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 like chopped canned clams, white wine, olive oil, butter, garlic, and parsley, it’s a flavorful and affordable, restaurant-quality dish.
For more quick seafood pasta dinners, try this easy shrimp scampi or dump-and-bake shrimp scampi linguine. You’ll also find plenty of ideas in our collection of pasta recipes.
Table of Contents
Before You Get Started
A few small details make all the difference between good clam sauce and great clam sauce. Keep these tips in mind before you start cooking.
- Reserve the clam juice. When you drain the canned clams, save every drop of that liquid. It’s the flavorful foundation of your sauce, so don’t pour it down the drain!
- Cook pasta just until barely al dente. The linguine will continue cooking in the sauce for a few more minutes, so pull it from the water while it still has a firm bite. Overcooked pasta turns mushy and won’t hold the sauce properly.
- Use a dry white wine. Sweet wines will throw off the flavor balance. Sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, or chardonnay all work well. If you prefer to skip the alcohol, use chicken broth or extra clam juice with a squeeze of fresh lemon for brightness.
How to Make Linguine with Clam Sauce
This dish comes together quickly once you get started, so have your ingredients prepped and ready to go. The whole process takes about 20 minutes from start to finish.
Step 1: Cook the Linguine
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. This is your only opportunity to season the pasta itself, so don’t be shy with the salt.
Add the linguine and cook according to package directions, but pull it about 1 minute early. You want it just barely al dente since it will finish cooking in the sauce.
Step 2: Build the Sauce Base
While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter melts and starts to foam, add the diced onion and minced garlic.
Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and the garlic becomes fragrant. Be careful not to let the garlic brown or it will turn bitter.
Step 3: Simmer and Reduce
Pour in the reserved clam juice (about 3/4 cup), white wine, and Worcestershire sauce.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer gently for about 10 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld together and the sauce to reduce slightly.
You’ll know it’s ready when the sauce has thickened just enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Step 4: Toss and Finish
Add the drained linguine, chopped clams, and fresh parsley to the skillet. Toss everything together, making sure the pasta is well coated with sauce.
Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
Let the pasta simmer in the sauce for about 5 more minutes, tossing occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the sauce clings to every strand.
Serve immediately with your favorite garnishes. Grated Parmesan cheese, extra chopped parsley, fresh lemon wedges, or a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes all work beautifully.
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
What to Serve with Linguine and Clam Sauce
This pasta pairs perfectly with crusty bread for soaking up every last bit of sauce, a simple salad like Southern Caesar salad, and a vegetable side.
Bread:
Vegetables:
Storage and Reheating
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. Seafood pasta is best enjoyed fresh, so try not to make more than you’ll eat in one sitting.
To reheat: Warm the pasta in a skillet over low heat, adding a splash of chicken broth or water to loosen the sauce. Stir gently until heated through. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds, though the stovetop method gives better results.
Freezing is not recommended. The pasta will develop a mushy, gummy texture when thawed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use fresh clams instead of canned?
Yes! Use about 2 pounds of littleneck or Manila clams. Scrub them well, then steam them in the wine mixture until they open (discard any that don’t). Remove the clams from their shells if desired, and use the cooking liquid as your sauce base. Fresh clams add a bit more work but provide incredible flavor.
What can I substitute for white wine?
For an alcohol-free version, use an equal amount of chicken broth or extra clam juice. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end to bring some of the brightness that wine would provide. One reader mentioned using extra clam juice with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and the results were delicious.
What pasta works best with clam sauce?
Linguine is the classic choice because its flat shape holds the sauce beautifully. Spaghetti, fettuccine, and angel hair pasta all work well too. The key is choosing a long pasta that allows the silky sauce to coat every strand.
How do I keep the sauce from being watery?
Make sure to simmer the sauce long enough (about 10 minutes) so it reduces and concentrates in flavor. Cook the pasta just until al dente so it absorbs some of the liquid as it finishes in the skillet. If your sauce still seems thin, let the pasta simmer a few extra minutes until the liquid is mostly absorbed.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
Looking for more quick pasta dinners? Try one of these favorites:
- Cajun Shrimp Pasta
- Lightened-Up One-Skillet Shrimp Alfredo
- Pasta with Sausage and Spinach
- Dump-and-Bake Shrimp Alfredo
- Pomodoro Sauce
For more inspiration, check out all of our pasta recipes!
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
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
Equipment
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 the linguine in a large pot of well-salted boiling water according to package directions, but pull it about 1 minute early so it’s just barely al dente. Drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter melts, add the onion and garlic. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onion softens and the garlic is fragrant.
- Add ¾ cup of the reserved clam juice, white wine, and Worcestershire sauce to the skillet. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 10 minutes, until the sauce reduces slightly and the flavors meld together.
- Add the cooked linguine, chopped clams, and parsley to the skillet. Toss to combine and coat the pasta with sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer for about 5 more minutes, tossing occasionally, until the sauce is mostly absorbed and clings to the pasta.
- Serve immediately with grated Parmesan cheese, fresh lemon wedges, extra parsley, or crushed red pepper flakes.
Notes
- Don’t forget to reserve the clam juice from the canned clams. This is the flavorful base of your white clam sauce.
- Salt your pasta water generously. This is your only chance to season the linguine itself.
- Cook pasta just until barely al dente. It will finish cooking in the sauce, so you don’t want it overdone.
- Use a dry white wine (not sweet) like sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, or chardonnay. For an alcohol-free option, substitute chicken broth or extra clam juice with a squeeze of lemon.
- Use fresh garlic and fresh parsley for the best flavor. With so few ingredients, quality matters.
- Double all ingredients if serving a larger family.
- Garnish options: Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, lemon wedges, or red pepper flakes.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 1 to 2 days. Reheat in a skillet over low heat with a splash of broth. Freezing is not recommended.
- Recipe slightly adapted from DisneyFamily.com.
Nutrition
Originally published in September, 2013, this post was updated in February, 2026.
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!
This is my go to recipe and it is better than what I had at a restaurant recently. Because I wanted more clams I used three cans but other than that, I followed the recipe exactly as written.
Thank you, Sandra! This made our day.
I can’t get canned clams