New England Clam Dip
This easy New England clam dip recipe tastes so much better than any pre-packaged version you can pick up at the grocery store.
By Yankee Magazine|Jul 30 2019|
In this easy New England clam dip recipe, sour cream and cream cheese pair with tender clams, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and onion to form a tasty classic you won’t be able to resist. Why settle for store-bought when homemade tastes this good?
SEE MORE:
Homemade Five-Onion Dip Recipe
Easy Pineapple Cheese Ball Appetizer
Favorite Party Appetizers
Yield:
Makes 2 cupsIngredients
1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 7-ounce can minced clams
1/2 pint (1 cup) sour cream
1/8 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons onion juice (see Note)
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
Drain the clams, reserving some of the liquid, and mash into the softened cream cheese. Add the remaining ingredients and blend well.
If a thinner dip is required, use 1 or 2 tablespoons of the reserved clam liquid to thin the mixture. For a thicker dip, omit the sour cream and use 2 packages of cream cheese instead of just one.
Serve with sturdy potato chips.
Notes:
Onion juice is easily produced by grating an onion, then straining the pulp to free the onion juice.
I tried this clam dip – not at all pleased with it.
The lemon juice flavor was somewhat overwhelming – so if you try it – cut the lemon juice at least in half.
I think I will look for another recipe before trying to tweak this one
I’ve been making clam dip for years, my youngest son devours it! I skip the onion juice, add minced garlic and cayenne pepper to taste…..
Would not make it again. Had to doctor it up too much. I will look for a better recipe.
Wish we could trade e-mails because I have one from my Mom that is over the top, easy to make and you serve it hot. Also have a great Vidallia onion dip, that’s served hot with crackers and when ever I make a 12″ pie plate of it, it’s cleaned to the bottom of the dish.
Richard Wojtyna, please please send in your Mom’s heated clam dip. I have been looking all over for a good one for years… Still looking! Thanks, Carol Grayson
ok, Richard. Fess up. You can post it here…that’s iffn you want to.
I have made a combination of Lipton’ Onion Soup Mix and diced clams using the clam juice to reconstitute the onions somewhat. 8 ounces of cream cheese hot sauce instead of worstershire sauce. I LOVE lemon and 2 TBLSP is not too much for my taste. 4 is even better with the 8 oz cream cheese.
Yankee sayeth:”why settle for store bought”. It’s been many years since I’ve tasted a decent store bought clam dip,and that was Kraft brand ,which disappeared from the shelves for seemingly no other reason than to torment me.So this recipe and commentary is welcome!
Someone remembers Kraft Clam Dip, WOW, I loved it and couldn’t figure out why it disappeared. Could eat the whole dish by myself.
I absolutely loved the Kraft clam dip. I moved back to New England from the Midwest and immediately went to look for it. Nothing!! So found this recipe comes pretty close if not better.
Greetings, I make a rustic and delicious clam dip the way may family has made it for generations: Using a fork, mix cream cheese blocks with canned clams, and thin with clam juice to dip consistency; always serve with Ruffles. JM
I plan on making it today and am wondering if adding some Old Bay Seasoning to the mix would be a better addition than all the lemon juice called for.
Old Bay may be good!! I use celery salt and just a little lemon juice. IMHO recipes should be simple… I use 16oz sour cream, 8oz cream cheese, 1-10oz can Baby Clams…..and then the seasonings.
i dont use cream cheese. Sour cream &Mayo hot sauce horseradish worcester shire lemon juice ,been making this for years
This the exact recipe I started using years ago, back in the 70’s, now my son has 2 children and am bribing him with my infamous clam dip and the big veggie tray to come to our extended families home for thanksgiving.
I love a lipton soup clam dip I have made for many years and friends from Massachusetts to Virginia absolutely love it! It’s made with a regular size container of sour cream; 1 package lipton onion soup mix; a regular size canned chopped clams. Mix all together, add a dash of Worcester sauce and refrigerate for several hours. Eat with crackers or toasted baguette rounds!
One must enjoy one’s traditions, but confused as to the placement of a packaged product comment here. The idea is to lessen the amount of “prepared” to straightforward ingredients.
Been making clam dip for 69 years. Now I use whipped cream cheese and one can minced and one can choppedclams. Worcestorshire, lemon juice a must. Use the clam juice if needed. Even our poodle loved it when we had clam dip.
Made it and not happy! Can’t taste the clams!!!! Gonna do some tweaking but will look for new recipe. ????
Yum! Love clam dip…
You myst use Tabasco to spice it up and Fritos scoop chips! The dip should have a hue of red from the Tabasco sauce!
Use George Washington Soup mix in the mix, my grandmother used this and it is spectacular!