This Clam Linguine Pasta is a simple yet impressive seafood dinner filled with fresh, bright flavors. Tender linguine is tossed with juicy clams and a light, savory sauce made with garlic, white wine, butter, and herbs. It’s elegant enough for date night or entertaining, but simple enough to make for a weeknight dinner. Serve it with crusty bread for soaking up every last bit of the flavorful clam sauce.
Do you love a seafood pasta? They try our easy Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta Recipe; it is scrumptious.
Clam linguine is an Italian-inspired pasta dish featuring linguine tossed with clams and a light sauce. A classic version, linguine alle vongole, is commonly prepared with clams, garlic, olive oil, white wine, and parsley. Unlike heavy cream-based seafood pasta, clam linguine typically has a light, silky sauce that allows the briny flavor of the clams to shine.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Ready for an easy weeknight dinner
- Elegant enough for entertaining
- Packed with garlic and seafood flavor
- Uses simple ingredients
- Restaurant-style pasta that’s easy to make at home
Helpful Items For This Recipe
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Gulex Colander Stainless Steel 3-Quart, Strainer Kitchen, Dishwasher Safe
Pasta Tongs, 12.2″ 304 Stainless Steel Spaghetti Tongs for Cooking
Frying Pan,12 inch Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Skillet,6 Quart Saute Pan with lid
What Ingredients Are Needed For Clam Linguine
Ingredients
Fresh small clams – You can use cockles, littlenecks or manila clams, cleaned.
Baby clams – Make sure they are drained.
Kosher salt – I love using this salt exclusively for cooking now.
Dried linguine – This is an inexpensive and easy pasta to find.
Extra virgin olive oil – You will need some for the recipe to cook with and then more for drizzling.
Garlic – I like to thinly slice the garlic for this recipe.
Medium shallots – Shallots are excellent in this recipe; they need to be finely chopped.
Anchovy paste – This may be a surprising ingredient, but it just adds that great umami flavor to the dish.
Crushed red pepper flakes – Use just a pinch or to taste.
Parsley – Finishes the dish with freshness, plus more for in the pasta sauce itself, chopped, divided.
Dry white wine – Use any drier white wine that you would drink; I love a sauvignon blanc.
Butter – This finishes the sauce and gives it a creamy flavor.
How to Make the Best Linguine with Clams
Rinse the clams under cold water, gently scrubbing the shells. Use a large colander or sieve for this. Discard any that are broken or that are open and do not close when tapped.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just slightly less than al dente.
In a large skillet with a lid, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, shallots, anchovy paste and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring until the shallots are soft and slightly browned, about 4 minutes.
Add the clams in the shells along with a sprinkle of parsley and the white wine to the shallots in the pan. Cover the pan and allow the clams to steam, shaking the pan occasionally until the clams open, about 4 – 5 minutes. Discard any clams that do not open. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the clams to a bowl and set aside.
Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the clam sauce along with a drizzle of olive oil; toss to coat the pasta.
Add the pasta to the pan, allowing it to continue to cook for 3 – 4 minutes, adding the reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time if needed. Once the pasta is cooked and the sauce has thickened slightly, add the butter and the canned clams to the pan.
Stir until the butter has melted. Sprinkle the remaining parsley into the pan and toss. Then top with the cooked clams in the shell and drizzle with a bit more olive oil. Divide between bowls and serve with a slice of crusty bread or garlic toast if desired.
Enjoy!
Recipe Pro Tips
Tips for the Best Clam Linguine Pasta
- Don’t overcook the pasta. Cook linguine until al dente, so it retains a little bite.
- Save some pasta water. The starchy water helps bring the sauce together and makes it cling beautifully to the noodles. You can add as little or as much as you want.
- Don’t burn the garlic. Cook it gently just until fragrant to prevent bitterness.
- Use a dry white wine. Choose a wine you enjoy drinking rather than a sweet variety.
