Linguine with white clam sauce is the kind of thing I cannot resist on an Italian restaurant’s menu. I can almost smell the garlic just reading the words and imagine the chewy, briny nuggets of clams tangled up in strands of linguine with that savory broth puddling on the bottom of the bowl. And, the good news is that if you stock up on canned clams for your pantry, this dish can come together in literally 20 minutes. Only 20 minutes to pasta with white clam sauce?!? It feels almost too easy, but it’s true.

The result is the kind of thing you might find in an Italian joint in Little Italy in NYC or in the North End in Boston. Serve it up with a salad, like Escarole Salad, a mixed green salad, or Endive, Arugula, and Orange Salad. If you want a green vegetable with your pasta, consider Sautéed Broccoli Rabe or Sautéed Broccoli. And think about making some Cheesy Garlic Bread to go with it!

Linguine with White Clam Sauce: This 30-minute pasta recipe made with an ample amount of canned clams is a quick and easy weeknight dinner.

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Linguine and White Clam Sauce with Canned Clams

I am a fan of Snow’s chopped clams, which fully deliver on taste and texture. Keeping a little stack of their cans in the pantry, plus a couple of bottles of Snow’s clam juice, means that this can be on the table for dinner with a handful of other pantry staples any night of the week. And if you are a little tired of holding a box of pasta in one hand and a jar of tomato sauce in the other, this is the perfect way to shake up the dinner routine.

I went for chopped clams in this pasta because I love the big chunks. I like to go a little overboard with the clams. No disappointment hunting around for clams in this pasta; every bite has chunks of seafood twirled up in the noodles.

This dish made me want to buy a red and white checked tablecloth so that I could feel like the whole trattoria experience was mine. My kids absolutely love this dish, and it’s an easy weeknight dinner. A sprinkle of bacon on top would not be unwelcome, either.

I also mixed the Snow’s Clam Juice with chicken broth and white wine for the sauce. The result is a sauce that pulls the linguine and clams together perfectly. Plus, yes, olive oil and garlic. Also, a splash of lemon juice for brightness and a bit of acidity. This balances out the rich savoriness of the clams.

Ingredients

• Extra-virgin olive oil – A generous amount to sauté the garlic in and form the base of the sauce.
• Minced garlic – Again, a generous amount. Clam sauce must be garlicky! Use fresh garlic if at all possible.
• Red pepper flakes – Add a kick to the sauce. Pass additional red pepper flakes for sprinkling on top.
• White wine – I prefer a dry white wine, which adds depth of flavor to the sauce.
• Chicken broth or stock – The richer, the better. This becomes part of the sauce.
• Clam juice – This adds a wonderful brininess to the pasta sauce.
• Canned chopped clams – Making clam sauce with chopped clams means that it comes together very quickly. If you have cans of clams in the pantry, you can make this whole meal in less than 30 minutes. You can use chopped or minced canned clams; I like chopped best. Drain them before adding.
• Juice and zest of 1 large lemon – Citrus adds a jolt of acidity, which really plays well with the salty richness of the seafood and the heat from the garlic and red pepper flakes. The juice goes into the sauce; the zest gets sprinkled on top.
• Chopped parsley – Finish the fish with an herbal note that also provides freshness and color.

How to Make Linguine with White Clam Sauce

1. Cook the pasta: You’ll want to cook it until just al dente, and then it will finish cooking in the sauce, so plan to take it out a couple of minutes before it is done to your liking.
2. Make the clam sauce base: Sauté the garlic in the oil in a large deep skillet over low heat for 8 minutes, until the garlic is soft and a very light golden color. Stir in the red pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper. Add the white wine and simmer for 3 minutes until slightly reduced. Add the broth and clam juice, bring to a simmer, and reduce a bit, for about 5 minutes.
3. Finish the sauce: Return the drained pasta to the pot. Pour in the broth-clam juice mixture, add the chopped clams and lemon juice, and toss until the pasta becomes tender and absorbs a bit of the liquid, the clams are heated through, and everything is well combined, about 2 minutes.
4. Serve: Turn the linguine with clam sauce into a serving bowl, and top with additional red pepper flakes, the chopped parsley, and the lemon zest. Serve hot.

FAQs

Tips

• Cook the pasta just short of tender, as it will finish cooking in the sauce and absorb more of its flavor.
• Pass additional red pepper flakes on the side for people to add as they wish.

Leftovers and Storage

• Leftover pasta may be stored for 2 to 3 days in a tightly covered container in the fridge.
• Reheat over low heat, stirring often, until just warmed through. You may need to add a little bit more white wine or water to loosen up the pasta if it is a bit dry.

What to Serve With Linguine and White Clam Sauce:

Mixed Green Salad with Creamy Sesame Dressing

Classic Caesar Salad

Kale Crunch Salad

More Seafood Pasta Recipes

• Fresh Linguine with Shrimp and Peas in a Pink Cream Sauce
• 30-Minute Shrimp Scampi
• Shrimp Alfredo
• Pasta Salad with Salmon and Creamy Cilantro Dressing
• Shrimp Fra Diavolo with Linguine

This post is in partnership with Snow’s®. All opinions are my own.