This white clam sauce is heavenly: lots of garlic, olive oil, white wine, and clams tossed with al dente linguine for a delicious Italian dinner! Made with mostly pantry ingredients, this easy recipe is addictive, quick enough for a weeknight dinner, but elegant enough for company.
My love affair with shellfish began in Italy many years ago, and to this day, I always order linguine alle vongole when I’m there. I’ve been making linguine alle vongole (“linguine with clams”) for years, and this recipe keeps all the delicious, rich flavor of the original, but makes it so much easier by using canned clams. What’s great is that this recipe uses mostly pantry staples, making it inexpensive, too!
What Makes This Recipe So Good
Linguine – A simple ribbon pasta that is wider than spaghetti and rounder than fettuccine, linguine is perfect for soaking up the sauce and allowing the other flavors to shine.
Clams – Canned clams make this pasta super easy and inexpensive, yet still have a rich, salty, slightly fishy flavor.
Olive oil – A light, fresh olive oil is perfect for making a sauce that is savory but doesn’t overpower the other flavors.
White wine – A little white wine enhances the olive oil and the saltiness of the clams.
How To Make White Clam Sauce
Cook the linguine pasta in a large pot filled with salted water until al dente. Drain.
Saute the garlic in the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the liquid from the clams, the white wine, and the salt. Stir everything well.
Bring to a boil, and then cook on medium to high heat for 10 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by about half. (It’s still going to be a little liquidy, but that’s okay!)
Stir in the clams and parsley until they are heated through. Reduce the heat to low.
Add the cooked and drained linguine to the skillet. Toss the pasta over low heat for a few minutes until the pasta absorbs some of the sauce, but not all. (It will continue to absorb the sauce after it’s plated.)
Top Tips For Making
- In Southern Italy, tomatoes and fresh basil are often added to this dish. I’ve made mine without, but you can add those if you’d like!
- To get your linguine perfectly al dente, make sure to heavily salt your water. Make sure to use plenty of water in the pot, too, so that the pasta has plenty of room to move around and expand.
More Delicious Italian Recipes
- Caprese Sandwich (Melted or Cold)
- Chicken Carbonara
- Chicken Piccata (Paleo, Gluten Free)
- Cottage Cheese Alfredo
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White Clam Sauce
This delicious and savory pasta dish is made even easier with canned clams.
Ingredients
- 1 (12-ounce) package linguine pasta
- 3 (8-ounce) cans minced clams juice drained and reserved
- 1/4 cup olive oil good quality
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley plus more for garnish
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup clam juice from cans
- crushed red pepper flakes for garnish, optional
Instructions
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Cook the linguine pasta in a large pot filled with salted water until al dente. Drain. Saute the garlic in the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the liquid from the clams, the white wine, and the salt. Stir everything well.
-
Bring to a boil, and then cook on medium to high heat for 10 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by about half. (It's still going to be a little liquidy, but that's okay!)
-
Stir in the clams and parsley until they are heated through. Reduce the heat to low.
-
Add the cooked and drained linguine to the skillet. Toss the pasta over low heat for a few minutes until the pasta absorbs some of the sauce, but not all. (It will continue to absorb the sauce after it's plated.)
Recipe Notes
- Ingredient variation:Â In Southern Italy, tomatoes and fresh basil are often added to this dish.
- Tips for cooking pasta al dente: Make sure to heavily salt your water. Use plenty of water in the pot, too, so that the pasta has plenty of room to move around and expand.
This a family staple for Christmas Eve dinner of the seven fishes. My Mom makes this every year! It is delicious!!
Proud to be part of your family tradition, Cynthia!
Can you please recommend a good brand of canned clam? This looks delicious!
I used Bumble Bee!