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Linguine and clams in a delicious garlic white wine sauce and topped with buttery citrus breadcrumbs. This linguine and clams recipe is easy to make, with minimal ingredients and maximum flavor!
What is “linguine and clams”?
Clam linguine is a traditional Italian dish, also called “Linguine alle Vongole.” Native to coastal Italy, this dish is now enjoyed worldwide and loved for its bright, intense flavor.
Fresh clams are the star of this dish, cooked in an indulgent sauce made from garlic, white wine, lemon, and fresh parsley.
Linguine is the perfect pasta pairing, adhering well to the oil-based clam sauce.
This dish is decidedly clam-forward, making it a favorite with seafood lovers.
Why this linguine and clams recipe works
- Aromatic garlic and shallots enhance the simple, fresh ingredients.
- Anchovies are the secret ingredient to this dish, dissolving in the oil and providing wonderful depth in flavor.
- Ample acidity from lemon juice, lemon zest, and dry white wine gives this recipe a welcome “zip!”
- Butter and olive oil give this dish an indulgent creaminess.
- Pairing well with bread, soup, salad, and more, there are endless serving suggestions for this pasta dish.
Ingredients needed
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this linguine and clams recipe…
- Littleneck clams
- Ciabatta or sourdough bread
- Butter
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Shallots
- Anchovy filets
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Lemon zest
- Lemon juice
- White wine
- Fresh parsley
- Linguine
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
How to make linguine and clams
This clam linguine is made with fresh, whole ingredients that come together to make a masterpiece of flavor. Cooking it is a labor of love, but boy is it worth it!
Here’s how to make the dish:
Step 1: Prepare the clams
- Place 2 lbs of clams in a colander and soak them in a bowl of cold water for 30 minutes.
- As they drink up the fresh water, they ‘spit’ the sand out. The colander allows the sand to fall to the bottom of the bowl, so the clams don’t drink it back up.
- Since clams live on the ocean floor, it makes sense that they have a bunch of sand inside. You don’t want to ruin a dish by slurping up clams with a side of sand. See below how much sand came out.
- Once you have soaked the clams, dump the sand water and scrub each clam to remove any sand or grit from the shell. Now they are ready to be cooked.
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What kind of clams are best for this recipe?
I use littleneck clams in this recipe; they are small, tender, and steam well. Their flavor is sweet and pleasant.
Manila clams make a suitable substitution; they’re quick to cook, have a delicate texture, and have a lightly sweet flavor.
Clam quality tip:
When buying clams, do a simple ‘tap’ test.
Gently tap them together; they should fully close their shells. If they don’t, they could be dead or dying and you should discard them.
Also, discard any that are broken open.
Step 2: Process the breadcrumbs
- Cut up 2 cups of ciabatta or sourdough bread into cubes and place in a food processor.
- Pulse until breadcrumb consistency is achieved
- In your Dutch oven, melt 2 tbsp butter and once foaming, add the breadcrumbs and 2 cloves of minced garlic.
- Toast for about 5 minutes till golden brown.
- Add 1 tbsp lemon zest, mix, and remove from the skillet.
Step 3: Cook the clam base
- Wipe your Dutch oven out to remove leftover breadcrumbs.
- Next, add 3 tbsp olive oil, 4 anchovy filets, 10 cloves of thinly sliced garlic, 1 tbsp minced shallot, and 1⁄2 tsp red pepper flakes. The anchovies will disintegrate into the oil and give the base an extra depth of flavor, so don’t skip them!
- After sautéing the aromatics, add in 1 cup of dry white wine. Allow it to reduce by half.
- Once the wine has reduced, add 1 tbsp lemon juice to the clams.
- Cover to steam.
Garlic tip:
For this recipe, I use minced garlic and thinly sliced garlic. The quickest/easiest way to thinly slice garlic is with a mandoline. Always use the guard or wear a cut-resistant glove when using a mandoline.
Step 4: Steam the clams
- Steam the clams for 5-7 minutes.
- Once they pop open, remove them and place them in a bowl with tented foil. You don’t want to overcook clams, because they become tough and rubbery.
- After 5-7 minutes, if the clams haven’t opened, give the pan a shake or gently tap on the clams. Sometimes they need some movement to pop open.
- Some clams will not open as fully as others and those are still okay to eat – just use a knife to open them when eating.
