Clams and Chorizo Rice

Updated Aug. 18, 2025

Clams and Chorizo Rice
Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.
Total Time
35 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(77)
Comments
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Clams, tomatoes and chorizo come together quickly to make a simple and satisfying one-pot dinner. It tastes of the sea without being overly fishy, and the tomatoes add acidity and brightness while the chorizo gives it richness and a bit of smokiness. While some brands of tinned shellfish can be on the pricier side, consider that each 4-ounce can packs in up to 4 dozen clams without the bulk of the shells. Look for whole clams in brine and olive oil for the best flavor.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 2tablespoons olive oil
  • 1small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
  • Salt
  • 1pound cherry tomatoes
  • ½cup/70 grams chopped dried chorizo
  • 1¼ cups jasmine rice
  • cups chicken broth
  • 1(4-ounce) can whole clams in brine and olive oil, brine reserved
  • 1cup cilantro leaves, plus more for serving
  • Lemon wedges, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

638 calories; 41 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 28 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 57 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 10 grams protein; 813 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large (12-inch), heavy-bottomed skillet or pot, heat oil over medium. Add the onion and ¾ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Meanwhile, slice about half of the tomatoes in half.

  2. Step 2

    Add all of the halved and whole tomatoes and the chorizo to the skillet and cook until the tomatoes begin to soften and blister in spots, about 4 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently, for another minute. Stir in the broth and clam brine. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low, sprinkle the clams evenly over the top, cover and cook for 15 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer but avoid scorching, until the rice is just tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.

  3. Step 3

    Remove from the heat, season to taste with salt and stir in the cilantro. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and topped with more cilantro.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
77 user ratings
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Comments

There are clams and then there are clams...if I had to guess, I would say Samantha had canned berberechos aka cockles which depending on where they're canned will certainly have both brine and olive oil...whereas most of what one may find here in the States are whole clams in either water or brine...the olive oil, and the fact that she mentioned how many dozen are in the can is what had me thinking this screams berberechos from Galicia especially as they are super small but flavor bombs

Splurged on some high quality Spanish chorizo and cockles (berberechos) and the dish was phenomenal. Now I am going back to order more cockles - they were so good I just want to eat them straight from the can! Not something I ever thought I would say about canned clams.

@gregg I'm guessing she used tinned cockles from Matiz, a good Spanish tinned fish brand that's widely available online (and also at nice grocery stores). A 4oz can goes for around $14 - pricey in general, but a reasonable expense for the occasional dinner protein. Just ordered a can myself!

Came together perfectly in the pan , but was a letdown as the clams were completely lost. Gonna try again and double up the cockle content. I used the Matiz Espana Wild Cockles already mentioned here

Agree with others that wild cockles in brine are the way to go - certainly ups the brininess and ocean flavor, which I love. Also used wild rice with 3:1 stock to rice and simmered for ~45 min until the rice was tender. Basically turned it into a wild rice soup. Completely outstanding and I’m sure the original recipe would be as well!

Yummy. Followed recipe but used ham instead of chorizo and only the green part of scallions. Garlic and onions are no longer my friends. Used 3 cans of clams and have leftovers for me and hubby. Next time I'll add some spinach.

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