Want more seafood recipes? Try my pan-seared monkfish, baked sockeye salmon, or seafood boil next. Whenever my family and I go out for Italian, I judge the quality of the restaurant by how they make their linguine with clams. That’s because it’s so simple that it’s easy to overcomplicate. In truth, its delicate flavor comes down to a small handful of basic ingredients, and the preparation couldn’t be more straightforward.
Why I love this recipe
It’s easier than you think. Clams can be intimidating if you’ve never cooked them before, but after you try my recipe, you’ll be making it on the regular! Restaurant-worthy. Everyone will think you spent hours perfecting this dish, but only you will know just how effortless it was. Options to customize. Just about every ingredient can be customized to put your own spin on it. Alcohol-free option. If you don’t want to cook with wine, you don’t have to!
Ingredients needed
Clams. Preferably fresh and in their shells. Noodles. Dried linguine is best, though you can swap it for fettucini in a pinch. Garlic and shallot. Two essential aromatics. Oil. I prefer extra-virgin olive oil, but any neutral cooking oil will work. Butter. A key component to the sauce. Unsalted butter is best as it allows you to better control the amount of salt added. Red pepper flakes. For a touch of spice. Add as much as you want, or skip it to make a spice-less dish. White wine. Another essential ingredient for the sauce. Stick with a dry white wine (like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio). If you’d rather not cook with wine, use equal portions of chicken broth or fish broth. Italian seasoning. To add essential Italian flavor. Salt and black pepper. Added to taste. Parsley. Fresh and finely chopped for garnish.
How to make linguine with clam sauce
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Step 5- Assemble. Add butter to the skillet, followed by the pasta. Stir to combine and serve.
Arman’s recipe tips
Toss in some canned clams. While I prefer fresh clams, they can be expensive, so feel free to use 1-2 cans of chopped clams instead. Add a splash of clam juice. I find this adds a nice savory, mineral flavor to the pasta. A tablespoon is more than enough. Garnish. Top the pasta with parmesan cheese and fresh lemon juice.
Storage instructions
To store: Place leftover linguine in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to two days.
Add extra seafood. Sauté shrimp, scallops, mussels, or calamari for a heartier, more complex dish. Swap the pasta. For a healthy, gluten-free alternative, swap the linguine noodles for almond flour pasta. Add more lemon flavor. Fold in fresh lemon zest and serve the pasta with a lemon wedge.
To freeze: Allow the pasta to cool completely before transferring it to a freezer bag and freeze it for up to three months. Reheating: Reheat leftovers in a skillet over medium-low heat or microwave in 30-second intervals until warm.
Frequently asked questions
More easy pasta dishes
Seafood pasta Pesto pasta bake Gigi Hadid pasta Healthy one pot pasta Boursin cheese pasta Pastina Or any of these pasta recipes
Originally published March 2023, updated and republished August 2024
