An incredibly easy, colorful, and kid-friendly seafood appetizer!
This eye-catching Razor Clam appetizer recipe is one of our favorites for a crowd! Full of Pacific razor clams, cream cheese, cheddar, and all the right spices to give the razor clams the spotlight. With a panko topping for an added crunch that takes it over the top! This Razor Clam Stuffed Pepper recipe will surely please your guests!
I give most of the credit for this recipe to my kids. After making my Clam Jalapeno Poppers recipe for my husband and me, my son was begging to have one and our daughter looked at us with gazing eyes. I knew I needed to make a fun kid's version immediately.
The next day, I got busy creating this colorful and tasty treat for the kids! I was aiming for fun and bright to catch their eyes, meanwhile relatively healthy and protein-packed. And of course, I added a panko to garnish for a satisfying crunch.
This stuffed pepper recipe is definitely kid-approved, and the adults love it just as much! Using the Air fryer method below, you will be enjoying this delicious seafood appetizer in half the time.
WHAT IS A RAZOR CLAM?
Do you ever stroll the beach thinking about what creatures are possibly hiding underneath the sand? No? Same here. Until Razor clam season, when we don't dig in the sand to build sand castles, but instead, to get fresh Pacific razor clams for dinner!
Razor Clams live along the Pacific coast, from Alaska down to California. They are a true treat for us!
WHAT PART OF A RAZOR CLAM TO USE IN THIS RECIPE
Here is a diagram that I put together to show the anatomy of Pacific Razor Clam.
This is a quick way to understand what to use in a recipe.
If you prefer the razor clam digger over the neck part, then this recipe is perfect for you! Simply use all razor clam necks instead of the diggers in this recipe. I personally use every part of the razor clam, it's as easy as it gets! Plus, I enjoy the variety of textures.
LOCAL FAVORITE! WHAT PART OF A RAZOR CLAM IS MOST DESIRABLE
The neck of a razor clam is the toughest part and the digger is the softest part. Besides being softer of a bite, many find the digger of the Pacific razor clam to be most desirable because it's much more forgiving to cook than its counterpart.
Aside from the digger, my other favorite part of a razor clam is the muscle. The muscle is sometimes overlooked or tossed, but it's exceptionally soft and buttery. The muscles remind me so much of a scallop! I like to call them baby scallops.
There are two muscles per clam and they are often thrown out due to improper cleaning.
Follow our Cleaning a Razor Clam guide to learn how to clean your clams correctly, you will be able to save these delicious pieces.
HOW DO YOU DIG RAZOR CLAMS
We have an entire section in our blog's Activities tab dedicated to this topic! Read more here.
In order to find razor clams, you will need a digging tool such as a clam gun or clam shovel, along with a low tide. Depending on what state you are in (razor clamming Washington and Oregon, you will need a license), you will need to purchase a shellfish license and watch for approved clam tides. For more information, head to our Activities page, and go through our articles on everything you need to know before you go razor clamming on the Pacific coast. We have the best guides out there!
HOW LONG CAN YOU STORE RAZOR CLAMS IN THE FRIDGE
Once cooked, Pacific razor clams can last up to 2 days. However, we typically eat them the day of and the day after at most.
HOW TO THAW RAZOR CLAMS
I typically place the frozen razor clams in the fridge overnight to thaw. I have noticed that they thaw reasonably quickly since they're pretty thin. So if you decide to make a razor clam meal the day of, place your frozen razor clams in the fridge first thing in the morning!
This is an easy razor clam recipe to cook for a crowd! Keto and Gluten-free, if you top with GF Panko. It couldn't be easier to make an impressive seafood appetizer!
FOR THIS RAZOR CLAM STUFFED PEPPER RECIPE, YOU WILL NEED
- Food processor, for simplicity. This one has been my favorite for years.
- Measuring cups
- Sheet pan.
- Air Fryer. This is our all-time favorite air fryer that doubles as an indoor grill!
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INGREDIENTS
- 12 mini peppers seeded, cut in half. You may end up using more or less peppers depending on the size of each pepper. No pepper is created equal.
- 5 large razor clams
- 5 oz cream cheese
- ½ cup cheddar cheese
- 2 stalks green onion
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp cajun seasoning
- pinch Johnny's seasoning salt
For the topping
- ½ cup panko (you can use Gluten-free panko for this recipe to make this a gluten-free recipe)
- pinch salt
- pinch cajun spice
- 1 stalk green onion garnish
HOW TO MAKE CLAM STUFFED PEPPERS
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a baking sheet with oil.
- To a blender, add cream cheese, razor clams, cheese, green onion, spices, and salt. Pulse until razor clams are finely chopped and all ingredients blended about 8-12 pulses.
- Spread a generous amount of clam dip mixture inside each half pepper.
- Top with a generous amount of Panko topping on each pepper boat and place on a greased metal baking sheet.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes.
- Remove and let sit for 5 minutes prior to enjoying.
AIR FRYER CLAM PEPPER BOATS APPETIZER
This easy appetizer Air fryer recipe is one of my secret weapons for making an incredibly impressive yet easy appetizer for a party. It will surely please an entire crowd. This is a great appetizer or snack recipe for the keto diet and anyone that is gluten-free can use gluten-free Panko.
I have loved the way these pepper boats turn out in the air fryer. They get nice and toasty, and the top crisps up beautifully. Not to mention how much more convenient it is to use an Air fryer than an oven!
Air fryer Recipe:
- To a blender add cream cheese, razor clams, cheese, green onion, spices, and salt. Pulse until razor clams are chopped finely and all ingredients blended about 8-12 pulses.
- Preheat the Air fryer to 375.
- Spread a generous amount of clam dip mixture inside each half pepper.
- Wrap bacon around each pepper boat then sprinkle a generous amount of panko on top.
- Place in the air fryer for 8-10 minutes. May need more or less time depending on your air fryer.
- Remove and let sit for 5 minutes prior to enjoying.
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Razor Clam Stuffed Mini Peppers
Ingredients
- 12 mini peppers seeded, cut in half
- 5 large razor clams
- 5 oz cream cheese
- ½ cup cheddar cheese
- 2 stalks green onion
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
- pinch Johnny's seasoning salt or to taste
Toppings
- ½ cup panko
- pinch salt
- pinch cajun spice
- 1 stalk green onion garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a baking sheet with oil.
- To a blender, add cream cheese, razor clams, cheese, green onion, spices and salt. Pulse until razor clams are finely chopped and all ingredients blended, about 8-12 pulses.
- Spread a generous amount of clam dip mixture inside each half pepper.
- Top with a generous amount of Panko topping on each pepper boat and place on a greased metal baking sheet.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes.
- Remove and let sit for 5 minutes prior to enjoying.
Air Fryer Recipe
- Preheat air fryer to 375.
- Place pepper boats in the air fryer for 8-10 minutes.
- Remove and let sit for 5 minutes prior to enjoying.
Notes
- Please note that no pepper is created equal, so you may end up with fewer or extra pepper boats.
- Squeeze the razor clams to get the juice out prior to blending and pat dry with a paper towel.
- If you don't have Cajun seasoning, I got you covered! Here's a substitute for Cajun seasoning: ½ teaspoon of chili powder, ¼ teaspoon of dried thyme, and a dash of cayenne pepper.
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