February 11, 2025

Linguini In White Clam Sauce

Linguini in white clam sauce is a classic Italian seafood pasta dish, known for its rich, delicate flavor and simple yet satisfying ingredients. The star of this dish is the linguini, a long, thin pasta. Hence it holds up well to the sauce while still offering a soft, slightly chewy texture. The white clam sauce is typically made by sautéing clams in olive oil, garlic, and butter. As such, this forms a savory, buttery base. White wine is often added to deglaze the pan, providing an aromatic depth that complements the sweetness of the clams.

Why A White Clam Sauce

Overall, a key element of the sauce is its lightness. Therefore, unlike tomato-based pasta sauces, the white clam sauce emphasizes the natural brininess of the clams, with a subtle hint of garlic. You can also add touch of heat by adding red pepper flakes. Fresh herbs such as parsley or basil, or both are commonly added to the dish It add a burst of color and freshness that balances the richness of the sauce. The clams are typically left in their shells or removed for a more uniform texture. Either way, their tender meat infuses the sauce with its oceanic flavor.

Linguini in white clam sauce is sometimes served with a squeeze of lemon as most seafood is. It helps to brighten the dish and offer a contrast to the richness of the sauce. It’s a dish that highlights the natural flavors of the sea. It a beloved choice in coastal regions and Italian restaurants worldwide. Its elegance lies in its simplicity—every element from the pasta to the sauce works together to create a satisfying, yet light, meal that feels luxurious without being overly complex.

Linguini In White Clam Sauce

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1

Servings: 6 people

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

16 Ounces Linguini
4 Tbl Butter
2 Tbl Olive Oil
1/2 Cup White Wine Semi-Sweet or Dry
8 Ounces Mushrooms Sliced
1/2 Onion Medium and chopped
1 Tbl Garlic Minced
2 8 Ounce Bottles Clam Juice
1 10 Ounce Can Baby Clams Add Juice in can also
16 Ounces Clam Meat Can be found frozen in many grocery stores
12 Ouces Half & Half You can also use heavy cream.
12 Ounces Little Neck Clams Fresh in the shell
2 Tsp Basil
2 Tsp Parsley
2 Tsp Old Bay
2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Pepper
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese

Method

Prepare linguini noodles in a large pot of water. Place 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring water to boil before adding linguini. Once linguini is added, cook for 10 minutes then drain. Set aside.
In a four-quart saucepan, add butter and sauté over a medium high heat. Once butter melts add onions and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes or until onions become translucent. Then add wine and mushrooms and cook until they soften about 5 minutes.
Add clam juice and half & half and cook for about 5 minutes. The add clams and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
Add the remaining spices and cook another 5 minutes.
Plate the linguini on a plate or in a pasta bowl and ladle the sauce over the linguini. Apply parmesan cheese according to your preference. Enjoy.

Notes

There are many options for preparing this dish. As mentioned above, lemon juice can be added. Mushrooms can be omitted. Fresh clams can be used if you prefer, and they are available.

If the sauce is not thick enough, you can cut the claim juice to only 12 total ounces instead of the 16. You can also add a baking soda and water slurry to the sauce while it is cooking to thicken it up. Just uses equal parts of baking soda and water.

Author: Mr. Sam

Filed Under: Boiling, European, Italian, Pasta & Noodle Recipes, Seafood, Simmering

Tags: Creamy, delicious, savory, traditional

Ma Joan’s Cheesecake

INSTANT POT BUTTER CHICKEN AND FARFALLE

1 thought on “Linguini In White Clam Sauce”

Sally Gednetz says:

February 14, 2025 at 5:53 pm

Sounds amazing

Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Halloween is one of the most enchanting nights of the year, full of glowing jack-o’-lanterns, playful scares, and creative costumes. Celebrated every October 31st, it’s a time when children race through neighborhoods trick-or-treating, adults gather for costume parties, and homes are decorated with cobwebs, skeletons, and flickering candlelight. But behind all the fun and festivity lies a fascinating history that stretches back thousands of years. The holiday began with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, a harvest celebration marking the end of summer and the beginning of winter. The Celts believed that on the night of October 31st, the boundary between the living and the spirit world grew thin. Ghosts and other supernatural beings were thought to walk among the living. To protect themselves, people lit bonfires, wore disguises to confuse wandering spirits, and left out offerings of food. These traditions were meant to keep danger at bay, while also honoring loved ones who had passed away. As Christianity spread through Europe, the church blended Samhain with its own holy days. November 1st became All Saints’ Day (also called All Hallows’ Day), and October 31st became All Hallows’ Eve, later shortened to Halloween. Over time, the customs grew and shifted. In medieval Europe, people practiced “souling,” where they went door to door, offering prayers for the dead in exchange for food. This was one of the earliest versions of what we now know as trick-or-treating. When Irish and Scottish immigrants brought these traditions to America in the 1800s, Halloween began to take on its modern form. Pumpkins replaced turnips as the lantern of choice, thanks to their size and abundance. Communities embraced costume parades, neighborhood parties, and eventually candy-giving as central features of the holiday. By the 20th century, Halloween had transformed into the colorful, playful celebration we know today. Now, Halloween is as much about creativity and fun as it is about spookiness. From haunted houses and ghost stories to caramel apples and carved pumpkins, it’s a holiday that mixes mystery with merriment. At its heart, Halloween is about imagination—becoming someone (or something) else for a night, while celebrating the thrill of the eerie and the joy of community.

Autumn is the season of quiet transformation, when the exuberance of summer gradually yields to the stillness of winter. The days shorten almost imperceptibly at first, but soon twilight falls earlier and lingers longer, painting the evenings in dusky shades of amber and violet. Trees, once green and lush, exchange their attire for a final, breathtaking display—leaves flare in brilliant tones of scarlet, gold, and russet, fluttering down in crisp whispers that carpet the ground. The air sharpens, carrying with it the scent of woodsmoke, fallen leaves, and distant harvests. As the season progresses, there is a sense of both abundance and decline. Markets brim with apples, pumpkins, and root vegetables, while fields lie empty after their yield, resting in anticipation of frost. Migrating birds gather in restless flocks, their cries echoing across skies streaked with the soft light of lowering suns. Squirrels and other creatures busily collect what they can, instinctively aware of the lean months to come. The transition to winter comes gradually but firmly. Winds grow stronger, stripping the last leaves from the trees until branches stand bare against a pale sky. Morning dew hardens into frost, etching silver patterns across windows and fields. The once-vivid colors of autumn fade to muted browns and grays, replaced by the stark beauty of stillness. By late season, the air carries a chill that no longer lifts with the midday sun, signaling the approach of snow. Winter enters not with sudden force, but with a steady quieting—the hush of frozen ground, the pause of flowing streams, the muffling weight of the first snowfall. Autumn’s vibrancy becomes memory, and in its place comes the austere grace of winter, a season of rest, reflection, and waiting for renewal.