Briny littleneck clams and bright lemon are folded into a garlicky white-wine broth and tossed with al dente linguine for a silky, coastal pasta finished with parsley and red pepper flakes.
Weeknight Clams: Garlicky White‑Wine Linguine
Briny littleneck clams, a bright lemon finish, and a garlicky white‑wine broth coat al dente linguine for a quick, silky pasta that feels like the coast at your table.
This is the kind of dinner that looks restaurant-ready but comes together in about 30 minutes. It solves the classic weeknight problem: you want something special without an all-evening commitment. A few pantry staples—linguine, extra-virgin olive oil, butter, garlic, a splash of dry white wine—and a bag of littlenecks turn into a sauce that clings to each strand and tastes like sea air and sunshine.
The sauce is intentionally simple: soften a thinly sliced shallot in oil and butter, add garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes until aromatic, then deglaze with wine and clam juice. Toss the pasta straight from the pot so the starches help bind the broth into a silky emulsion; a reserved cup of pasta water is your secret for adjusting texture. Finish with lemon zest and juice for brightness and a shower of parsley so each bite is lively, not cloying.
A few practical notes make the difference: rinse and scrub shells under cold water and discard any with cracks or that don’t close when tapped. If the clams look sandy, soak them in cold salted water for 20 minutes before cooking. Steam the clams in the simmering wine broth until they open—discard any that remain tightly closed after cooking.
Serve with plenty of crusty bread to mop up the garlicky broth and a wedge of lemon on the side. For a richer finish, stir in an extra pat of butter at the end; for a lazier swap, use spaghetti or bucatini instead of linguine. Pair with a crisp, dry white wine to mirror the sauce and you’ve got a simple, elegant pescatarian dinner that’s both comforting and celebratory.
Ingredients
How to Make Clam Garlic White Wine Pasta
- Rinse clams under cold water, scrub shells to remove grit, and discard any with cracked shells or that do not close when tapped; soak in cold salted water for 20 minutes if very sandy.
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt, and cook linguine until just shy of al dente (about 9 minutes); reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain.
- While the pasta cooks, thinly slice the shallot and mince the garlic; zest and juice the lemon, and roughly chop the parsley.
- Heat olive oil and butter in a large wide skillet over medium heat until butter melts; add shallot and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes, then add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the white wine and clam juice, turn heat to medium-high, and let the liquid simmer 2–3 minutes to reduce slightly and concentrate flavor.
- Add the clams to the skillet, cover, and steam until the clams open, about 5–7 minutes; remove any clams that do not open and discard them.
- Transfer opened clams to a bowl (leave shells if desired), increase the skillet heat to reduce the sauce if needed, then add drained linguine, lemon zest, lemon juice, chopped parsley, and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water; toss to coat, adding more pasta water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce clings to the pasta.
- Return clams to the pasta to warm, season to taste with remaining kosher salt and black pepper, finish with a drizzle of olive oil if desired, and serve immediately with extra parsley and lemon wedges.
Recipe Card
Clam Garlic White Wine Pasta
Briny littleneck clams and bright lemon are folded into a garlicky white-wine broth and tossed with al dente linguine for a silky, coastal pasta finished with parsley and red pepper flakes.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Rinse clams under cold water, scrub shells to remove grit, and discard any with cracked shells or that do not close when tapped; soak in cold salted water for 20 minutes if very sandy.
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt, and cook linguine until just shy of al dente (about 9 minutes); reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain.
- While the pasta cooks, thinly slice the shallot and mince the garlic; zest and juice the lemon, and roughly chop the parsley.
- Heat olive oil and butter in a large wide skillet over medium heat until butter melts; add shallot and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes, then add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the white wine and clam juice, turn heat to medium-high, and let the liquid simmer 2–3 minutes to reduce slightly and concentrate flavor.
- Add the clams to the skillet, cover, and steam until the clams open, about 5–7 minutes; remove any clams that do not open and discard them.
- Transfer opened clams to a bowl (leave shells if desired), increase the skillet heat to reduce the sauce if needed, then add drained linguine, lemon zest, lemon juice, chopped parsley, and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water; toss to coat, adding more pasta water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce clings to the pasta.
- Return clams to the pasta to warm, season to taste with remaining kosher salt and black pepper, finish with a drizzle of olive oil if desired, and serve immediately with extra parsley and lemon wedges.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 64
- Saturated Fat
- 4
- Sodium
- 800
- Fiber
- 3
- Unsaturated Fat
- 11.8
- Protein
- 25
- Fat
- 15
- Cholesterol
- 90
- Trans Fat
- 0.2
- Calories
- 580
- Sugar
- 3