Best Geoduck Recipes: 10 Delicious Ways to Savor the Ocean’s Flavor

Geoduck is a high-end seafood, famous for its crunchy sweet meat, clean flavor, and high nutritional value. In this article, Ola Squid shares details of 10 delicious geoduck dishes, from sashimi, steaming, and grilling to hotpot and salad, along with recipes, clear measurements, and practical experience so you can confidently prepare them at home as well as in a restaurant!

What delicious dishes can be made with geoduck?

Geoduck has thick, crunchy meat with a naturally sweet and refreshing taste, making it very versatile in preparation. Below are 10 typical, easy-to-apply dishes that have been selected by many chefs and seafood connoisseurs.

Geoduck sashimi

Sashimi is the most “authentic” dish when you want to fully feel the crunchiness and sweetness of fresh geoduck.

Ingredients:

• Live geoduck: 500g
• Ice, granulated salt
• Wasabi, Japanese soy sauce, pickled ginger
• Lemon or calamansi

Instructions:

• Soak geoduck in ice water mixed with salt for 10-15 minutes to firm the meat and clean the slime.
• Separate the meat, remove the guts, and rinse quickly with cold water.
• Use a sharp knife to slice thinly against the grain.
• Arrange on a cold ice plate, serve with wasabi and soy sauce.

Delicious tip: Do not slice too thinly as it will lose its crunchiness.

Steamed geoduck with lemongrass and ginger

Steamed geoduck with lemongrass and ginger helps keep the full natural sweet flavor; the smell of lemongrass and ginger only plays a role in mild deodorizing.

Ingredients:

• Geoduck: 700g
• Lemongrass: 5 stalks (crushed)
• Ginger: 1 bulb (sliced)
• Granulated salt, chili
• Ginger fish sauce with garlic and chili

Instructions:

• Clean the geoduck and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
• Line the bottom of the pot with lemongrass and ginger, then place the geoduck on top.
• Steam over high heat for 7-8 minutes until just cooked.
• Serve hot, dipped in ginger fish sauce.

Note: Steaming for too long will make the meat tough. This is a “safe” dish for those trying to cook geoduck for the first time.

Read more: What delicious dishes can be made with geoduck? Summary of 10 ways to cook preserving the sea flavor

Geoduck porridge

Geoduck porridge is light and nutritious, suitable for the elderly or small children.

Ingredients:

• Geoduck: 300g
• Plain rice: 100g
• Ginger, scallions
• Salt, pepper, fish sauce

Instructions:

• Lightly roast the rice, then cook until soft.
• Dice the geoduck and stir-fry quickly with ginger.
• Add geoduck to the porridge, season to taste.
• Sprinkle scallions and pepper before serving.

Geoduck soup

Geoduck soup is a high-class appetizer, often appearing in wedding banquets or seafood restaurants.

Ingredients (for 4 people)

• Geoduck: 300g
• Chicken or pork bones: 500g
• Dried shiitake mushrooms: 5 heads (or 100g fresh mushrooms)
• Sweet corn: 1 ear
• Quail eggs: 10 eggs
• Tapioca starch: 2-3 tablespoons
• Chicken egg: 1 egg
• Scallions, cilantro: 20g each
• Seasoning: 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp broth powder, ½ tsp ground pepper, 1 tsp sesame oil

Instructions:

• Rinse the geoduck and slice it into thin strips.
• Blanch the bones in boiling water, then rinse clean.
• Soak shiitake mushrooms until soft, then shred. Separate corn kernels.
• Boil quail eggs until cooked, then peel.
• Put bones in a pot with 1.5 liters of water, simmer for 30-40 minutes, then strain to get clear broth.
• Add mushrooms, corn, and quail eggs to the broth and bring to a boil; season with salt and broth powder.
• Add geoduck to the pot and stir gently.
• Dissolve tapioca starch in 100ml water, slowly pour into the pot until the soup reaches desired thickness.
• Beat the chicken egg and pour slowly into the pot to create egg ribbons.
• Add pepper and sesame oil, then turn off the heat.

Grilled geoduck with scallion oil

A grilled dish with familiar Vietnamese flavors, easy to eat, and easy to sell.

