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Square overhead shot of a bowl of linguine with clam sauce garnished with lemons and parsley.
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5 from 19 votes

Linguine with Clam Sauce

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
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 2 servings
Calories 709kcal
Author Blair Lonergan

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.
    Sauteing onion and garlic in a skillet with olive oil and butter.
  • 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).
    Making white wine sauce in a cast iron skillet for linguine and canned clams recipe.
  • 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.
    Process shot showing how to make linguine with clam sauce.
  • Serve with grated Parmesan cheese, extra parsley, or fresh lemon wedges.
    Overhead shot of hands eating from a bowl of linguine with clam sauce.

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

Serving: 1/2 of the recipe | Calories: 709kcal | Carbohydrates: 90g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 155mg | Potassium: 360mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 436IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 2mg