Linguine with clam sauce is a quick, easy dinner that’s perfect for busy evenings — and it’s ready in just 20 minutes! With simple ingredients liked chopped canned clams, white wine, olive oil, butter, garlic, and parsley, it’s a flavorful and affordable, restaurant-quality dish.
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If you’re looking for even more pasta recipes, be sure to try this dump-and-bake Tuscan chicken pasta, a French onion pasta bake with spinach and mushrooms, pomodoro sauce, our favorite million dollar baked spaghetti, and a pot of roasted vegetable pasta, too!
How to Make Linguine with Clam Sauce | 1-Minute Video
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Quick and Easy. Linguine with white clam sauce is an easy meal that takes advantage of convenient canned clams, so there’s hardly any prep work necessary. You don’t have to fuss with the shells, and you can keep the ingredients stashed in your pantry. Plus, it’s ready from start to finish in about 20 minutes and only requires 5 minutes of prep time!
- Affordable. This recipe only requires a handful of simple ingredients, which helps to keep the grocery bill down. The pasta and canned clams are also quite inexpensive, and readily available in almost any store.
- Kid-Friendly. This pasta dish is also a nice way to introduce children to shellfish and seafood. The chopped clams are very small and almost undetectable amidst the buttery garlic sauce. It’s even easy to serve the noodles without any of the clams on the plate, so your kids really just think they’re eating plain pasta in a flavorful sauce. It doesn’t have a fishy, overpowering clam taste, but instead tastes like grown-up buttered noodles. Top each bowl with some Parmesan cheese, parsley, lemon wedges, or crushed red pepper flakes and everyone will love it!
This is my go-to recipe for a quick hit from my kitchen! Easy to make, tastes delicious. Love, love, love this recipe! My family requested I make this for our Christmas Eve dinner (7 fishes) this year! Think this will be added to our other Italian Feast traditions as well!
– Dolores
Linguine with Clams in White Wine Sauce
As opposed to a tomato-based red clam sauce, this linguine with clam sauce features a white sauce made from white wine, butter, olive oil, clam juice, and plenty of garlic (no tomatoes in the mix!). Serve each bowl of pasta with a loaf of crusty bread and a green salad for the ultimate weeknight meal!
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for our favorite linguine with clams recipe. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Linguine: a close relative of fettuccine, this pasta includes long, flat strands, but is thinner and narrower than fettuccine. Linguine, which means “little tongues” in Italian, originated in the Liguria region of Italy. Throughout this area, the air is fragrant with salty ocean breezes and the aroma of delicious food cooking. It’s a natural companion for clam sauce, but you can substitute with another pasta shape of your choice. Good alternatives include spaghetti, fettuccine, or angel hair pasta.
- Canned clams: use two cans of chopped clams for a quick and easy protein option. Make sure that you reserve the juice that the clams are packed in, since this is the flavorful foundation for your white clam sauce.
- White wine: pick a dry white wine that’s a good quality for drinking, such as Sauvignon Blanc, pinot grigio, or Chardonnay. For an alcohol-free substitute, use chicken broth or extra clam juice instead.
- Onion and garlic: for savory flavor.
- Worcestershire sauce: adds salty umami flavor.
- Parsley: fresh is best for a bright touch of flavor and color.
Directions
It’s funny where recipe ideas come from. This particular dinner was inspired by my obstetrician, who suggested the dish as a great way to enjoy clams, which happen to be a rich source of iron. I have always liked clams (typically of the fried variety), but they don’t exactly make it onto my weekly grocery list. This dinner turned out to be a winner with the entire family – it’s fast, it requires only a few ingredients, and it’s delicious!
I’ve included detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick version:
- Cook the linguine.
- Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil and butter.
- Add the reserved canned clam juice, white wine, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the flame and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the cooked linguine, chopped clams, and parsley. Toss to combine.
- Season with kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste.
- Cook for about 5 more minutes.
