Keto Steamed Clams with Basil Garlic Butter [Low Carb, Gluten Free] (2024)

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Can you guys tell I love seafood yet? There’s clearly been a shellfish trend happening on the site the past few recipes. Now, part of this was due to our recent clam and oyster harvest of epic proportions; we’ve been up to our elbows in shellfish here! Naturally, some of it made its way into a recipe or four… it’s what I love to do! But the other reason I’ve focused on keto shellfish recipes has more to do with people worrying about the carbs in clams and oysters than what I have stocked in my fridge. So today, I’ve got a killer keto steamed clams recipe paired with the reassurance that you can enjoy shellfish on a very low carb diet.

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Keto Steamed Clams with Basil Garlic Butter [Low Carb, Gluten Free] (1)

Keto Steamed Clams with Basil Garlic Butter [Low Carb, Gluten Free] (2)

Clams have carbs in them. Does that mean you can’t eat them on a keto diet? No. Eggs have carbs in them. Vegetables have carbs in them. A lot of things have carbs in them. We just need a little context!

In 100 grams of raw clams (that’s 100 grams of the flesh, without the shell), there are only 3.57 grams of carbohydrates.

That’s a lot of clams! Especially if you’re looking at the smaller, steamer clam variety. According to the USDA nutrient database, an entire pound of clams with the shell equates to only 68 grams of edible clam once the shell is removed. And that’s just 2.43 grams of carbs! Now we’re cookin’.

Let’s say you were aiming to stay under 20 grams of carbs per day. You would need to eat 8.23 pounds of clams with the shell on, or 1.23 pounds (559.67 grams) with the shell off, to reach your carb limit. Clams come in all shapes and sizes, but I think we can agree that unless you’re a competitive geoduck eater, you’d be hard-pressed to eat that much clam meat in one day.

Are you looking for more low carb clam recipes? Check out my dairy-free keto clam chowder recipe!

Keto Steamed Clams with Basil Garlic Butter [Low Carb, Gluten Free] (3)

One of the absolute easiest ways to prepare clams is to steam them. If you want to stick with the basics, you could only use water to steam and enjoy the clams au naturel. I like to infuse a little extra flavor and love, love, love seafood with garlic butter.

Seafood + Garlic butter = Match made in heaven

The only thing that could make it better is adding some fresh herbs. So that’s exactly what we’re going to do!

Grab a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and melt the butter down over medium heat. Toss in your minced garlic, basil leaves, and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add in your clams, cover, and let steam for about 7-8 minutes.

Shake the pan to coat the clams and evenly distribute heat, but don’t open the lid to stir. We’re steaming for Crissakes! Don’t peek and keep the top shut. Your goal is for all the shells to pop wide open; a transparent lid really helps get the timing right (and ease your burning curiosity)!

If you’ve done your due diligence, aka waited out the 7-8 minutes with the lid closed, most of the clams will pop right open. If any stragglers haven't opened, you can toss those out. Some people keep them and pry them open; I give them the ol’ heave-ho into the trash bin. As with literally everything on the internet, there is heated debate and good arguments for both sides about what to do with unopened clams. It’s not that deep; do whatever feels right to you.

Now serve those delicious keto steamed clams and enjoy your shellfish!

Keto Steamed Clams with Basil Garlic Butter [Low Carb, Gluten Free] (4)

📖 Recipe

Keto Steamed Clams with Basil Garlic Butter [Low Carb, Gluten Free] (5)

Keto Steamed Clams with Basil Garlic Butter [Low Carb, Gluten Free]

Clams steamed with garlic and basil!

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Prep Time: 3 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 13 minutes minutes

Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Special Diet: Gluten-Free

Servings: 4 Servings

Serving Size:

Net Carbs: 0g

Author: Tasha

Ingredients

  • 1 pound steamer-sized clams in shell small, ~68g without shell
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 10 fresh basil leaves whole
  • ½ cup chicken broth

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Melt butter in large saucepan, one with a tight fitting lid, over medium heat.

  • Add garlic, basil leaves, and chicken broth to the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

  • Mix in clams and cover with tight fitting lid, leaving heat on medium-high.

  • Steam for 7-8 minutes without removing the lid.

  • While clams are steaming, shake pan over heat to evenly coat the shellfish.

  • Remove lid; if sauce looks thin, leave pan over heat without lid until sauce is desired consistency. Optional: add an additional tablespoon of butter to the pan if desired and fits your macros.

  • Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency.

  • Discard any clams that have not opened and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Keto Steamed Clams with Basil Garlic Butter [Low Carb, Gluten Free]

Amount per Serving

Calories

80

% Daily Value*

Fat

8

g

12

%

Potassium

23

mg

1

%

Carbohydrates

g

%

Fiber

g

%

Sugar

g

%

Protein

g

%

Net Carbs

g

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Tried this recipe?Mention @KETOGASM or tag #ketogasm!

Keto Steamed Clams with Basil Garlic Butter [Low Carb, Gluten Free] (6)

Tasha

Hi, I'm Tasha–nutritionist, recipe developer, and multi-published cookbook author.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Keto Steamed Clams with Basil Garlic Butter [Low Carb, Gluten Free] (7)Jenny says

    Eggs do not have carbs in them. Please make sure to have all the facts.

    Reply

    • Keto Steamed Clams with Basil Garlic Butter [Low Carb, Gluten Free] (8)Tasha Metcalf says

      Hi Jenny, thanks for commenting. I know that eggs are often thought of as zero carb foods, but they do in fact have carbohydrate in them (though U.S. labeling laws allow manufacturers to round down to zero on nutrition labels--likely the source of confusion!). The carbs are negligible... it's nothing to worry about by any means. Just sharing the info!

