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Briny clams, silky pasta, and a buttery, garlicky sauce make this linguine with clams taste like something you’d order at your favorite Italian restaurant.
Linguine with clams is a classic Italian restaurant dish, but it’s also one of the simplest and most affordable pasta dishes you can make at home. I know cooking shellfish like clams and mussels can seem intimidating, but they’re surprisingly easy to prepare—and once you try it, you’ll wonder what took you so long! Once the clams are cleaned and ready to go, you can make the sauce while the pasta cooks, so dinner comes together in about 30 minutes.
“I followed your instructions and when my husband tasted it, he said ‘Marry me’!”
What You’ll Need to Make Linguine with Clams
- Littleneck clams: Small, tender clams with a sweet, briny flavor. They release flavorful juices as they cook, creating the base of the sauce.
- Linguine: The classic pasta for this dish, though spaghetti works well, too.
- Dry white wine: Choose a crisp, dry wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. Select a bottle that is inexpensive but still good enough to drink. Avoid “cooking wines,” which are salty and include additives.
- Garlic and shallots: Create the aromatic base of the sauce.
- Olive oil and butter: Add richness and help bring the sauce together.
- Red pepper flakes: Add a subtle kick of heat.
- Fresh parsley and lemon: Brighten the sauce and balance the richness.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How to Clean & Prepare Fresh Clams
This recipe calls for littleneck clams, which are readily available at most supermarkets. They’re usually sold in mesh bags because they’re alive and need to breathe. If your fishmonger puts them in a plastic bag, transfer them to an uncovered bowl in the refrigerator as soon as you get home.
Before cooking, check that the clams are alive. Their shells should be tightly closed. If any are open, gently tap them against the countertop; live clams will close their shells. Discard any that stay open or have cracked or chipped shells.
To remove any sand, place the clams in a bowl of cool tap water and let them soak for 20 minutes to an hour. When you’re ready to cook, lift them out of the water and rinse each one, scrubbing away any grit on the shells. Most supermarket clams are farm-raised and already quite clean, so you may not find much sand.
How To Make Linguine with Clams
Cook the pasta: Boil the linguine until just shy of al dente—it will finish cooking in the sauce. Before draining, save a little pasta water in case you need it later.
Make the clam sauce: Sauté the shallots and garlic in olive oil until lightly golden, then add the white wine, red pepper flakes, salt, parsley, and clams. Cover and steam until the clams open, about 6 to 8 minutes. Discard any that remain closed.
Bring it all together: Add the linguine to the pan and toss until it absorbs some of the garlicky sauce. If things look a little dry, add a splash of the reserved pasta water. Finish with butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and parsley, then taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.
Linguine with Clams
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 16 oz linguine
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup finely chopped shallots, from 2 shallots
- 6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup dry white wine
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 lb Littleneck clams (40 to 45), scrubbed
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, divided
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, from 1 lemon, plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, from 1 lemon, plus more to taste
Instructions
- In large pot over high heat, bring 4 qts (4L) of water and 2 tablespoons of kosher salt to a boil.
- Add the linguine and cook according to the package directions until just shy of al dente (the pasta should still be firm to the bite since it will cook another minute or two in the sauce). Reserve ½ cup (120 ml) of the cooking water, then drain the pasta without rinsing.
- Meanwhile, in a very large sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté until just golden, about 30 seconds.
- Add the wine, red pepper flakes, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, clams, and ¼ cup (8 g) of the parsley. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, until the clams open, 6 to 8 minutes. Discard any unopened clams.
- Add the drained linguine to the pan with the clams. If the pan is too crowded, transfer the clams to a plate and cover to keep warm; you can add them back when serving. Cook over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until the pasta absorbs most of the sauce and is just tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to keep it moist.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Add the butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley; toss to coat.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, lemon zest and/or lemon juice, if necessary. Transfer to a serving dish or bowls and serve.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Storage & Reheating
Linguine with clams is best enjoyed right away, but leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To reheat, warm gently in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. Heat just until warmed through to keep the clams from becoming rubbery. I don’t recommend freezing this dish.
What to Serve with Linguine with Clams
To complete the meal, toss an arugula salad or make some roasted asparagus. Warm some crusty bread to soak up the garlicky sauce, and pour a few glasses of the same white wine used to make the dish. For dessert, finish with tiramisu.
