An easy dinner that's full of flavor -- and it's ready in just 20 minutes!
Course Dinner
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword clam sauce, linguine with canned clams, linguine with clam sauce, linguine with clams, linguine with clams in white wine sauce, linguine with white clam sauce
2tablespoonsfinely 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.