Sheet-Pan New England Clambake — A Sunday Meal When You Need Something That Holds

April. Daffodils. Ash trees budding.

Drove Tuesday.

Gayle had a hard Thursday. Oxygen for 90 minutes. Stable by evening.

Amber called Sunday. She is finishing spring junior year at UNK. One more year to go.

Sunday: roast chicken.

Sunday has a weight to it some weeks — Gayle’s hard Thursday was still sitting with me, and hearing Amber’s voice on the phone, knowing she’s almost done with school, made me want to do something that felt like a full breath. I didn’t want fuss, but I wanted something generous, something that spread out across a pan and smelled like occasion. This sheet-pan clambake was exactly that — the kind of meal that says the day mattered, even when the week was heavy.

Sheet-Pan New England Clambake

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 40 min | Total Time: 1 hr | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb small red potatoes, halved
• 4 ears of corn, husked and cut into thirds
• 1 lb smoked andouille or kielbasa sausage, sliced into 1-inch rounds
• 2 lbs littleneck clams, scrubbed
• 1 lb large shrimp, shell-on, deveined
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, for serving
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat oven. Heat oven to 425°F. Line a large rimmed sheet pan (18x13-inch) with heavy-duty foil, leaving enough overhang on all sides to fold up and seal.
2. Parboil the potatoes. Place halved potatoes in a saucepan, cover with salted water, and bring to a boil. Cook for 8–10 minutes until just barely tender. Drain well.
3. Layer the pan. Arrange the parboiled potatoes, corn pieces, and sausage slices in an even layer across the prepared sheet pan.
4. Season. In a small bowl, stir together the garlic, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Scatter the seasoning mixture evenly over the pan ingredients, then dot with butter pieces. Drizzle the white wine or broth over everything.
5. Seal and roast. Fold the foil tightly over the top to create a sealed packet. Roast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
6. Add seafood. Carefully open the foil (steam will escape). Nestle the clams and shrimp over and among the other ingredients. Re-seal the foil tightly and return to the oven.
7. Finish cooking. Roast for an additional 12–15 minutes, until the clams have opened and the shrimp are pink and cooked through. Discard any clams that did not open.
8. Serve. Open the foil, scatter fresh parsley over the top, and bring the pan directly to the table. Serve with lemon wedges alongside crusty bread to soak up the broth.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 520 | Protein: 42g | Fat: 22g | Carbs: 38g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 980mg