Linguine with Clams in 30 Minutes – Restaurant Quality! (VIDEO)
Feb 11, 2023, Updated Apr 12, 2024
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Linguine with Clams is a classic seafood pasta that is so simple but delicious! The natural juices from the clam are emulsified into a delicious butter-y, olive oil based sauce with garlic and red pepper flakes that is out of this world good. Best part is that it only takes 30 minutes to make this perfect pasta dish for a weeknight or even a special occasion!
Watch the Linguine with Clams Recipe Video Below!
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Linguine with Clams
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for the best Linguine with Clams! Pair this with Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts for an easy dinner!
- linguine pasta – this dish s traditionally made with linguine but you can use any long pasta. You can use either fresh or dried pasta; I like bronze die-cut pasta because the surface of the pasta has a rougher texture to allow for more sauce to cling to it.
- fresh clams – I recommend using fresh clams – I used Littleneck clams.
- Fresh clams need to breath to stay alive, so purchase them the day you want to use them and keep them uncovered in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook. (Do not need them in an airtight container or plastic bag.)
- If you don’t have access to fresh clams, you can use canned clams.
- If using canned clams: instead of steaming the clams, let the sauce reduce and add the clams to the sauce. Cook them through for 1-2 minutes to heat and continue with the recipe as written.
- If you’re looking for a similar pasta that doesn’t have seafood in it, check out my authentic Cacio e Pepe, Fettuccine Alfredo, or Carbonara recipes!
- garlic
- red pepper flakes
- olive oil
- butter – My favorite butter in the world is Kerrygold unsalted butter. The quality is phenomenal! I like to buy mine from Costco and freeze what I won’t need (butter lasts in the freezer for 5 months).
- fresh Italian parsley stems and leaves separated
- white white – I use a dry white wine such as Pinot Grio or Sauvignon Blanc, but you can easily substitute this for chicken stock if you prefer to omit alcohol from this recipe.
- Do not use a cooking wine! Use a white wine that you would not mind drinking.
- kosher salt
- lemon for garnish
Recipe Instructions
1. Prepare Your Fresh Clams
NOTE: You can skip this step if you are using canned clams.
I used Littleneck Clams – fresh clams from the store must be cleaned before cooking them. Add them to a large bowl of cold salted water and scrub the shells with a soft brush to remove any debris. Let the clams sit in the salt water for 20 minutes; this will filter the clams of any dirt or sand inside the shells, while still keeping their natural juices in tact. Once cleaned, drain the salted water from the bowl of clams and set aside.
Discard any clams that are open or that have cracked or chipped shells. If you knock on a clam and it is alive, it will close its shell.
2. Start the Clam Sauce
In a large pan over medium heat, melt butter and olive oil; sauté the crushed garlic cloves, crushed red pepper flakes and parsley stems for 30 seconds. Let the aromatics infuse in the oil – this will start a delicious base for your sauce.
Once you can smell the aromatics in the butter and olive oil, turn the heat to high. Add your cleaned fresh clams, white wine (or chicken stock) and immediately cover – you will steam the clams for 6-8 minutes (or until the clams shells have opened).
- NOTE – if you are using canned clams: instead of steaming the clams, let the sauce reduce and add the clams to the sauce. Cook them through for 1-2 minutes to heat and continue with the recipe as written.
Once the clams are steamed and opened, remove the clams along with the garlic and parsley stems from the sauce. Discard the garlic and parsley stems. Reserve the clams in a separate bowl. The clams have released all their flavor into the sauce and we will add these back in the end!
3. Reduce the Sauce
Cook your linguine (or long pasta) until al dente. You will finish cooking the linguine in the clam sauce. Reserve at least 1/2 cup pasta water.
- I purposefully undercook the pasta prior to adding it to the sauce in order to time the sauce reduction and the pasta tenderness. This takes some practice but just account for an additional 1-2 minutes to reduce the sauce – this is how much less I cook the pasta to al dente.
Add the al dente linguine into the sauce, along with 1/2 cup of pasta water. We’ll need the starch from the pasta water to help thicken this sauce. Continue reducing the sauce until half – the more reduced the sauce, the more reinforced the clam flavor will be.
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and continue cooking over high heat until the sauce has reduced and the pasta is cooked to your liking.
Once the sauce has thickened to your liking (see the video for reference), add back the reserved clams and fresh parsley to the pasta; give it a final toss! If desired, garnish with lemon and more parsley and enjoy!