      Here's a link to the nutrient information from the USDA nutrient database that gives a detailed breakdown: https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/01123?fgcd=&manu=&format=&count=&max=25&offset=&sort=default&order=asc&qlookup=Egg%2C+whole%2C+raw%2C+fresh&ds=&qt=&qp=&qa=&qn=&q=&ing=

      That's a great source for detailed macronutrient (and micronutrient!) data for just about any food you can think of and provides information for various serving sizes as well. I hope that helps!

      Reply

  2. Keto Steamed Clams with Basil Garlic Butter [Low Carb, Gluten Free] (9)Casey says

    Keto Steamed Clams with Basil Garlic Butter [Low Carb, Gluten Free] (10)
    This was delicious, but what is the carb content? It doesn’t seem to be included in the nutritional info. Thanks!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Keto Steamed Clams with Basil Garlic Butter [Low Carb, Gluten Free] (2024)

FAQs

Can you eat clams on the keto diet? ›

Steamed Clams and Winter Melon are perfect for those on a keto diet or gluten-free since they are low in carbs and sodium. What is this? Winter Melon has many health benefits since it is high fiber, high antioxidants, high water content, and low calories.

Are steamed clams high in carbs? ›

Nutrition Info

A 100g portion of steamed clams (the meat of about 10 small clams) contains 148 calories, 25.5g of protein, 2.0g of fat, and 5.1g of carbohydrates. Clams are also an excellent source of iron, zinc, selenium, and B12.

What is the lowest carb seafood? ›

The healthiest and best seafood to consume while on the keto diet is high in protein and healthy fats while low in carbohydrates. Some of the best keto friendly seafood include salmon, mahi-mahi, mackerel, and crab.

Can I eat mussels on a low carb diet? ›

While mussels do contain carbohydrates, they're still worth including in your keto diet.

How many carbs a day on keto? ›

On the keto diet, you are allowed to have no more than 50 grams of net carbs per day – and the fewer, the better! But by focusing on “net” rather than “total” carbs, you won't be denying your body the essential fiber it needs for proper function.

Which seafood is not keto-friendly? ›

Fish and shellfish are very keto-friendly. Salmon and other fish are not only nearly carb-free but also rich in B vitamins, potassium, and selenium ( 9 ). However, the carb count in shellfish varies by type. While shrimp and most crabs contain no carbs, oysters and octopus do.

How many carbs are in 12 steamed clams? ›

Seafood Nutrition - Whole Foods Market
Nutrition Facts
How many net carbs are in Clam Steamed 12 Small? Amount of net carbs in Clam Steamed 12 Small: Net carbs 4g-
How much fiber is in Clam Steamed 12 Small? Amount of fiber in Clam Steamed 12 Small: Fiber 0g0%
16 more rows

Are steamers low-carb? ›

The Healthy Choice Simply Café Steamers line contains eight meals, four classic and four low-carb meals, all with less than 310 calories and more than 18 grams of 100 percent natural protein.

How many clams is a serving? ›

Clams are lean, low in calories and rich in protein, but like other shellfish, they are higher in cholesterol. A 3-ounce serving (about 12 medium-sized cooked clams) has about 125 calories, fewer than 2 grams of fat, 22 grams of protein and 57 milligrams of cholesterol.

What happens if you don't eat carbs for a month? ›

Low energy: Carbs are your body's primary source of energy. Therefore, a no-carb diet may lead to low energy and fatigue. Insufficient nutrients: A no-carb diet may not provide enough vitamins and minerals, such as potassium, B vitamins, and vitamin C, which are abundant in fruits, vegetables, and other plant foods.

Is garlic keto? ›

Carbohydrate Content in Garlic

Garlic, known for its robust flavour and health benefits, boasts a low carbohydrate profile, making it ideal for the ketogenic diet. Typically, one clove of garlic contains just about 1 gram of carbohydrates.

Is butter keto friendly? ›

Butter is perfect for your keto lifestyle, as it's carb-free and about 80% fat ( 21 ). Though it was long considered a menace to heart health, current research indicates that there is only a small or neutral association between butter intake and heart disease and stroke risk ( 22 ).

How much weight loss no carbs 2 weeks? ›

The amount of weight you can lose on a low-carb diet in 2 weeks can vary widely depending on factors such as your starting weight, adherence to the diet, and individual metabolism. Some individuals have reported losing up to 10 pounds or more in two weeks, while others may experience less dramatic results.

How many carbs a day to lose weight? ›

As far as how many carbohydrates to eat, Pratt says 100 to 150 grams of carbohydrates is safe for most people who are trying to lose weight. It may be better for some people to eat carbs consistently throughout the day. “You can also break it up evenly with 40 to 50 grams of carbs per meal,” she says.

What foods are off limits with keto? ›

Here Are The Foods You Can't Eat On Keto:
  • On a ketogenic diet, you should avoid high-carb foods like grains, sugars, and some fruits. ...
  • - Grains: Rice, wheat, oats, barley, rye, quinoa, buckwheat, etc.
  • - Starchy Vegetables: Potatoes, peas, sweet potatoes, yams, corn, cassava, artichoke, etc.
Apr 3, 2023

What vegetables not to eat on keto? ›

Vegetables to avoid in a keto diet
VegetableCarbs per 100 g
potatoes20.45 g
sweet potatoes16.82 g
beets9.56 g
parsnips16.47 g
3 more rows
Apr 28, 2021

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