- Use a variety of clams. Because fresh clams are expensive, I like to add a can of clams to the pasta and only buy 1 lb. fresh.
- Don’t overcook the clams. Fresh clams are ready when their shells open.
- Discard unopened fresh clams. After cooking, throw away any clams that remain closed.
- Finish the pasta in the sauce. Tossing the linguine directly in the pan helps it absorb the flavors.
- Add fresh herbs at the end. Parsley adds freshness and color without losing its bright flavor.
- Serve immediately. Clam linguine is at its best straight from the pan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Clam Linguine with canned clams?
Yes. Canned clams make this dish quick and convenient. Drain them while reserving some of the clam liquid for the sauce, and add the clams toward the end so they don’t become tough. You can skip the fresh clam entirely if you like, but they really are delicious and make the presentation amazing.
Should you rinse canned clams?
Usually, there’s no need to rinse canned clams unless your particular recipe calls for it. Draining them while saving some of the flavorful liquid works well for pasta sauce.
Can I use spaghetti instead of linguine?
Absolutely. Spaghetti, fettuccine, bucatini, or another long pasta can be substituted for linguine.
How do you know when fresh clams are cooked?
Fresh clams generally open as they cook. Remove them as they open to help prevent overcooking, and discard any that remain closed after cooking.
Can I make clam pasta without wine?
Yes. Substitute clam juice, seafood stock, or broth. Fresh lemon juice can provide some of the acidity and brightness normally contributed by the wine.
Can I add cream to clam linguine?
You can if you prefer a richer sauce. However, traditional linguine alle vongole is typically served without cream, allowing the delicate clam flavor to stand out.
Does Parmesan go on linguine with clams?
Traditionally, many Italian seafood pasta dishes are served without cheese. However, when cooking at home, you can certainly add Parmesan if you enjoy the combination.
How to Store Clam Linguine
Refrigerate leftover Clam Linguine Pasta promptly in an airtight container and enjoy within 3–4 days.
Reheat gently over low heat with a splash of broth, clam juice, or water to loosen the sauce. Avoid overheating the clams, which can make them tough.
How to Keep Clam Linguine From Being Dry
The secret to silky clam pasta is keeping enough liquid in the pan. Reserved pasta water, clam juices, olive oil, butter, and wine combine to create a light sauce that coats the noodles.
Add pasta water gradually as you toss everything together until the sauce reaches the consistency you like.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH CLAM LINGUINE PASTA?
There are many sides to serve with this pasta. Here are some of our favorites.
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Clam Linguine Pasta Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 lb. fresh small clams such as cockles littlenecks or manila clams, cleaned
- 1 can of baby clams drained
- Kosher salt
- 1 lb. dried linguine
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 2 medium shallots finely chopped
- 1 tsp anchovy paste
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or to taste
- 1/2 cup parsley chopped, divided
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Rinse the clams under cold water, gently scrubbing the shells. Use a large colander or sieve for this. Discard any that are broken or that are open and do not close when tapped.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just slightly less than al dente.
- In a large skillet with a lid, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, shallots, anchovy paste and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring until the shallots are soft and slightly browned, about 4 minutes.
- Add the clams in the shells along with a sprinkle of parsley and the white wine to the shallots in the pan. Cover the pan and allow the clams to steam, shaking the pan occasionally, until the clams open, about 4 – 5 minutes. Discard any clams that do not open. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the clams to a bowl and set aside.
- Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the clam sauce along with a drizzle of olive oil; toss to coat the pasta.
- Add the pasta to the pan, allowing it to continue to cook for 3 – 4 minutes, adding the reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time if needed. Once the pasta is cooked and the sauce has thickened slightly, add the butter and the canned clams to the pan.
- Stir until the butter has melted. Sprinkle the remaining parsley into the pan and toss. Then top with the cooked clams in the shell and drizzle with a bit more olive oil. Divide between bowls and serve with a slice of crusty bread or garlic toast if desired.
- Enjoy!
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