This easy Spaghetti with Clam Sauce recipe is the perfect dish to celebrate the start of the weekend. Who could resist clams, garlic, and an indulgent white wine sauce?
This simple, Italian classic is an elegant seafood pasta dish that’s sure to impress anyone you cook it for. 
I absolutely LOVE clam sauce. Its been a favorite of mine since I was a kid, but since I moved to the UK, I don’t get to have it anymore. They don’t serve it in Italian restaurants and fresh clams are hard to come by.
Any time my husband is working near a fish shop, he surprises me with a bunch of fresh clams and, I love him for it! I made this recipe on just such an occasion.
The last time my husband brought me home clams, I made my Spaghetti With Red Clam Sauce. If you’re a fan of Clam sauce, that version is wonderful too!
This Spaghetti and clam sauce takes no time at all to make, and using fresh ingredients gives you a dish that tastes so much better than anything you can get from a can.
It’s packed full of garlicky, seafood flavor that’s so good, your guests will think you slaved all day!
Here’s how to make it:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, then add pasta and cook until just under cooked. While the pasta cooks, over medium-high heat, in large, deep sauté pan heat butter and olive oil until hot. Add garlic and sauté until just golden.
Add the tomatoes and cook until they begin to breakdown.
Add wine, clam juice, lemon zest, and all but a tablespoon of the parsley. Bring to a boil. Add clams, lower the heat and simmer uncovered, just until clams open, 7 to 8 minutes or until all the clams are opened.
Reserve some cooking water, then drain the pasta and add to the pan with the clam sauce. Simmer, tossing, until the pasta is just tender (about a minute). If the pasta starts getting a bit dry, add some of the reserved cooking water.
Remove the pan from heat and taste for seasoning. Season if needed. Add the remaining parsley, and drizzle with some olive oil, tossing to coat. Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately.
Other Pasta Dishes You’ll Love
TIPS FOR CLEANING CLAMS:
- Did you know that clams are self-cleaning? I kid you not! All you have to do is soak the clams in tap water for 20 minutes before cooking. As the clams breathe, they bring water in and filter the sand out. After 20 minutes, the clams will have cleaned themselves.
- Instead of pouring water with the clams and into a strainer together, remove clams out of the water by hand. The sand that sank to the bottom of the bowl can then just be dumped down the drain instead of on top of the clams you just cleaned. Then use a firm brush to scrub off any additional sand, or barnacles.
- When buying clams, never buy clams that are chipped, broken, or already open. If wrapped in plastic, be sure to unwrap them as soon as you get home so they can breathe. Store them in a cool area.
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Let's Make Spaghetti with Clam Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic (large cloves) chopped
- 3 plum tomatoes chopped
- 1½ lbs littleneck clams soaked & scrubbed
- 1 cup dry white wine
- ½ cup clam juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, then add pasta and cook until just under cooked (about a 1 minute short of al dente).
- While the pasta cooks, over medium high heat, in large, deep sauté pan heat the butter and 3 tablespoons olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add garlic and sauté until just golden (about 30 seconds). Add the tomatoes and cook until they begin to breakdown.
- Add wine, clam juice, lemon zest and all but a tablespoon of the parsley. Bring to a boil.
- Add clams, lower the heat and simmer uncovered, just until clams open, 7 to 8 minutes or until all the clams are opened.
- Reserve ½ cup cooking water, then drain the pasta and add to the pan. Simmer, tossing occasionally, until the pasta is just tender (about a minute). If the pasta starts getting a bit dry, add some of reserved cooking water.
- Remove from heat and taste for seasoning. Season to taste. Add the remaining parsley, and drizzle with remaining olive oil, tossing to coat. Transfer to serving dish and serve immediately.
Richard Spring says
Very nice. The best of the best is DON PEPE IN QUEENS. THEY BROWN THE WHOLE GARLIC CLOVES. TA DA
bob says
best clam sauce ever!
Erren says
Glad to hear it, Bob! 🙂
Tina says
Made this the other night. Can’t believe how easy it was to make! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Anna says
If this is as good as your last clam sauce, I can’t wait!
Erren says
It really is, Anna! Let me know if you try it!