- Serve the pasta and garnish with desired toppings.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the linguine with white clam sauce alongside garlic bread or no-knead focaccia, a classic green salad with red wine vinaigrette or Caesar salad, and garlic roasted broccoli, sauteed zucchini, or roasted asparagus.
Storage Tips
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. Reheat in a skillet over low heat, just until warmed through. You can also reheat individual servings in the microwave for about 30-60 seconds.
I do not recommend freezing this dish. The pasta will have a mushy, gummy texture when thawed.
Helpful Tips
- Double all of the ingredients if you’re serving a larger family.
- Don’t forget to reserve the clam juice from the canned clams — don’t pour it down the drain! This is a critical ingredient for the white clam sauce.
- Boil the pasta in a large pot of well-salted water. This is your opportunity to season the linguine itself.
- Cook the pasta just until it’s barely al dente — tender, but with a firm bite. The linguine will continue to cook in the sauce for a few more minutes, so you don’t want it to be overdone, mushy, or gummy.
- Use a dry white wine (not a sweet wine) that’s a good quality for drinking, such as sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, or chardonnay.
- With just a few simple ingredients, it’s important to use high-quality options. I prefer fresh parsley and fresh garlic cloves, rather than dried parsley flakes or garlic powder.
- Garnish each serving with grated Parmesan cheese, chopped fresh parsley, fresh basil, fresh lemon wedges or lemon juice, or spicy red-pepper flakes for extra flavor.
What a great recipe! Made it last night and while it was fast and easy for a relatively novice “chef” like myself, above all it was delicious. It’s going into the dinner rotation!
– Daisy
More Easy Pasta Recipes to Try
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Pasta with Sausage and Spinach
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For more inspiration, check out all of our other pasta recipes!
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Linguine with Clam Sauce
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dry linguine (or other pasta)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- ¼ cup finely diced onion
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
- 2 (6.5 ounce) cans chopped clams, drained and juice reserved
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, plus additional for garnish
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional garnish: grated Parmesan cheese; lemon wedges; crushed red pepper flakes; extra parsley
Instructions
- Cook linguine just until barely al dente, according to package directions. Drain.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil and butter in large skillet over medium heat. When the butter melts, add the onion and garlic. Sauté garlic and onions until starting to soften, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add ¾ cup of the reserved clam juice, wine, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and gently simmer on low for about 10 minutes (so that the flavors come together and the sauce reduces slightly).
- Add cooked linguine, clams, and parsley to the skillet. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary. Simmer for about 5 more minutes, until the sauce is mostly absorbed.
- Serve with grated Parmesan cheese, extra parsley, or fresh lemon wedges.
Notes
- Don’t forget to reserve the clam juice from the canned clams — don’t pour it down the drain! This is a critical ingredient for the white clam sauce.
- Boil the pasta in a large pot of well-salted water. This is your opportunity to season the linguine itself.
- Cook the pasta just until it’s barely al dente — tender, but with a firm bite. The linguine will continue to cook in the sauce for a few more minutes, so you don’t want it to be overdone, mushy, or gummy.
- Use a dry white wine (not a sweet wine) that’s a good quality for drinking, such as sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, or chardonnay.
- With just a few simple ingredients, it’s important to use high-quality options. I prefer fresh parsley and fresh garlic cloves, rather than dried parsley flakes or garlic powder.
- Garnish each serving with grated Parmesan cheese, chopped fresh parsley, fresh basil, fresh lemon wedges or lemon juice, or spicy red-pepper flakes for extra flavor.
- Recipe slightly adapted from DisneyFamily.com.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in September, 2013. The photos were updated in April, 2024.
This is my favorite recipe for this dish now. Thank you!!!!
We’re so happy to hear it, Aimee!
I really enjoy this recipe and make it often. I follow the recipe almost exactly. I use crushed red peppers and i substitute chicken stock for the wine. I don’t keep wine around because my wife will drink it all.
We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe, Steve! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.
Awww let her drink the wine!
This is probably the 10th or so time I have made this particular recipe. Today I used local homemade linguine and shaved parm and high quality pino Grigio. It was sensational. I wished I had company. I serve it with buttered bread crumbs on top, local baguette. A favorite!!!j
That sounds incredible, Jean! Thank you for sharing!
