Bacon Horseradish Baked Clam Dip

Perfect for a party, this baked clam dip is loaded with great flavors like horseradish and bacon, with a little kick from some hot sauce!

For a fantastic party, you need some fantastic food. That’s where this easy, 5 ingredient (plus salt and pepper) baked clam dip come in! Easy to make, fun to eat, and a real crowd pleaser!

This post is sponsored by Chicken of the Sea. Chicken of the Sea provided me with product for the purpose of this post, as well as compensation for my time. As always, all opinions expressed in this post are mine.

Who’s ready for parties? This is the time of the year when it seems like there are multiple parties going on for the holidays… family, friends, office… you name it, all types of parties. One of my favorite parts about parties is the food!

I love party foods! Dips, bite sized snacks… they’re perfect. This baked clam dip is one of my favorite dips for a few reasons.

It’s insanely flavorful

People love it

It only takes 5 ingredients plus salt and pepper!

I found the base of this recipe in a really old church cookbook, and played around with it a few times, tweaking things here and there. It still felt like it was missing something, and then it hit me… the salty smokiness of bacon! Once I added the bacon, it was perfect!

Have you ever had clam dip? Sometimes it’s served creamy and non-baked, but I prefer the hot, bubbly, golden brown version the best.

The secret of a great baked clam dip? Fantastic clams! Chicken of the Sea is well known for their tuna, but their clams are amazing as well. For this recipe I used the minced clams, so there would be more clams in every bite of the dip, but I’ve used the chopped clams and whole baby clams before for other recipes and they are equally delicious!

Sometimes canned clams can have a tin-ny taste, but Chicken of the Sea’s clams don’t have that taste at all. Just sweet fresh clam flavor 🙂

Whenever I make this baked clam dip, I usually serve it with crackers, but some nice toasted baguette slices work wonderfully as well!

TRICKS AND TIPS FOR THIS BAKED CLAM DIP RECIPE:

Use quality ingredients. When you’re working with a small number of ingredients, it’s important to use the best quality you can.

Don’t burn your bacon. Seems like common sense, but bacon can go from crispy to burnt in a matter of seconds… and burnt bacon tastes bitter.

Don’t skimp on the horseradish sauce. If you’re worried about the heat level, this dip is very mild, even with the hot sauce, but if you want to cut back on the spice, don’t add the optional hot sauce. The horseradish sauce gives this dip a great flavor and shouldn’t be omitted.

Make sure you’re using the prepared horseradish sauce, NOT the minced horseradish. Minced horseradish is MUCH stronger and more potent. If you can’t find the prepared horseradish sauce, minced horseradish can be substituted, but only add it a teaspoon at a time until you find the right amount for your tastes.

Make sure you put the baking dish on a baking sheet (preferably a rimmed one). Maybe your dip won’t bubble over, but what if it does? Save yourself the ridiculously messy oven and use a baking sheet. Trust me 🙂

The next time you’re having or attending a party, give this quick and easy baked clam dip a try! It’s sure to be a real crowd-pleaser!!

HELPFUL TOOLS:

24 oz gratin dish – Not necessary, but this is the dish I used in these photos, and the dip fits perfectly. Plus, it bakes beautifully!

WANT TO TRY THIS BAKED CLAM DIP?

Bacon Horseradish Baked Clam Dip Perfect for a party, this baked clam dip is loaded with great flavors like horseradish and bacon, with a little kick from some hot sauce! 5 from 1 vote Print Recipe Pin Recipe Prep Time 5 mins Cook Time 25 mins Total Time 30 mins Servings 10 - 12 servings Calories 336 Ingredients 1x 2x 3x 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

16 oz cream cheese, softened

2 cans Chicken of the Sea minced clams, drained, reserving juices

2-3 Tbsp prepared horseradish sauce

1-2 Tbsp grated sweet onion

1 tsp hot sauce (more, to taste) - (optional)

- 1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

sliced green onions, for garnish - (optional)

- minced fresh parsley, for garnish - (optional) Instructions Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Spray a 24oz oven safe dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, add softened cream cheese and mash until smooth. Add 6 slices bacon, clams, horseradish sauce, onion, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine fully. If mixture is too thick, add reserved clam juice 1/2 Tbsp at a time, until dip is at a dipping consistency.

Transfer dip to prepared dish and spread into even layer. Place dish on a baking sheet (just in case it bubbles over), and bake 25-30 minutes, until hot, bubbly, and golden brown on top.

Sprinkle with remaining 2 slices of bacon, green onions and parsley. Serve hot with crackers or toasted baguette slices. Author The Chunky Chef Tried this recipe? Mention @the_chunky_chef or tag #thechunkychef

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