In the United States, steamed clams are usually made with small soft-shell clams (Mya arenaria) called steamers, and sometimes with other shellfish harvested and served along the East Coast and in New England. Hard shell clams, sometimes known as quahogs, can also be steamed.

Paella means "frying pan" in Valencian, Valencia's regional language. As a dish, it may have ancient roots, but in its modern form it is traced back to the mid-19th century, in the rural area around the Albufera lagoon adjacent to the city of Valencia, on the east coast of Spain.