Stuffed Quahogs (“Stuffies”)
Stuffing mix is a handy shortcut in this savory stuffed quahogs (“stuffies”) recipe.
By Yankee Magazine|Apr 20 2026|
Stuffed Quahogs (“Stuffies”)
Photo Credit: ShutterstockQuahogs come in many sizes, from petite littlenecks (1.5 to 2 inches) to midsize cherrystones (2 to 3 inches) to the largest “chowder” quahogs (3 to 5 inches), which is what we use here. You can certainly make stuffed quahogs (“stuffies”) with your own toasted bread cubes, but since this is already a fairly involved dish, we’re happy to use stuffing mix as a shortcut.
This recipe was first published in “Shack Mix” in the May/June 2025 issue of Yankee.
Yield
20 stuffies
Ingredients
10 whole quahogs, shells washed to remove dirt
1 (12 ounce) package herb-flavored stuffing mix, such as Bell’s or Pepperidge Farm
8 tablespoons (½ cup) salted butter
½ pound cooked chouriço, linguica, or chorizo sausage, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 large red pepper, diced
1½ cups diced celery
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup fresh parsley leaves, minced
Instructions
Fill a large Dutch oven with enough water to measure 1 inch deep. Bring water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the quahogs and cook, covered but stirring occasionally, until they open, 8 to 12 minutes. Use tongs to remove the clams from the water as they open and set them aside to cool. (Discard any clams that fail to open.) Reserve the cooking liquid.
Shuck the quahog meat (saving the shells) and roughly chop. Set aside.
Prepare the stuffing mix according to the package directions. Set aside.
Set a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and chouriço (or other sausage) and cook until it begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the onion, red pepper, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes. Add the Old Bay, hot sauce, red pepper flakes, and reserved quahog liquid. Continue to cook until the mixture has reduced and most of the liquid is gone. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the prepared stuffing, sausage-vegetable mixture, chopped quahogs, and fresh parsley. Fill each half shell with the stuffing and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours. Bake at 350°F until stuffing browns on top, 15 to 20 minutes.
