Linguine with Red Clam Sauce | CookOS

Linguine with Red Clam Sauce

Name: Linguine with Red Clam Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients: 10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced; 1/4 cup olive oil; 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes; 2 (28 oz) cans San Marzano peeled tomatoes; salt, to taste; black pepper, to taste; 1/4 cup dry white wine; 2 (6.5 oz) cans minced clams, with juice; 2 (6.5 oz) cans chopped clams, with juice; 1 lb linguine; Freshly ground black pepper, for garnish; Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Linguine with red clam sauce is a quick Italian-American pasta dish built on canned clams, San Marzano tomatoes, and garlic that delivers authentic flavor without specialty seafood shopping.

🌍Italian-American 🏷️Linguine 🏷️Pasta 🏷️Red clam sauce 🏷️Seafood pasta Canned clams

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Total

40 min

Servings

Difficulty

Easy

Est. Cost

$23–$38

Recipe Source

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Ingredients

10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 (28 oz) cans San Marzano peeled tomatoes
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 (6.5 oz) cans minced clams, with juice
2 (6.5 oz) cans chopped clams, with juice
1 lb linguine
Freshly ground black pepper, for garnishoptional
Grated Parmesan cheese, for servingoptional

12 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Thinly slice the garlic.
2
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
3
Add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes to the hot oil and sauté until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
4
Add the cans of peeled tomatoes to the skillet.
5
Use a food chopper or the back of a spoon to break up the whole tomatoes in the pan.
6
Season the sauce with salt and black pepper to taste.
7
Pour in the white wine, stir to combine, and let the sauce simmer.
8
Add all four cans of clams, including their juice, to the sauce. Stir well and allow it to continue simmering while you cook the pasta.
9
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook according to package directions until al dente.
10
Using tongs, transfer the cooked linguine directly from the pot into the skillet with the clam sauce. A little pasta water coming along is fine.
11
Toss the linguine and sauce together until the pasta is fully coated.
12
Transfer the pasta to a large serving platter or individual bowls.
13
Garnish with freshly ground black pepper and grated Parmesan cheese before serving.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Slice garlic thinly and cook it gently in olive oil until just fragrant, 1–2 minutes—burnt garlic turns bitter and ruins the sauce.
Add white wine and let it reduce by half before adding tomatoes to concentrate its acidity and remove raw alcohol taste.
Fold minced and chopped clams in during the final 1–2 minutes of cooking; extended heat toughens them and releases off-flavors.
Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining; add a splash to the sauce to adjust consistency and emulsify the oil and tomato base.

Substitutions

San Marzano tomatoes → crushed or whole canned San Marzano-style tomatoes (same quality, slightly coarser texture)
Linguine → spaghetti or bucatini (same cooking time, equal sauce coating)
Dry white wine → dry vermouth or a splash of clam juice (omit wine if avoiding alcohol)

Storage & make-ahead

Refrigerate leftover sauce (without pasta) in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat gently over low heat. Cooked pasta becomes mushy when stored; cook fresh to order.

Common Questions

Can I use fresh clams instead of canned?

Yes. Use 2 lbs littleneck or manila clams, scrub and steam until open (discard any that don't open), then chop and add their juice to the sauce in place of canned clams.

Should I use the juice from the canned clams?

Yes—reserve and add all the juice to the sauce. It adds briny, umami depth that's essential to the dish.

What white wine works best?

A dry white like Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or unoaked Chardonnay. Avoid sweet or oaky wines.

Can I make this ahead?

The sauce can be made up to 1 day ahead and reheated gently. Cook the linguine fresh just before serving to avoid mushiness.

How do I prevent the sauce from tasting fishy?

Don't overcook the clams once added—fold them in at the end and warm through for 1–2 minutes only. Overcooking makes them tough and brings out off-flavors.