Hi Blair, what brand of white wine is your preference for your Linguine with Clam Sauce recipe and do you also have a preferred brand for the chopped clams? I’d love to know.
Hi Judy! We just recommend using a high-quality dry white wine that’s a good quality for drinking, such as Sauvignon Blanc, pinot grigio, or Chardonnay. We don’t have a particular brand preference. For the clams, we love Snow’s chopped clams! Hope this helps!
This recipe is delicious! The second time I made it, I made a couple changes while doubling the recipe (16 oz. of pasta). I added an extra can of clams. I don’t drink wine, so I added a half cup of extra clam juice instead of the wine and then 2 tablespoons of lemon juice for acidity. Used dry parsley, two teaspoons. My family loved it!
We’re so glad you were able to make it work for you, Wendy! Thank you for trying it out.
Excellent bear I’ve made!
Thanks, Catherine!
I made this exactly to the recipe only I used palm noodles. It was fabulous! We loved it. Thank you!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Anita!
I add my personal touch by using shallots instead of onion, and I add a pinch of red pepper flakes while the sauce is cooking. Then, right before inserting the clams and linguine, I add some Philadelphia cream cheese, and allow it to melt and blend into the sauce. YUMMY!
Sounds delicious, Steve! We’re so glad you’re able to make the recipe your own.
Well, I just made this and it was quite yummy! And fast. I also liked that it didn’t call for a ton of garlic. Now I did *not* add the Worcestershire. Since that’s so strong-tasting to me and also leaves an afterstaste, I thought it was an odd ingredient for a seafood dish. But I did add a pinch of red pepper flakes toward the end and definitely topped it with some freshly-grated Parmesan before serving. (There’s one school of thought that says Parmesan doesn’t belong on seafood pasta dishes such as this one or scampi but I don’t understand the “no-cheese” mindset.) I also had some baby clams from Portgual in the freezer and some bottled clam juice so I used those instead of canned clams. And I have leftovers!
I’m so glad that you enjoyed it and that you were able to make it work for you, Liz! Thanks for your note!
Perfect! My Italian husband loved it
That’s so good to hear, Andi. Thank you!
Tripled this recipe last night for mother-in-laws bday. Party of 5. It really is a flavorful, delicious, simple recipe. Everyone just loved it! The only thing I did different was added about a tablespoon or so of fresh lemon juice to the sauce towards the end instead of as a garnish. And added just a small pinch of salt & pepper. But these are personal preferences to taste. Honestly, the sauce was perfect without it. And Don’t let the wine throw you. Can’t taste it & You can pick up a mini bottle of Pinot Grigio or whatever from liquor store for about $2. This recipe is a keeper!
Thank you for the feedback, Kim! We’re so glad you were able to make the recipe work for you and that it was a hit.
This recipe was amazing! In the past we had just used Prego clam sauce and decided to try something from scratch . WOW what a difference!!! It was absolutely delicious and we will be making this recipe again!
Awesome, Judy! I’m glad that you’ve discovered this recipe (and how easy it is)! 🙂 Thanks for your note!
Excellent! My first time preparing this recipe. I usual like red sauce but this was very tasty. My wife agrees.
Thank you, Hilton! We’re so glad you enjoyed it.
This was delicious. Was easy to halve for 1 serving. I didn’t feel like juicing a lemon and didn’t have fresh parsley on hand and it was still delicious. I did add red pepper flakes and a tad bit of salt.
We’re so glad it turned out well for you, Cindy! Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to leave a review.
We have made this twice now..added lemon and capers while simmering, now black pepper. And we love cappelini/angelhair pasta so used that instead. So delicious!!!!
Sounds amazing! Thank you for trying it out. We’re so glad you enjoyed it.
I looked at many recipes for white clam sauce and yours is the one I used. My wife and I enjoyed it a lot. Thanks for your good work.
Thank you for choosing our recipe. We’re so glad you and your wife enjoyed it!