Linguine and Clam Sauce Recipe - See Mom Click (2024)

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September 23, 2016

Linguine with Clam Sauce is one of my favorite meals. I often order it when we’re out at an Italian restaurant, and I make it at home, too, but with a canned sauce. This was my first go at making it on my own, and it was actually really easyand tasted SO much better!

It’s a two-pot dish, one for the clams and sauce and one for the pasta, and there are a few steps here but it’s not difficult at all. Read through the whole recipe before you get started.

We finished it off with a drizzle of EVOO to bring it all together. Here’s the recipe:

Yield: 6 servings

This Linguine and Clam Sauce Recipe is so delicious and full of flavor with fresh clams and just a pinch of heat. Our new favorite pasta recipe!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

Approximately 5 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (divided)
9 cloves garlic, divided
50 littleneck clams, cleaned and rinsed
1 cup white wine (I used Sauvignon Blanc)
1/2 cup water
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes (see note)
1 lb. linguine
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons oregano, chopped
1/2 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (optional)

Instructions

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a saucepan that has a lid. Add 5 cloves of crushed garlic (just smash them, no need to chop).
Cook until the garlic is aromatic and turns golden brown, then discard the garlic. You are just flavoring the oil.
Add the wine and water to the flavored oil and half of the clams (just eyeball it). Cover the pan and bring to a low boil, cooking about 10 minutes until the clam shells open.
Remove the clams from the pan and allow the liquid to continue to cook at a slow bubble to reduce. Meanwhile, remove the cooked clams from the shells. Save the clams, discard the shells.
Pour the cooking liquid into a measuring cup and reserve it.
Use the same saucepan, again add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add two of the remaining cloves of garlic, smashed, and cook until browned and aromatic.
While that garlic is cooking, heat a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Once it boils, cook the linguine just short of being done (about 1 minute less than what the package directs). You'll finish it in the clam cooking liquid.
After your garlic has browned, remove it from the oil and discard it. Add the remaining two cloves of garlic, chopped, to the oil. Then add the remaining clams and the reserved cooking liquid. Be careful not to pour in any sediment that might have settled to the bottom.
Cover the pan and cook until the clams open. Once they are open, remove them from the pan and place in a dish to stay warm. I put them in a metal bowl covered with aluminum foil.
Add the butter and the cooked clams you removed from their shells to the saucepan and stir until melted.
Bring the liquid to a boil and add the drained pasta and fresh herbs. Toss with tongs to combine and cook for a few minutes until the pasta is completely done and the sauce begins to thicken.
Turn off the heat and stir in the cheese if using. Add the cooked clams that are still in their shells to the top of the dish.
Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, about a tablespoon.

Notes

Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes you use depending on how much heat you like. It will spice up your dish if you go with a bigger pinch!

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This easily made 6 servings so it would be a nice dish to serve if you had company. I really like that the entire meal is in one pot. And it’s got amazing flavor with the red pepper flakes, clams, and EVOO. This is the perfect dish for a fancy meal like an anniversary dinner or Valentine’s Day celebration!

About Lindsay Frank

Lindsay is the Owner/Editor and Content Creator at See Mom Click, a family travel and lifestyle blog based in Central Pennsylvania. She is a wife and mom of two kids and a handful of fur babies.

Reader Interactions

Comments

Kris I. says

September 23, 2016 at 14:00

I love making linguini and oil with garlic, tomatoes and black olives!!
Reply
Sarah Hall says

September 23, 2016 at 18:40

I like to put Olive Oil on my bread before I put it in the oven to toast or put it on my pasta for flavor.
Reply
Rust says

September 23, 2016 at 19:49

I drizzle it on veggies when I roast them.
Reply
Audra O'Hara says

September 23, 2016 at 19:55

I use olive oil for so many things! One of my favorite is homemade marinara sauce with fresh tomatoes from our garden. A good olive oil makes a lot of difference in taste.
Reply
Jennifer Figueroa says

September 23, 2016 at 20:06

I like to make homemade Salad Dressing with Olive Oil. Thanks for educating us on the
less in quality oils on the shelves.
Reply
Mary W says

September 23, 2016 at 20:38

I like using olive oil in homemade dressings.
Reply
jeanette sheets says

September 23, 2016 at 20:41

i use to fry my chicken breast in
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Susan P. says

September 23, 2016 at 20:52

I use EVOO on a caprese salad with fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil leaves.
Reply
Seyma Shabbir says

September 23, 2016 at 23:04

My favorite use is for a eggplant salad. I grill the eggplant and then scoop out the eggplant and add chopped red onions, tomatoes, parsley, olive oil, salt pepper and lemon.
Reply
MaryB says

September 24, 2016 at 00:33
See Also
Achu Murukku Recipe without eggs – Achappam Recipe – Eggless Rose Cookies – Diwali Snacks Indian Paneer Pindi Chana (Chole) Masala Recipe | ChefDeHome.com Fregola Sarda Recipe: A Unique Famous Sardinian Pasta The Best Creamy Salmon Pasta Recipe

I love using olive oil as a dipping sauce for bread with balsamic vinegar and for homemade salad dressings.
Reply
latanya says

September 24, 2016 at 00:40

in salad dressings
Reply
Lauren says

September 24, 2016 at 08:56

I like to make my own salad dressing.
Reply
Karla says

September 24, 2016 at 14:27

I like to make pasta and chicken dishes with olive oil.
Reply
Rosie says

September 24, 2016 at 15:35

I like to make homemade lemon pepper pasta, and I love tossing it with olive oil and parmesean!
Reply
Annamarie V says

