If you’re wondering what to serve with your clambake, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, I list 15 of the most popular side dishes for a clambake.
In a rush? Here’s the short answer.
Clambake is best served with garlic bread, bruschetta, farfalle pasta, summer slaw, and deviled eggs. Soups like clam chowder and tomato bisque are great, too. Healthy sides such as roast and steamed vegetables, creamed spinach, and boiled potatoes are also great additions to a clambake.
Ready? Let’s jump right in.
Tomato bisque
One of the simple joys in life is a delicious, rich bowl of tomato bisque.
It’s a silky smooth version of the classic tomato soup we all love with a finishing touch of heavy cream.
In the most classic version, you’d need to use stock from shellfish to call it a bisque.
Hey, better use those clams, lobster, and shrimp shells – add them to the seafood stockpot for the bisque!
Serve together with the clam bake, and you’ll have the perfect comfort food combo.
This recipe from Primavera Kitchen has a sour cream garnish and sprinkles of garlic, green onions, and bacon.
Yummy!
Crack carrots
There’s never a wrong time to serve a vegetable side dish.
Since most veggies are versatile, they go well with virtually anything – including a clambake.
These perfectly roasted carrots are a solid, healthy option if you like to meal prep for your weekend beach getaway.
Served with your favorite shellfish, they make a fantastic healthy and oh-so-good lunch.
Check out Swanky recipe for the best-roasted carrot recipe!
Pumpkin bruschetta
Bruschetta is usually topped with tomatoes, but another great option is pumpkin.
Use a mixture of diced pumpkin, parmesan cheese shavings, pinenuts, and balsamic spooned over slices of rustic bread.
You can prep these ahead of time, making them a great hassle-free side to go with your clambake.
Authentic Suburban Gourmet’s recipe puts its own spin on the dish by adding a sweet balsamic reduction and some toasted fresh sage.
Stuffed tomatoes
Suppose you’re looking for a new way to use your freshly picked tomatoes or want a quick side dish to bring to your DIY backyard clambake?
This nourishing stuffed tomatoes recipe is just what you need.
It’s a mouthwatering treat filled with brown rice, onion, garlic, and basil—and so much mozzarella.
(You can never have too much mozzarella!).
You can use the recipe from Forks Over Knives as a guide and swap in your favorite combination of cheeses and herbs to make this dish your own.
Psst… check out some more ideas on what to eat with stuffed tomatoes here.
Clam chowder
Clam chowder AND a clambake?
Hear me out.
Why not add more when you just can’t get enough of these salty, chewy clams?
The silky smooth stock of this side dish boasts a rich clam flavor, tender chunks of potato, chewy clams, savory onions, and seasonal herbs.
The best way to eat it is to scoop some shellfish from the clambake into shallow bowls and ladle the chowder over it.
Don’t forget to pass the hot sauce, crusty baguette, and butter.
What a delicious meal!
Head over to Dinner then Dessert for an ultimate creamy clam chowder recipe.
Vegetable skewers
Grilled vegetables taste heavenly as-is, but you can also get creative and make your own set of skewers.
Have a relaxing night in and enjoy your grilled favorite veggies on a stick.
The Forked Spoon has easy veggie skewers brushed with a fresh garlic herb sauce.
Asian summer slaw
This asian slaw is super refreshing and pairs well with almost any main dish – clambake being no exception.
This recipe features a zesty dressing of rice vinegar and ginger and pairs perfectly with the savory and salty flavors in the clambake.
Follow this recipe from Cooktoria and make your own signature summer slaw.
Garlic bread
Why not keep it simple? You can serve clambake with some freshly baked garlic bread, and I can guarantee none of your guests will complain.
The Recipe Critic pro-tip for a loaf of crisp garlic bread is to broil the top for 1-2 minutes at the end.
Classic deviled eggs
We usually serve deviled eggs as appetizers at dinner parties, but they’re also a great side dish for clambake.
You can make this classic dish by evenly dispersing heaped teaspoons of egg yolk, mayo, vinegar, and mustard into the deyolked egg whites.
Don’t forget to top everything off with paprika and bacon!
Deviled egg fillings are sweet and creamy; it complements the
Check out the best-deviled eggs recipe on the internet from Downshiftology.
Green salad
What’s your favorite side salad recipe?
Mine is a green salad.
It’s simple enough for everyday meals and delicious enough for a summer clam bake party.
You can serve a healthy tossed salad as a side to go with your boiled seafood and grilled meats.
Creme dela Pub has an easy Greek tossed green salad recipe, incorporating the flavors of the Mediterranean in one healthy dish.
Roasted Greek vegetables
Roast vegetables are the perfect healthy side dish to serve with steamed clams.
You can go Mediterranean with this roasted Greek vegetable recipe that uses peppers, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes.
Check out Eazy Peazy Mealz for a delightful roasted veg recipe for your next clambake.
Creamed spinach
What’s better than a side of creamy spinach?
Make your clambake even better by dipping your freshly grilled clams into this smooth and moreish dish.
The creaminess will make you forget you’re eating spinach and is great for even the fussiest of eaters.
Try your hand at the best creamed spinach recipe from The Novice Chef Blog.
Farfalle pasta
Farfalle pasta is a great choice to accompany your clambake.
It holds the creamy sauce better than other pasta shapes, and you can add some of your extra seafood into the dish.
This pasta recipe is chock-full of buttery parmesan sauce – the epitome of all things rich and creamy!
Check out this oh-so-good farfalle with spinach, mushrooms, and caramelized onions recipe from Julie’s Album.
Steamed green beans
Steaming green beans keep their bright green color and perfect tender-crisp texture.
Dip them in a simple buttermilk sauce for an extra special treat.
This fresh and light recipe will round out your outdoor seafood feast!
Cooking on the Front Burners has a quick recipe that takes only 8 minutes to whip up!
Parsley boiled potatoes
Buttery boiled potatoes with parsley is one of the best potato recipes you can make.
You need only 3 basic ingredients and 5 minutes prep time, perfect for your home instant pot clambake.
But if you’re in the mood to cook, consider other potato side dishes such as skillet-fried or instant-pot potatoes.
Head over to Foodie Crush for this oh-so-easy and delicious 3 ingredient buttery parsley potatoes recipe.
The best side dishes for a clambake
- Tomato bisque
- Crack carrots
- Pumpkin bruschetta
- Stuffed tomatoes
- Clam chowder
- Vegetable skewers
- Asian summer slaw
- Garlic bread
- Classic deviled eggs
- Green salad
- Roasted Greek vegetables
- Creamed spinach
- Farfalle pasta
- Steamed green beans
- Parsley boiled potatoes

What To Serve With A Clambake
Ingredients
- 1 portion clambake
Instructions
- Prepare your clambake according to your favorite recipe.
- In the meantime, choose one of the following sides to serve alongside it.
- Side dishes include: tomato bisque, crack carrots, pumpkin bruschetta, stuffed tomatoes, clam chowder, vegetable skewers, Asian summer slaw, garlic bread, classic deviled eggs, green salad, roasted greek vegetables, creamed spinach, farfalle pasta, steamed green beans, and parsley boiled potatoes.
- Serve immediately and enjoy.