Ingredients:

• Geoduck: 1 piece (700g-1kg)
• Scallions: 50g
• Cooking oil: 3 tablespoons
• Roasted peanuts: 30g
• Salt: ½ teaspoon
• Ground pepper: ½ teaspoon

Instructions:

• Rinse geoduck, separate the meat, remove sand bags, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
• Finely chop scallions and place in a bowl with salt. Heat oil and pour directly onto the scallions, then mix well.
• Place geoduck meat on shells or a baking tray, grill for 5–7 minutes until just cooked. Remove, pour scallion oil over, sprinkle with peanuts and pepper, and grill for another 3–5 minutes to complete. The slight richness combined with the crunchy sweet geoduck meat is very “appetizing”.

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Grilled geoduck with garlic butter

Garlic butter helps enhance the aroma but does not overwhelm the sea flavor if used in the right amount.

Ingredients:

• Geoduck: 1 piece (700g – 1kg)
• Unsalted butter: 50g
• Minced garlic: 2 tablespoons
• Minced scallions: 20g
• Salt: ½ teaspoon
• Ground pepper: ½ teaspoon
• Minced chili: 1 teaspoon (optional)

Instructions:

• Rinse geoduck, take the meat, remove sand bags, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
• Melt butter over low heat, add garlic and sauté until fragrant, season with salt and pepper, then turn off the heat.
• Place geoduck on shells or a tray, pour garlic butter on top. Grill at 180°C for 7–10 minutes until geoduck is cooked and fragrant.

Stir-fried geoduck with shiitake mushrooms

Stir-fried geoduck with shiitake mushrooms is a light yet flavorful dish. The naturally crunchy and sweet geoduck meat combined with the mild aroma of shiitake mushrooms creates a harmonious, easy-to-eat stir-fry. This dish is perfect for family meals or entertaining guests.

Ingredients:

• Geoduck: 400g
• Shiitake mushrooms: 150g (or 6–8 dried ones)
• Minced garlic: 1 tablespoon
• Onion: ½ bulb
• Scallions: 20g
• Cooking oil: 2 tablespoons
• Oyster sauce: 1 tablespoon
• Fish sauce: 1 teaspoon
• Broth powder: 1 teaspoon
• Ground pepper: ½ teaspoon

Instructions:

• Clean geoduck and slice thinly. Soak mushrooms until soft (if using dried), then cut in half.
• Cut onion into wedges, and scallions into sections.
• Sauté garlic with oil until fragrant, add geoduck and stir-fry quickly over high heat for 1–2 minutes, then remove to a plate.
• Add mushrooms and onion to the pan, stir-fry until cooked, season with oyster sauce and broth powder.
• Put geoduck back in the pan, toss quickly, and season with fish sauce and pepper. Sprinkle scallions, turn off the heat, and serve hot.

Stir-fried geoduck with mixed vegetables

Stir-fried geoduck with mixed vegetables is a nutritious, eye-catching dish where the natural sweetness from the geoduck meat blends with fresh vegetables. This stir-fry is light, not greasy, and very suitable for family meals.

Ingredients (3–4 people)

• Geoduck: 400g
• Carrot: 1 small (100g)
• Broccoli: 150g
• Peas or baby corn: 100g
• Onion: ½ bulb
• Minced garlic: 1 tablespoon
• Scallions: 20g
• Cooking oil: 2 tablespoons
• Oyster sauce: 1 tablespoon
• Fish sauce: 1 teaspoon
• Broth powder: 1 teaspoon
• Ground pepper: ½ teaspoon

Instructions

• Clean geoduck and slice thinly. Slice carrot, cut broccoli into small pieces and blanch briefly. Cut onion into wedges.
• Sauté garlic with oil until fragrant, add geoduck and stir-fry quickly for 1–2 minutes, then remove and set aside.
• Add carrot, broccoli, peas (or baby corn), and onion to the pan, stir-fry until cooked, season with oyster sauce and broth powder.
• Put geoduck back in the pan, toss quickly, and season with fish sauce and pepper. Sprinkle scallions, turn off the heat, and serve hot.

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Geoduck dipped in fermented rice/vinegar

Geoduck dipped in fermented rice/vinegar is a light dish, easy to eat, preserving the full natural crunch and sweetness of the geoduck meat. The slightly sour dipping liquid from fermented rice or vinegar makes the dish more flavorful, perfect for gatherings.