September 24, 2016 at 15:58

I love to put a little olive oil in a pan add some walnuts, broccoli and eggplant some really good seasoning and that is one of my favorite meals.
Reply
Dana Rodriguez says

September 24, 2016 at 16:05

I use EVOO in everything. I have pretty much eliminated vegetable oil.
Reply
Kristen says

September 24, 2016 at 16:06

I like to use it in stir fry.
Reply
Margot C says

September 24, 2016 at 16:07

I love to cook or roast vegetables in olive oil. I probably do it almost every single day!
Reply
Edye says

September 24, 2016 at 16:42

I like putting it in salads!
Reply
Teresa Kunberger says

September 24, 2016 at 19:36

I like to cook with it!
Reply
Tina W says

September 25, 2016 at 03:06

I love using a really good olive oil when I make pesto.
Reply
Nadine Stacy says

September 25, 2016 at 04:43

It’s the type of oil I use in all my salad dressings.
Reply
Laura Bowe says

September 25, 2016 at 12:46

I use EVOO a lot and some of those ways are frying up onions and peppers to put on sandwiches or burgers, I love drizzling it over chicken and adding Italian spices.
Reply
Laurie Nykaza says

September 26, 2016 at 00:31

I use olive oil in baking and also when I cook fish and many other items like coating the meats I cook and season.I make with it too. I use it 5 times a week
Reply
Hargow Wong says

September 26, 2016 at 02:49

My favorite use for extra virgin olive oil is making salad dressing.
Reply
Jeanna says
See Also
Recipe for Kaala Chana – North Indian black chick peas curry

September 26, 2016 at 09:30

My favorite use for Olive Oil is to use it when making my homemade salad dressing!
Reply
Sara Theissen says

September 26, 2016 at 10:52

I love using EVOO to grill vegetables in foil!
Reply
carol clark says

September 26, 2016 at 14:56

making salad dressing and roll my biscuits in
Reply
Alyssa says

September 26, 2016 at 17:52

We love Capatriti!
Reply
Angela Saver says

September 26, 2016 at 23:52

My favorite use for extra virgin olive oil is to make salad dressings! Thanks for an awesome giveaway!
Reply
Jen H says

September 27, 2016 at 12:20

I cook with it daily! and it makes a nice soap!
Reply
Christine Jensen says

September 27, 2016 at 23:17

I love EVOO for making Bruchetta
Reply
Mita says

September 28, 2016 at 01:07

I like in salad dressings
Reply
Jenny S says

September 28, 2016 at 22:54

I feel like it’s mandatory when making anything Italian. All pastas. I use it to sauté veggies. I always have it on hand.
Reply
Melissa Storms says

September 29, 2016 at 08:09

I love the taste of olive oil in salad in homemade salad dressing.
Reply
Ty says

September 30, 2016 at 11:07

We love using it on pasta and when roasting vegetables.
Reply
Fiona N says

September 30, 2016 at 16:02

I love olive, and would use extra virgin olive oil daily to make salads, or making food for my little one
Thank You
Reply
laura says

September 30, 2016 at 16:46

I love using olive oil to make kale chips
Reply
Julie Lundstrom says

September 30, 2016 at 23:05

I use oil for my salads and pasta dishes.
Reply
Nicole Sender says

September 30, 2016 at 23:17

I like to use olive oil on salads and for stir frys!
Reply
Shannon Oneill says

September 30, 2016 at 23:29

I love to use olive oil to saute mushrooms..
Reply
Nora | OfRecipes says

October 1, 2016 at 04:30

I love your take on linguine and clam! I’ll need to give this one a try.
Reply
Cheryl B says

October 1, 2016 at 09:18

I like to make my own salad dressing. Using fresh herbs and olive oil.
Reply
cheryl s says

October 1, 2016 at 13:47

sprinkled on veggies with parmesan cheese
Reply
Debbie Yoder says

October 1, 2016 at 18:07

I use it to saute my veggies
Reply
Heather D says

October 1, 2016 at 19:55

I use Olive Oil in a lot of recipes. I use it to saute meat in various dishes for my husband.
Reply
Stefanie G says

October 1, 2016 at 21:25

I love to use olive oil when cooking, chicken, shrimp, anything!
Reply
Leslie says

October 1, 2016 at 21:49

Drizzle some on top of my homemade hummus. Thanks for the chance to win!
Reply
Jessica To says

October 2, 2016 at 13:12

We like it in a salad dressing or when we make vegetables.
Reply
Starla says

October 3, 2016 at 22:42

Well, naturally I use it on almost everything. I love making a homemade vinaigrette dressing and I love to cook my meat and veggies in it. Also, mixed with fresh herbs is great for bread dipping!
Reply
Jessica Whitehouse says

October 4, 2016 at 17:12

My sister makes a vinegarette salad dressing for the holidays. It’s good for a cucumber and tomato salad.
Reply
Birdiebee says

October 4, 2016 at 20:00

I use olive for almost everything but love to make a dips for dipping bread when having company over.
Reply
Janice Leaf says

October 5, 2016 at 11:28

My hubby and I use it on most everything. Stir frying vegetables is my favorite .
Reply
Belinda M says

October 5, 2016 at 12:48

My favorite use for olive oil is adding it to vegetables that I am cooking. Green beans and a mixed vegetable bake are my two favorites.
Reply
Madonna says

October 5, 2016 at 13:24

We only cook with olive oil and I use it for a ton of stuff such as herbal remedies. I always buy the giant bottle because we use so much.
Reply
Jennifer Rote says

October 5, 2016 at 15:50

I use olive oil to prepare (fry) my diced chicken.
Reply
Lily Kwan says

October 5, 2016 at 23:50

drizzling on pasta
Reply