- If a clam has a bad smell, that is a sign it needs to be tossed. If the clam doesn’t open after a few more minutes of steaming, toss it.
Step 5: Cook the linguine
- Cook linguine to al dente, according to package instructions.
- Drain your linguine and set aside
Cooking tip:
Make sure to reserve a cup of pasta water before draining your linguine. This will be added to your clam sauce later to make it extra silky smooth.
Step 6: Finish clams and combine
- Once all your clams are opened and set aside, add 2 tbsp of butter and 3 tbsp of fresh parsley.
- Mix til the butter is melted, then add in the linguine.
- Using tongs, carefully toss the linguine in the clam sauce to coat.
- Use the pasta water and add a few splashes at a time till the sauce is silky.
- Nestle the clams back into the pasta and top with the breadcrumbs, 1 tbsp fresh parsley, and an additional 1 tbsp lemon zest.
- Serve with lemon wedges and a bowl to discard shells into. This dish is best enjoyed fresh and right away. Clams cool quickly.
How to serve linguine and clams
This clam linguine is a flavorful main dish, pairing well with both soup and salad.
For a soup side, try a light, brothy recipe like my mushroom soup, vegetable orzo soup, or caldo verde.
If you prefer salad, Brussels sprout Caesar salad, snap pea salad with feta and radishes, and a simple salad with lemon dijon vinaigrette all make wonderful options.
Finally, if you prefer a “carb-loaded” dish, try a delicious homemade side like my cast iron garlic butter dinner rolls, homemade roasted garlic bread, or no-knead focaccia.
How to store linguine and clams
This linguine and clams recipe is best enjoyed hot from the stove, though it can be stored for later.
To store, allow your clam linguine to cool completely before adding it to an airtight container. This recipe will keep well in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Do not freeze this recipe as it will alter the taste and consistency of the clams.
Love this seafood dish? Try these other recipes:
- Clams and Chorizo
- Spanish Seafood Paella with Chorizo
- Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Crema
- Baked Coconut Shrimp
- Marinated Grilled Swordfish with Olive Chimichurri
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Linguine and Clams
Ingredients
- 2 pounds littleneck clams (see note)
- 2 cups cubed ciabatta or sourdough bread
- 4 tablespoons butter (divided)
- 12 garlic cloves (2 minced, 10 thinly sliced on mandoline)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon shallot (minced)
- 4 anchovy filets
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoon lemon zest (divided, plus more for serving)
- 1 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 4 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped, divided)
- 12 ounces linguine
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
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Equipment
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Instructions
Cleaning clams
- Place the clams in a colander and then place that in a bigger bowl filled with cold water. Soak for 30 minutes and as they drink up the fresh water, they ‘spit’ the sand out. The colander allows the sand to fall to the bottom of the bowl, so the clams don’t drink it back up. Once you have soaked the clams, dump the sand water and scrub each clam to remove any sand or grit from the shell.
Breadcrumbs
- Cut up ciabatta or sourdough into cubes and place in a food processor. Pulse until breadcrumb consistency is achieved. In a dutch oven or high walled skillet, melt 2 tbsp butter in the pan, once melted, add in the breadcrumbs, and minced garlic.
- Toast about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Add 1 tbsp lemon zest, mix, and remove from skillet.
Linguine and Clams
- In a large pot, cook linguine al dente according to package instruction. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water prior to draining.
- Wipe out the dutch oven you prepared the breadcrumbs in. Over medium heat, add 3 tbsp olive oil, anchovies, shallot, thinly sliced garlic, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper. Sauté for 3 minutes, anchovies will dissolve.
- Add in the white wine and allow it to reduce by half, about 3-4 minutes. Once reduced add in the lemon juice.
- Add the clams and cover to allow them to steam 5-7 minutes. Once they pop open, remove and place them in a bowl with tented foil. If the clams haven’t open yet, give the pan a shake or gently tap on the clams. Sometimes they need some movement to pop open.
- Once all clams are removed, add in 2 tbsp butter, 3 tbsp parsley and mix together till butter is melted. Add in the al dente linguine.
- Using tongs, carefully toss the linguine in the sauce to coat. Use the pasta water and add a few splashes at a time till the sauce is silky.
- Nestle the clams back into the pasta and top with the breadcrumbs, 1 tbsp fresh parsley, and 1 tbsp lemon zest. Enjoy!