Ingredients (4–5 people)

• Geoduck: 800g – 1kg
• Fermented rice (mẻ): 4-5 tablespoons or rice vinegar: 100ml
• Pork or chicken bones: 1kg
• Lemongrass: 3 stalks
• Ginger: 1 small bulb
• Tomatoes: 2 pieces
• Shallots: 3 bulbs
• Chili: 1–2 pieces
• Side vegetables: water spinach, napa cabbage, water mimosa, banana blossom, mushrooms
• Fresh vermicelli (bún)
• Seasoning: salt, broth powder, sugar, fish sauce

Instructions

• Clean geoduck and slice thinly. Blanch bones and rinse clean. Crush lemongrass and slice ginger.
• Simmer bones with 2–2.5 liters of water for 40–60 minutes. Add lemongrass, ginger, shallots, and tomatoes to the pot, then bring to a boil.
• Add filtered fermented rice or rice vinegar to the pot, season with salt, sugar, and broth powder for a mild sour, pleasant taste.
• When eating, dip geoduck into the boiling pot for 30–60 seconds until just cooked, and serve with vegetables and vermicelli.

Geoduck salad

Geoduck salad is a refreshing, crunchy, and sweet dish, very suitable as an appetizer. The crunchy geoduck meat blends with herbs and sweet-sour dressing to create an attractive, easy-to-eat flavor.

Ingredients (3-4 people)

• Geoduck: 400g
• Onion: 1 small bulb
• Carrot: 1 small piece
• Vietnamese coriander (rau răm): 20g
• Fried shallots: 30g
• Roasted peanuts: 30g
• Calamansi or lemon: 3–4 fruits (or 2 tbsp lemon juice)
• Minced chili: 1 teaspoon
• Minced garlic: 1 teaspoon
• Salad dressing:
  • Fish sauce: 2 tablespoons
  • Sugar: 1½ tablespoons
  • Calamansi/lemon juice: 2 tablespoons

How to make geoduck salad

• Clean geoduck, boil quickly with ginger for 1–2 minutes, remove and soak in ice water for crunchiness, then slice thinly.
• Slice onion thinly and soak in ice water to reduce pungency. Shred carrot and chop Vietnamese coriander.
• Mix fish sauce, sugar, calamansi (or lemon) juice, minced garlic, and chili for a balanced sweet-sour taste.
• Put geoduck, onion, and carrot in a large bowl, pour dressing over, and toss gently. Add Vietnamese coriander and mix again.
• Display the salad on a plate, sprinkle with fried shallots and roasted peanuts, and serve immediately.

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How to prepare geoduck?

If you want the above dishes to be standard, the preparation step is very important. You should soak geoduck in ice salt water, remove the gut, rinse quickly with cold water, and avoid long soaking which makes the meat bland. Below is detailed preparation:

• Clean the shell: Wash geoduck under running water, use a brush to scrub off mud and sand clinging to the shell.
• Extract the meat: Use a knife to separate the shells and take out the entire geoduck meat. Cut off the sand bag and the black gut to avoid fishy odors.
• Deodorize: Rinse the meat with diluted salt water or water mixed with a bit of vinegar/lemon for 2–3 minutes, then rinse again with clean water.
• Create crunchiness: Soak geoduck meat in cold ice water for about 5–10 minutes, remove and drain before cooking.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why is geoduck meat tough?

Geoduck meat becomes tough usually due to overcooking or stir-frying on low heat for a long time. For crunchy and delicious geoduck, you should cook it quickly on high heat or dip/boil for a short time and serve immediately.

Can frozen geoduck be used for these dishes?

Frozen geoduck can be used, however, the crunchiness and sweetness will not be as good as fresh geoduck. When using, thaw naturally in the refrigerator, prepare thoroughly, and cook quickly to limit softening.

Is the geoduck gut edible?

You should not eat the gut and sand bag of geoduck because it easily causes fishy odors and does not ensure hygiene.

With naturally crunchy sweet meat and a characteristic sea flavor, geoduck can be transformed into many delicious dishes, from sashimi, steaming, and grilling to hotpot, salad, or light stir-fries. Just choose fresh geoduck, prepare properly, and cook for just the right amount of time, and you can fully preserve the crunchiness and sweetness of this premium ingredient right at home. We hope these suggestions will help you easily answer the question what delicious dishes can be made with geoduck and confidently head to the kitchen to bring attractive meals to your family.

Explore more attractive seafood recipes at Ola Squid’s Blog! Besides fresh seafood, if you are looking for premium snacks or gifts, don’t forget to check out our whole dried squid products – the specialty that makes Ola Squid the leading provider in Vietnam.