Linguine with White Clam Sauce

Why you’ll love it

• Restaurant flavor from the pantry: canned clams, garlic, wine and pasta.
• Ready in about 35 minutes, with the sauce made while the water boils.
• Light but satisfying: no cream, just a silky garlic and clam broth sauce.

Quick facts

Ingredients

For the pasta

• 1 lb (450 g) dried linguine
• 1 tbsp kosher salt, for the pasta water

For the white clam sauce

• 3 cans (6.5 oz / 185 g each) chopped or minced clams, drained, juice reserved
• 1 bottle (8 oz / 240 ml) clam juice
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (use 1/4 tsp for mild)
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
• 3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup (15 g) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• Salt to taste (add only at the end; the clams are salty)

Step-by-step method

1. Boil the water. Bring a large pot with 4 quarts (about 4 liters) of water and the kosher salt to a boil over high heat.

2. Drain the clams. Drain the canned clams through a fine strainer set over a bowl, pressing gently. Set the clams aside and combine the reserved juice with the bottled clam juice; you should have about 2 cups (480 ml).

3. Cook the garlic. In a large, deep skillet, warm the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and just pale golden at the edges. Add the red pepper flakes and cook 30 seconds more.

4. Reduce the wine and broth. Pour in the wine and simmer 2 minutes, until reduced by about half. Add the clam juice, raise the heat to medium and simmer 8 to 10 minutes, until reduced by about one third, to roughly 1 1/4 cups (300 ml).

5. Cook the linguine. While the sauce reduces, cook the linguine 1 to 2 minutes less than the package directions, so it is still slightly firm. Scoop out 1 cup (240 ml) of the pasta water, then drain.

6. Finish in the skillet. Add the linguine and butter to the skillet and toss over medium heat 1 to 2 minutes, until the pasta absorbs some of the sauce and turns glossy. Add the clams, lemon zest, lemon juice and black pepper and toss 1 minute more, just to heat the clams. Add a splash of the pasta water if the sauce looks dry.

7. Season and serve. Remove from the heat, toss in the parsley, taste and add a pinch of salt only if needed. Serve right away with lemon wedges and crusty bread.

How to know it is done

The dish is ready when the linguine is tender but still has a slight bite, the sauce has turned silky and clings to the pasta instead of pooling in the pan, and the clams are hot but still soft. If the clams feel chewy, they cooked too long, so always add them last.

Tips for the best result

• Slice the garlic thin and keep the heat at medium-low: browned garlic turns bitter and takes over the delicate clam flavor.
• Do not skip reducing the clam juice; it concentrates the flavor so the sauce tastes of the sea, not watery.
• Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce. The starch it releases is what makes the sauce glossy and helps it cling.
• Traditionally this dish is served without cheese, so the clam flavor shines.

Variations and substitutions

• Fresh clams: add 2 lb (900 g) scrubbed littleneck clams to the skillet after the wine, cover and cook 5 to 8 minutes until they open (discard any that stay closed), then continue with the recipe using 1 can of clams instead of 3.
• No wine: replace the wine with more clam juice plus 1 extra teaspoon of lemon juice.
• Red clam sauce: add 1 can (14.5 oz / 411 g) crushed tomatoes with the clam juice and simmer 10 minutes.
• Other pasta: spaghetti, linguine fini or bucatini all work well.
• Toasty crunch: top with 1/2 cup (30 g) panko toasted in 1 tbsp olive oil with a little lemon zest.

Make ahead

This pasta is best eaten as soon as it is made. To get a head start, slice the garlic, chop the parsley, zest the lemon and drain the clams up to 1 day ahead and keep them covered in the refrigerator. You can also reduce the wine and clam broth earlier in the day and rewarm it while the pasta cooks.

Storage and reheating

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water or clam juice, tossing just until warm, so the clams do not toughen. Freezing is not recommended, because the pasta turns soft and the clams become rubbery.