Ina Garten Summer Skillet With Clams, Sausage & Corn

Ina Garten summer skillet with clams, sausage & corn is an easy one-pot family dinner from a single cast-iron pan. Clams nestle right into sausage, corn, and tomatoes, then steam open in a buttery wine sauce. Bring the skillet straight to the table with crusty bread.

Nestle the clams hinged side down in tight circles so they open evenly. Any clam that stays shut after 12 minutes should be tossed, because a closed shell means it was dead before cooking.

Source: Go-To Dinners (2022)

Ina Garten Summer Skillet With Clams, Sausage and Corn

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Calories

610

kcal

Tender clams pop open over browned sausage, sweet corn, and juicy tomatoes in a cast-iron skillet. The white wine and butter sauce soaks into crusty bread.

Ingredients

• Good olive oil
  

• 1½ cups small-diced yellow onion (1 large)
  

• ¾ pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
  

• 3 cups fresh corn kernels, cut off the cob (4 to 5 ears)
  

• 1 pound vine-ripened tomatoes, ½-inch diced
  

• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  

• ½ cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
  

• 2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter, large-diced
  

• 32 fresh littleneck clams, scrubbed
  

• 3 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves
  

• French bread, for serving

Directions

• Cook the sausage: In a large (12-inch) cast iron skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté over medium-low for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the sausage, breaking it into bite-size pieces, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is no longer pink.
• Add vegetables and steam the clams: Add the corn, tomatoes, red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper to the skillet and sauté for 3 minutes. Pour in the wine and scatter the butter on top. Nestle the clams into the vegetable-and-sausage mixture, hinged sides down, in tight concentric circles. Bring to a boil, cover the skillet, lower the heat, and simmer for 8 to 12 minutes, just until the clams open.
• Serve: Ladle into shallow bowls, sprinkle with the basil, and serve hot with the French bread.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 10.25-inch cast iron skillet, Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chef's knife, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 3 lb. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use other types of clams?

Littleneck clams work best because they are small enough to cook evenly in the skillet. Manila clams are a good swap, but avoid anything larger like cherrystones, which take longer to open and throw off the cooking time. If you can't find fresh clams, mussels work too, but check them around the 6 minute mark since they cook faster.

How well does this store as leftovers?

This dish is best the day you make it. Clams get rubbery when reheated, so leftovers won't have the same texture. If you do have extra, store it in the fridge for one day and reheat gently over low heat with a splash of wine or broth.

Can I prep anything ahead of time?

You can dice the onion, cut the corn off the cob, and dice the tomatoes up to a day ahead. Keep them separate in the fridge. Scrub the clams and soak them right before cooking, not the night before. The actual cooking goes fast once everything is prepped.

Do I need a cast-iron skillet?

A 12-inch cast-iron skillet is ideal because it holds heat evenly and fits all 32 clams in a single layer. A large stainless steel skillet with a lid works too. Avoid nonstick pans here because you want the sausage to brown properly, and nonstick may not handle the higher heat.

How do I know if a clam is bad?

Before cooking, tap any open clam on the counter. If it closes slowly, it is alive and safe to use. Toss any that stay wide open or have cracked shells. After cooking, throw away any clam that did not open during the 8 to 12 minutes of simmering.