Linguine and Clams With Fresh Red Sauce Recipe (2024)

I’ve made clam pasta too many times to count (family favorite), and love it. Allow me to add one tip to this excellent recipe: Don't use the juice from the can. Use a separate bottle of clam juice instead. The juice in the canned clams contains typically three additives that create a slightly chalky, soapy taste. But a bottle of clam juice (right next to the canned clams on the shelf) has nothing but juice from the clams, which produces a much clearer, cleaner clam taste.

Add an anchovy with garlic. but do not tell anybody

I was raised by Italians (from Naples) and we put cheese (Locatelli Romano) on our linguini with clam sauce. Eat whatever makes you happy.

I don’t understand why people get bent out of shape because it is “not Italian”. No where in the menu or description does it say it is supposed to be Italian - while it may be similar to Italian dishes, the cook is offering a good tasting meal that can be cooked in a short period of time - good for us neophytes.

The reason why the recipe doesn’t include fresh clams is because the meal is done in 30 minutes... it’s a no fuss recipe.

Don’t hate on canned clams. Not everybody has access to fresh clams, especially at short notice. Canned clams are a great pantry staple. And though I wouldn’t put cheese on clam sauce, it does, in fact, taste good, so eat and let eat.

Why add the garlic after the tomatoes? If you do that the acid from the tomatoes will ensure that the garlic doesn't cook properly. You need to saute the garlic first, then add the tomatoes. See Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samir Nosrat if you don't believe me.

Always see comments like"this is NOT Italian"or Italian's don't do this or that. Wrong! Italians have a very simplistic approach to food.They work with what is in front of them. Having said that, I am of Italian heritage both sides, totally Italian. But I was born here and I am Italian American and we have our own cuisine, and it ROCKS. Don't get me wrong, food in Italy is fabulous, but much of the food we eat here was created by the best cooks who brought it over from Italy! Just ENJOY it!

I’m surprised that this absolutely classic standby recipe doesn’t include the option of fresh clams. Same ingredients and cooked until the clams open, it’s a lot more fun to eat.

Capers and anchovies please.

1. The butter serves no purpose, just use the starchy water you cooked the pasta in to regulate the density of the sauce. 2. The tomatoes should cook for a decent amount of time so that their water evaporates (and then regulate using the pasta water). 3. All that cheese makes no sense at all — it will simply cover the flavour of the clams and garlic.. 4. And I agree, so much better with fresh clams. 5. Finally some chilli pepper is good to give the dish some heat.

Butter serves no purpose in tomato sauce?? Try Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce, featured in this section. Could change your mind.

My mother made white clam sauce and, yes, sprinkled it with Parmesan. She’s Venetian born and bred. Venetians know about shellfish! But never with tomatoes, though I doubt she would have been completely opposed.

This was my Italian mother’s Friday dinner but never with cheese. Salad and good Italian bread, and a glass of white wine. Yes, fresh clams would be great but in a pinch canned clams are good.

Nothing says Italy like Za'atar.

Changed up the spices just a bit with oregano, red pepper flakes and a seafood blend in a grinder. I made approximately 1/2 indicated, used one can of clams, etc. Awesome, will totally make again and again. Loved this dish!!

I added a big teaspoon full of chopped Calabrian peppers, yum!

splash of white wine before adding clam juice

white wine in sauce, capers, cilantro with parsley, whole lemon slices, Anchovies

The second time I made this I forgot to add the butter in Step 3 so I added it at the end. It turned out to be a happy accident, it was able to coat the pasta more and made this great dish even better.

One of my favorites. I have made a few adjustments that some might like. I use 3 cans of clams. I also zest and juice a lemon adding both with the clams.

Easy and tasty. Added dried oregano since i didn’t have parsley. Five stars.

Add kernels from an ear of corn! Perfect weeknight end of summer dinner.

Loved this dish, but have a question about the cheese. When I added the cheese, it clumped and adhered to the sides and bottom of the pot. Was extremely hard to scrub the pot clean. What did I do wrong?

Cooked as instructed, used penne. Absolutely on the table in 30 minutes! Will likely double tomatoes and garlic and omit pasta water next time for denser sauce. Very tasty and so incredibly easy.

Someone else called out using clam juice instead of the reserved canned juice - we did this and this recipe was amazing!

I liked it - thanks for the recipe. Per another reviewer, I used the clam juice in lieu of the leftover juice from the clams. I will add anchovy fillets with the garlic next time.

I followed the recipe exactly and ended with a LOT of dry pasta. I’d use about half the pasta or double the sauce. I am so disappointed!

My husband and I have spent quite a lot of time in Italy. We were dubious about the canned clams, the butter, and the cheese, but we love quick pantry recipes and the reviews convinced us to try this one. We made a half recipe but otherwise followed the instructions exactly, and the result was trattoria quality. We felt as if we were back in southern Italy.

I used chopped clams (in my pantry already) and added a couple tablespoons of tomato paste. I like the way the sauce coats the pasta better with a little bit of tomato paste in the sauce. I browned it a bit before the garlic is added .