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Thank you so much for this recipe! I made it last night (without the red pepper flakes) and am enjoying the leftovers today. I added extra lemon juice to my plate, which was so great and allows others to adjust the acidity and brightness. I could see this being a nice dish for a small dinner party. You have demystified clams for me!
Jenn I made this last evening using shrimp instead of clams. It was fantastic. My daughter had two servings and loved it. I didn’t change the recipe at all except for the shrimp. You’re right, it comes together very easily and is so delicious. Thanks for another wonderful recipe!
I made this last night with mussels, Chateau Ste Michelle Sauvignon Blanc and our new favorite brand of pasta, De Cecco. The mussels took only about 3-4 minutes to open in the pan. Very easy and very tasty. My husband especially liked this dish. I served it with a simple arugula salad. I will definitely make this again using either clams or mussels, depending on what looks best in the market that day.
I’d like to use canned clams. What size would I need?
Hi Sona, not sure if you’re referring to the size of the clams or the size of the can. If you’re referring to the clams, any size will do. If it’s the can size you’re wondering about, I would guesstimate that you’ll need about 12 – 16 ounces. Hope that helps!
where did you buy your colander? must try this recipe. It looks delicious.
Hi Irene, I’ve had that colander for a really long time and unfortunately, I don’t recall where I got it-sorry! (Hope you enjoy the linguine if you try it.) 🙂
Hi Jenn,
I would like to make this with shrimp, is it better to use thawed cooked shrimp or uncooked shrimp and if using uncooked, should I add after clams open up? Thank you so much for your recipes. I can honestly say I have a better marriage and family because these delicious meals bring us to together most evenings. Thank you.
Hi Jennifer, So glad your family enjoys the recipes! 🙂
If you’d like to add shrimp to this, I’d suggest uncooked and I’d add them after the clams have been cooking for about 5 minutes. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Hi Jenn! I don’t have access to littleneck clams, do you think the recipe would be as good with mussels?
Sure, Elise – I think mussels would beautifully here. Enjoy!
Can I use canned clams in this recipe? Fresh clams are harder for me to find and more expensive?
Sure, Catherine, but keep in mind that canned clams are higher in sodium than fresh. I would omit the salt in the sauce and add it to taste at the end. Please let me know how it turns out!
Just made it with canned clams Jenn-ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! Thank you for a great recipe, I will definitely make it again.
Made it tonight and turned out great, better than in restaurants. I didn’t have fresh clams, so I used canned ones. Used clam juice from the drained can and topped it with some dry white wine to a total of 1 cup. Otherwise, followed the recipe precisely. My husband said it was perfect.
And yes, since I was using clam juice/white wine mixture, I reduced the amount of salt.
Tanya,
How many cans of clams did you have to use? Thank you!
Hi Jenn! Thank you for the recipe. What is a good substitute for white wine, if we do not cook with alcohol? Thank you!
Hi Maria, I would use bottled clam juice or store-bought vegetable broth (or a combination) — and I’d omit the salt in the sauce until the dish is fully cooked, then season to taste.
Hi Jenn, Thank you so much for this recipe, I tried this last Friday and always wanted to make a meal with fresh clams and wine. The picture ingredients helped too however, when I went to the store I brought a 6oz Pinot Noir to only discover it was RED. I was already in the middle of cooking and had to continue. The end result was still good with the dish being a bit darker. It still had a great flavor and my family loved it. Thanks for sharing I’ll have to try this recipe again with the correct wine next time.
OMG! This is my new favorite! I made this for dinner tonight and added shrimp. I had my parents over for dinner. Each of us had THREE helpings! We couldn’t stop raving about how delicious it was.
You answered my question about using shrimp. I know my daughter won’t eat clams but she loves shrimp. This is dinner for us tonight.
This is a great recipe. I love the detailed photos as I have always been a bit nervous cooking clams and the seasonings here are spot on….this will be my new go to recipe for the week. My husband really enjoyed it as well!
If you want to make this using both a fresh clams and a can of the chopped ones when do you add the chopped ones?
Hi Karen, I’d probably just add them along with the fresh clams so they can get warmed up. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn, I realize most of these comments are from 2020, so hope you’ll reply. Need to use 2 cans of chopped clams instead of fresh. Can you please suggest how much of the can’s juice to include? Thank you so much! (& can onions be subbed in for shallots?)
Hi Karen, I’d suggest using 1/2 to 1 cup of the can’s juice. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!