Go Back
A bowl of linguine with clams in their shells, glossy with garlic white wine sauce and fresh parsley

Linguine with Clams

Fresh clams steamed in garlic, chili and white wine, tossed with linguine finished in the briny clam juices, butter and parsley.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Purge clams 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 560
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Purging
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt per quart (1 liter) cold water
Pasta
  • 3 pounds littleneck or Manila clams scrubbed (1.4 kg)
  • 12 ounces linguine (340 g)
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (60 ml)
  • 5 cloves garlic thinly sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine (180 ml)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped
  • 1/2 lemon zest and a squeeze of juice, optional

Method
 

Purge the clams
  1. Dissolve the salt in cold water, add the clams and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. Lift them out, scrub under cold water and discard any cracked shells or open clams that do not close.
Cook
  1. Boil the linguine in lightly salted water for 2 minutes less than the package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain.
  2. Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the garlic and pepper flakes for 1 to 2 minutes until pale golden.
  3. Add the wine, bring to a boil and add the clams. Cover and cook over medium-high heat for 5 to 8 minutes, moving clams to a bowl as they open. Discard any unopened after about 10 minutes.
  4. Strain the clam juices if sandy. Add the linguine to the juices and toss over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, adding pasta water as needed, until al dente.
  5. Off the heat, toss in the butter, most of the parsley and the lemon. Return the clams and their juices, toss and serve with the remaining parsley.

Notes

Safety: Discard clams that are cracked, that do not close before cooking, or that stay closed after cooking.
Canned clams: Use two 6.5-ounce cans, adding the juice with the wine and the clams at the end.
Nutrition is an estimate per serving.