PRO TIPS
Expert Tips for Restaurant Quality Linguine with Clams!
Clean Your Fresh Clams
- Fresh clams from the store must be cleaned before cooking them. Add them to a large bowl of cold salted water, let them sit for at least 20 minutes and scrub the shells with a soft brush to remove any debris.
- Discard any clams that are open or that have cracked or chipped shells. If you knock on a clam and it is alive, it will close its shell.
If Using Canned Clams
Instead of steaming the clams, let the sauce reduce and add the clams to the sauce. Cook them through for 1-2 minutes to heat and continue with the recipe as written.
Salt Your Pasta Water!
This is the first step in ensuring your dish is properly seasoned. The Italians believed in adding flavor in every step of the cooking process and salting your pasta water can be seen as your ‘foundation’. I like my pasta water to be as salty as the sea – briny but not so salty that it’s unbearable. I use kosher salt but you can use whatever salt you have on hand.
Undercook Your Pasta
Account for the time that the sauce will take to reduce and thicken (1-2 minutes) and undercook your pasta by the same amount of time. If the sauce has reduced too much before the pasta is done to your liking, you can always add additional pasta water to loosen the sauce back up and continue cooking the pasta.
Storage and Reheating
While Linguine with Clams is best served fresh, you can store it in an air tight container for up to 3 days. To reheat, cover it with a damp paper towel and reheat in the microwave to steam. To reheat in a pan, add it to a pan with a few tablespoons of hot water to loosen up the pasta. Cook over medium high heat until warmed through.
Feeling Like More Pasta?
If you love pasta like I do, make sure to check out some of my favorite pasta recipes – my favorite is my Wife’s Birthday Carbonara (I make it for her every year)! I love making my super easy Spicy Vodka Pasta when we have guests come over. If I’m feeling something just as simple but delicious like this Linguine with Clams, I’ll make Pasta al Limone with fresh lemons from my backyard, Cacio e Pepe or Fettuccine Alfredo!
If you tried this Linguine with Clams or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Linguine with Clams (Video)
Ingredients
- 8 oz Linguine pasta
- 2 lbs fresh clams
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 bunch fresh italian parsley, stems and leaves separated
- 1 cup white white, or chicken stock
- kosher salt
- lemon, for garnish
Instructions
- Soak clams in salted water for 20 minutes to clean, then rinse with cold water and drain.
- Cook linguine until very al dente (1-2 minutes) less than package directions in salted boiling water.
- In a large skillet over medium heat combine olive oil and butter until melted. Add chili flake, crushed garlic and 2-3 parsley stems to olive oil and fry for 30 seconds.
- Turn the heat to high. Add clams along with white wine or chicken broth, cover and steam for 6-8 minutes until the clams have opened up. Remove from the sauce into a separate bowl and discard any unopened clams. Remove the parsley stems and garlic, then reduce the sauce about 1/2.
- Once the sauce is reduced, immediately add the linguine and about a 1/2 cup of pasta water.
- Drizzle 1 tbsp of olive oil to the pasta. Cook and toss the pasta over high heat until the sauce has thickened slightly and emulsified.
- Add back the clams and freshly chopped parsley and mix to combine. Garnish more parsley and lemon, if desired, and enjoy!
Notes
-
- Fresh clams from the store must be cleaned before cooking them. Add them to a large bowl of cold salted water, let them sit for at least 20 minutes and scrub the shells with a soft brush to remove any debris.
-
- Discard any clams that are open or that have cracked or chipped shells. If you knock on a clam and it is alive, it will close its shell.
STORAGE AND REHEATING
While this linguine and clam dish is best served fresh, you can store it in an air tight container for up to 3 days. To reheat, cover it with a damp paper towel and reheat in the microwave to steam. To reheat in a pan, add it to a pan with a few tablespoons of hot water to loosen up the pasta. Cook over medium high heat until warmed through.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My all time fav dish!
I love this recipe! Super delicious and easy to make!! My fave!!! ❤️ a go-to for Italian night for thw whole family!
Made this the other day and it was quick and delicious! I like how simple the ingredients are and tasting the natural clam flavor.
@ysikorski
My kids love this recipe! Super simple and tasty!
A recipe worth trying.
My favorite pasta dish. I love the fresh flavors of the clams with the light sauce. I always feel intimidated to cook seafood, but this is not super complicated. Just need those fresh clams.