Name: Linguine with White Clam Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 4 ounces dry linguine; 2 teaspoons olive oil; 1 tablespoon butter; 1 clove garlic minced; 9 ounces jarred whole clams in natural juice (or equivalent); 1/4 teaspoon oregano; 1/4 teaspoon basil; 1/4 cup dry white wine; Salt & pepper to taste; 1 lemon wedge; Sprinkle of grated Parmesan Cheese; Fresh parsley and red pepper flakes for garnish (optional)

Laura Lynch

27
votes
8 Comments
Jump to Recipe

Linguine with White Clam Sauce marries a garlicky white wine with clams and linguine pasta to make an easy and elegant dish that’s equally great for a quick dinner or a nice dinner party.

» Also try this Cacio e Pepe or Chicken Fettucine Alfredo.

We often get stuck in a pasta rut that includes spaghetti with meat sauce and pappardelle with ragu. While I love those dishes, I also want to change up the routine a little bit and try some other Italian-style pastas. This linguine with clam sauce is a perfect deviation from the norm.

I’ve seen many recipes for Linguine with Clam Sauce and I was also hesitant to make it because they all include full shell clams. That just seems too difficult for a weeknight meal. I wanted this version to be easier than that. Who has the time?

Ingredients You’ll Need

There are only a few ingredients in this dish, but the quality of each one has a major affect on the final product, so be sure you’re using the highest quality ingredients you can find.

Clams – See below for a few notes on what clams to use
Linguine – Fresh is always best, but if you can’t find fresh (or don’t want to make your own) you can use dried in a pinch. You can go with store-bought pasta, or you can spend a few extra minutes making the pasta yourself. There is a huge reward for those who accept the challenge. Homemade pasta is the. absolute. best.
White wine – Be sure to use a dry white wine, like Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay (stainless steel), or Sauvignon Blanc. Avoid cooking wines. And keep in mind that you don’t need an expensive bottle for this. Something under $10 will do.
Olive Oil
Butter
Garlic
Dried seasonings – Oregano, basil, salt and pepper, red pepper flakes (optional)
For Garnish – fresh parsley, fresh grated Parmesan cheese, and lemon wedges

What Clams to Use

While I do love fresh clams, there’s a simplicity in using jarred clams that I can’t say no to. In my grocery, I can get these little jars of clams with juice (in the UK, this is the exact jar).

The ones I buy are only a couple dollars each, in a 4.5 oz size. I use two of them for Linguine for 2 people. You might not find these in your store, but there will be some alternative – whether it’s canned or jarred.

I prefer the tiny clams, but you can purchase larger ones. It won’t change the dish too much. Just make sure you’re buying clams in natural juice (not in red sauce). You can buy whole clams, but they don’t come in clam sauce, which is an important part of this dish, so you would also need to buy clam juice separately.

The most important thing is to make sure you’re using high quality clams. The quality will greatly affect the taste and texture of your pasta.

Making Your Own Pasta

If you want to try your hand at making your own pasta, I can’t recommend it enough. It’s not difficult or scary to make your own pasta.

Here is an incredibly easy homemade pasta recipe that only requires you to mix flour with eggs and knead the dough.

2 large eggs
200g of 00 flour, plus extra for dusting

Make a mound out of the flour (reserving about 20 grams to use only if necessary). Swirl a whole in the middle of the mound with your fingers. Crack the eggs into the center of the mound.

Using a fork, beat the eggs gently, then start to incorporate the surrounding flour, slowly, until fully combined. Add the extra flour only if the dough is too sticky. Then knead the dough until it’s smooth and elastic.

Rolling the Pasta

Rolling a sheet of pasta through a pasta maker

There are two ways to roll your fresh pasta. You can knead it and roll it out with a rolling pin. This takes a bit of muscle and time, but it’s not difficult. Or you can use a pasta maker. There are three different types of pasta makers.

A manual pasta roller won’t make the pasta for you; it’ll just help with rolling out or cutting shapes. The second option is an attachment for the KitchenAid that rolls out the dough for you.

There is a third, even easier option. If you’ve ever wanted to make fresh pasta, but didn’t want to do the work, you need this.

How much homemade pasta per person?

I recommend a 2 ounce serving of fresh pasta per person. Once the pasta is cooked it equals around 1 cup of pasta, which is a decent serving. The recipe above makes 4 servings.

How to Make Linguine with White Clam Sauce

In a large skillet, sauté the garlic, then add the clams and juice, spices and white wine and let that simmer for a few minutes.

When the white wine has evaporated – around 3-5 minutes – add the cooked linguine and stir to coat the pasta.

Divide the pasta between the plate and top with a spritz of lemon juice, a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, some chopped parsley, and red pepper flakes.

Other Pasta Recipes to Try

4.9 from 16 votes

Baked Feta Tomato Pasta (à la Tik Tok)

16
Jul

4.8 from 18 votes

Cajun Chicken Pasta

14
Feb

4.6 from 11 votes

Creamy Chicken & Potato Pasta

13
May

4.9 from 7 votes

5-Cheese Mac and Cheese

01
May

Like it, Love it, Want Some More of It? Subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook. We really love it when you save our recipes to Pinterest 😊