on the gift from the Fairy Hobmother!! I hope she drops by my blog someday. 🙂 I wonder what you’ll being buying at Amazon. 🙂
Geez who is this fairy hobmother you speak of? Apparently I need to get my head out of the oven more often. Congrats on the gift card. That’s fabulous! I grew up eating quite alot of seafood. Now we never eat it as mini-me is deathly allergic to it. But I get seriously nostalgic for it when I see it. My father was from the east coast so it was a staple growing up. Hope you are having a lovely week Nami!
I am glad your family got to go hang out in Monterey..such a lovely place. The aquarium is awesome!!
I love seafood of all kinds, these clams sounds so delicious and healthy too! Congrats on your winning, Nami:D
Congratulations on the gift card Nami!
I know I would be jumping up and down like a kid if the fairy hobmother would visit my blog!
Another master piece and yummy recipe
hats off to you Nami
Beautiful post Nami – I don’t think clams are so common where I am – although maybe I’m just not looking in the right place. There’s a restaurant nearby which serves a few of them as part of a seafood platter, but not in such abundance as your post. I often use the de-gritting method on mussels as well – nothing is more annoying than crunching down on a big piece of sand or grit!
Congratulations on your visit from the Fairy Hobmother (lol, I just love that name!) – Oh Fairy Hobmother, I would so love for you to visit me too. I would wish for magical clam-locating powers (sort of like ClamGPS!) in this barren, butter-rich country of anti-clamdom!
Wow these do look delicious. If I were goingto eat clams I would want them this way. Is the broth edible looks like you could dip bread inthere.
Yes Fairy Hobmother, please come visit me.
Congratulations for being selected by the Fairy Hobmother! So happy for you. I like how this clams recipe is so simple and quick. The Chinese have a similar version as well, adding fermented black beans. The Japanese and Chinese do cook very similar in some ways. Have a nice day!
Congratulations for being selected by the Fairy Hobmother! What a nice surprise visit! I like how this clams recipe is so simple and quick. The Chinese have a similar version as well, adding fermented black beans. The Japanese and Chinese do cook very similar in some ways. Have a nice day!
delicious looking clams looks wonderful
Nami!!
This is a simple and delish dish indeed!
I been thinking to make a dish like dish and here u are… tq fr sharing nami, will get the clam fr the nearest supermarket when I got back fr church 🙂
Love This!;)
Hi Nami! That looks SO delicious!! oishi! 😛 Wow, that’s such a pleasant surprise too hahah…Congrats girl!
Oh forgot to say, yes I wish the Fairy Hobmother will visit my blog too hahah 😀
Congrats on the fairy’s visit and the gift card! You’re so lucky, Nami! 😀
I love my clams just this way, especially when I managed to get very fresh ones. 😉
Haven’t try with the sake tho and I will the next time! 😉
So nice that you got a visit from the Fairy Hobmother!
These clams look so wonderful…I am so hungry now!
Hi Nami! Thanks for buzzing me over at my blog. I really miss our meet up. Can you believe it it’s now 1 week later that I’ve been back in my own country? You are so kind with your compliments and I really appreciate them to bits. Do you know I always enjoy your photos? They look like the front page of a magazine cover. So much better than what I can do am sure. Now to the clams.. this is such a classic way of cooking clams. A real comforting dish and the broth is especially fragrance and naturally sweet from all the sake and ginger. Yummmm… Hugggsss, Jo
Hi Nami,
glad to hear you had a wonderful 3 day weekend!
I don’t think I ever though clams, or even oysters or mussels, can look pretty but you put them in these stunning photos making hard for anyone to resist the temptation of instant drooling!
These sake steamed clams look AMAZING! I am dreaming up linguini and clam sauce with these 😀
Those clams look amazing!
my mum does a similar version, with shaoxing wine! (: yum!
Mmmmmm, I love steamed clams! 😀
Working with clams scares me, much like mussels. I just never know if I’m doing the right thing!
And yes, I’d like a visit from the Fairy Hobmother please oh please.
mmmm….yummy clams with sake! Clams always taste good with minimal spices. They have a taste of their own. Yummy recipe!
Hi Nami.. I tried to cook clam for the first time (by looking at your recipe as well as how to de grit and de salt the clams).. You’re awesome!!!!!! This recipe is sooooooo delicious.. I used fruity white wine instead of sake (as i dont have one) and add more chillies to the recipe.. Thanks for sharing the recipe Nami! 🙂
Hi Devie! Yay! I’m so glad you liked it. If you enjoy eating clams, try Clam Pasta! That’s our quick and easy week night meal (of course we still need to degrit though…). Thank you so much for trying the recipe. So happy you liked it! p.s. If you used white wine, you can drop 1 tbsp. butter at the end, which adds extra flavor… really delicious! 🙂
Hi, Nami. Will have to buy some clams tomorrow!!!! Maybe I’ll do some mussels with it, too. My mother always loved spicy food despite being Japanese. So did my father and as kids, we embraced it! Hope you had a nice holiday season.
~Chieko
Hi Chieko! Hope you enjoy(ed) this recipe! Yes, mussels work too. 🙂 Most Japanese restaurants do not offer spicy food because there are not too many people who can tolerate spice. Your parents are very cool!!!
My mother used to make a sinus-clearing kare-raisu. She would brown flour and S&B curry powder in the skillet then add hot pepper, white pepper, etc. That was one of my favorites when I was a kid. Great food for when it was winter! Sad news…the last surviving brother of my mom (who passed in 2000) passed away this month. She was the second oldest and her older brother died very young. At least I stay in contact with two of my younger cousins on FB. Eventually, there won’t be any contact unless my nephews in the US decide to reach out to their second cousins in Japan. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be much interest. Sad to be separated by distance.
Hi Chieko! I know, it’s very hard. Even within Japan, when you live in the city, relatives don’t contact too often, and you only see them at funerals… Houses are smaller and it’s impossible to host a gathering or to have a place to fit everyone… it’s a funny reason we can’t get together if you live in the city (I think it’s more common to get together with relatives if you live in the countryside). We have to do our best to stay in touch with family and relatives in a regular basis. Something I need to work on too.
Looks delicious
Thanks Bong!