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A fork stretching the clam pasta showing the details of the spaghetti and the cooked clams in the simple clam sauce with some lemon slices and chilli flakes

Clam Pasta

Craving a pasta dish that's light, tasty and simply ready in 15 minutes? This Clam Pasta is all you NEED! Clam pasta is an Italian classic known as Spaghetti alle Vongole and it will be your go to seafood pasta! We'll show you exactly how to make clam pasta from scratch, share success tips, and answer every clam pasta question you might have.
Course main, Main Course, Pasta, Seafood
Cuisine coastal, Italian, italian american, Mediterranean, seafood
Keyword clam pasta, clam recipe, clams, how to cook clams, pasta recipes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 2 people
Calories 670 kcal
Author Mahy

Ingredients

Clams

  • 1 lb clams fresh clams
  • 3 Tablespoon butter unsalted
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 lemon slices or 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1/2 Teaspoon salt and pepper
  • 3-4 sprigs oregano fresh and fresh thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes optional

Pasta

  • 10-12 ounce pasta cooked al dente
  • 1/4 cup pasta water or more to taste
  • 1/4 c cup parmesan cheese optional
  • 2 teaspoon fresh herbs minced

Instructions

  1. Wash the clams and soak them in cold salted water for 20–30 minutes, then scrub to remove grit.

  2. In a large pot, cook spaghetti in salted water until just shy of al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water.

  3. Sauté the garlic and lemon slices until fragrant in a saucepan over medium heat.
    the garlic and lemon slices cooking in a skillet to make the clam pasta
  4. Add in the clams and start tossing them around. You'll notice they will begin to create some water in the skillet.
  5. This is the sauce forming which is so tasty infused with the garlic and lemon. Add some fresh herbs and season generously with black pepper and some salt. Optionally you can add some Italian seasoning blend too.
    The clams are added and starting to exude some water and create a sauce in the pan
  6. Keep cooking the clams until they open up, which indicates they are cooked. Discard any clams that are shut.
    fully cooked clams in a skillet with lemon slices, garlic and chilli flakes, all clams have opened and cooked and ready to make clam pasta
  7. Season the clams with chilli flakes and more herbs.
  8. Add the pasta And Serve
  9. At that point the clam pasta is nearly ready, just add in the pasta. Toss it well in the skillet and adjust how saucy you prefer it to be.
    A hand adding the pasta and some parmesan sprinkle optionally
  10. Add some pasta water and toss around in the skillet until the clam pasta is as saucy as you love.
  11. Transfer the clam pasta into a serving plate, and sprinkle some parmesan if you like. Add more herbs, chilli flakes and a squeeze of lemon.
    A bowl of clam pasta in a clay bowl surrounded by small dishes of herbs, lemon slices and a bowl of chilli flakes.
  12. A final drizzle of olive oil is KEY for us! Like icing on the cake.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Tips for Clam Pasta

  1. Use live clams, always. They need to be shut down before cooking, and this is best for taste and food safety.
  2. If the clams are open before cooking, discard them right away.
  3. Wash the clams thoroughly before cooking to remove any dirt stuck in the shells.
  4. Don’t overcook the clams, they will become rubbery.
  5. You'll basically wait until they open and they'll be ready.
  6. Cook pasta al dente and reserve some pasta water, always.
  7. The pasta will continue cooking in the sauce.
  8. Depending on your taste, make this as saucy or dry as you prefer. Adjust the consistency using the reserved pasta water.
  9. Finish off with plenty of herbs, lemon slices, chilli flakes for the perfect flavor boost.
  10. No cheese needed. Traditional clam pasta skips the cheese to let the seafood shine, however you can add a fine sprinkle of parmesan.

Can I use Canned Clams instead of fresh to make clam pasta?

Yes, but the flavor won’t be as fresh or briny. Keep in mind when using canned, that they need less time to cook. So to avoid overcooking, add them towards the end.

Can I make this pasta recipe ahead of time?

Clam pasta is best served immediately. The clams tend to loose texture and flavor when made ahead of time. If you have leftovers, however, you can enjoy them the next day.

Is it okay to add lemon juice?

A squeeze of lemon at the end can brighten the dish, but it’s optional and not traditionally Italian. We love lemon zest instead to avoid a watery dish.

 

Nutrition Facts
Clam Pasta
Amount Per Serving
Calories 670 Calories from Fat 216
% Daily Value*
Fat 24g37%
Saturated Fat 13g81%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 6g
Cholesterol 64mg21%
Sodium 954mg41%
Potassium 574mg16%
Carbohydrates 98g33%
Fiber 9g38%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 31g62%
Vitamin A 875IU18%
Vitamin C 58mg70%
Calcium 288mg29%
Iron 5mg28%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.