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Clam Linguine Recipe

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3.9 from 24 reviews

A classic Italian seafood pasta dish featuring tender littleneck clams steamed in a fragrant broth of garlic, white wine, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes, tossed with al dente linguine and finished with fresh parsley and butter for a rich, flavorful meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Seafood

  • 3 to 4 pounds littleneck clams, cleaned

Pasta

  • 1 pound linguine

Sauce & Seasonings

  • 1/4 cup olive oil, plus additional for serving
  • 5 to 8 cloves garlic, chopped (quantity depending on desired garlickiness)
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (adjust to taste)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus 2 tablespoons for garnish
  • Kosher salt, to taste

Instructions

  1. Clean the clams: Sort and clean the littleneck clams thoroughly following best practices to remove sand and grit, ensuring they’re fresh and ready for cooking.
  2. Cook the linguine: Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the linguine for about 8 minutes, until just shy of al dente, as it will finish cooking in the clam sauce.
  3. Sauté garlic and chili flakes: Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large deep skillet or braiser over medium heat. Add chopped garlic and crushed red pepper flakes, cooking while stirring until garlic is lightly browned and fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  4. Steam the clams: Add white wine, lemon juice, and cleaned clams to the skillet. Cover the pan and steam over medium-high heat until clams open, about 5 to 8 minutes, gently shaking the pan occasionally. Remove opened clams to a bowl tented with foil as they cook. Discard any clams that do not open after 10 to 13 minutes.
  5. Prepare the sauce: Before draining linguine, reserve 1/2 to 1 cup of pasta water. Remove all cooked clams from pan, then whisk in 3 tablespoons of butter into the steaming liquid remaining in the pan.
  6. Toss pasta in sauce: Add the drained linguine to the pan and toss to coat in the clam broth. Cook for about 2 minutes until pasta reaches al dente, adding reserved pasta water if needed to keep the sauce brothy and light.
  7. Add parsley and season: Stir chopped parsley into the pasta. Adjust seasoning with kosher salt, additional red pepper flakes, and lemon juice to taste.
  8. Combine clams and pasta: Either remove clam meat from half of the shells and toss into the pasta or serve the linguine tossed or topped with whole clams allowing guests to shell them at the table.
  9. Garnish and serve: Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, garnish with remaining parsley and fresh lemon wedges. Serve immediately with crusty bread for dipping.

Notes

  • Be sure to discard any clams that do not open after cooking to avoid eating spoiled shellfish.
  • Adjust the amount of garlic and red pepper flakes based on your spice and flavor preference.
  • Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency as needed.
  • Serving with crusty bread is ideal to soak up the delicious clam sauce.
  • Start checking clams early to prevent overcooking and maintain tenderness.

Find it online: https://yumfoodusa.com/clam-linguine-recipe/