Whenever we go to an Italian restaurant for the first time, Pete’s go to standard is Linguine with Clam Sauce. If it’s on the menu, he’ll order it and it will be his barometer by which to judge the rest of the menu. None in town can stand up to his Linguine with Clam Sauce recipe, though.

Pete actually made this for his father the last time he was down here, and his dad was in awe of Pete’s recipe. He said that it was better than anything he’s ever had in a restaurant.

So if you want to impress a seafood lover, this recipe is the way to do it.

Linguine With Clam Sauce Recipe

Linguine With Clam Sauce Ingredients:

• 2 dozen littleneck clams
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 yellow onion
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 2/3 cup white wine
• 2 6.5 oz. cans of clams
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• 1 pound linguine
• 1 teaspoon olive oil, per serving

How To Make Linguine With Clam Sauce:

Wash the clams to remove any dirt or sand. Using a toothbrush to scrub them really makes sure you get in all the cracks.

Add about one to two inches of water into a large pot. Put all the clams in a steamer basket.

Bring the water to a boil, then close the pot with a lid and lower the heat. Steam about three to five minutes until the clams open.

Set aside.

Melt the butter in a skillet.

Add the chopped onion and garlic. Sauté until tender, about five minutes.

Add the red pepper and Italian seasoning, then stir until it’s combined.

Pour in the wine and simmer until the wine has reduced by about half.

Pour the two cans of clams, with the liquid that comes in the can, into the skillet. Cook about two minutes.

Add the chopped parsley, reserving some for a garnish.

Cook until the parsley starts to wilt. Set aside.

Boil your pasta.

Heat about a tablespoon of oil into a skillet. Place one serving of pasta into the skillet and heat it. Pour the clam sauce on top and cook together, about two minutes.

Plate the pasta, then top with a serving of clams.

Garnish with the remaining parsley.

How can you steam clams without a steamer basket?

If you don’t have a steamer basket, you can MacGyver one out of things you definitely have in your kitchen.

All you need is a large pot, a colander, and a lid.

Make sure your colander is just a tiny bit wider than, but not as deep as, your pot.

Put an inch or two of water in the bottom of a large pot, then put the colander right into the pot. The outer rim of the colander should rest on the top of the pot and the handles should suspend it.

Put the clams in the colander, then use the lid that fits the large pot to cover the colander. Your clams will steam perfectly, no steamer basket required.

What do you do with clams that don’t open?

If you have clams that don’t open after you steam them, toss them. You don’t want to force them to open.

Clams that don’t open are either dead or they’re so filled with sand that they can’t open. You don’t want to eat clams in either of those instances.

Should you use fresh or frozen clams to make Linguine With Clam Sauce?

We live down the block from a really great seafood market that sells fresh clams for $5 a dozen. So in our case, we always use fresh clams to make this.

You can buy frozen clams in the shell. You would prepare those in the same manner that you prepare fresh clams.

If you can only find frozen clam meat, not clams in the shell, you can use those in the clam sauce, but you wouldn’t steam those.

Do you have to pan fry the pasta after you boil it?

Pete loves to pan fry the linguine in the clam sauce, even after boiling the pasta. The pasta ends up with a better coating of clam sauce this way. He does this in individual servings so the pasta is more made to order, like in a restaurant.

Do you have to do this? No.

You can boil the linguine all at once, then pour the clam sauce on top and stir. That will save you a couple minutes overall, but you end up with some linguine that’s uncoated and dry. That’s not the end of the world, but if you’re going through all the effort of making this dish, you should take the extra couple minutes to pan fry the sauce and pasta together before serving.

How can you store leftover clam sauce?

If you have any leftover clam sauce, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can keep it in the refrigerator for up to five days.

When you’re ready to eat it again, heat it in a small pot over the stove.

Can you freeze leftover clam sauce?

You can definitely freeze leftover clam sauce. Once the sauce has cooled completely, pour it into a freezer-safe airtight container. You can freeze it in bulk or in individual portions.

It will last up to three months in the freezer.

Once you’re ready to use it, place the container in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Then, reheat it over the stove when you’re ready to eat it.

Can you microwave leftover clam sauce?

We don’t recommend reheating leftover clam sauce in the microwave. The clams can get really chewy that way.

If you are reheating clam sauce, we recommend that you reheat it in a small pot on the stove.

What goes well with linguine and clam sauce?

Linguine and clam sauce is pretty hearty meal. We always serve it with a side salad.

You could also serve it with oven-roasted asparagus or roasted panko parmesan broccoli on the side.

Garlic bread or cheesy garlic dough balls are really good too. You want some sort of bread on the side so you can soak up any of the clam sauce that’s left behind. You don’t want it to go to waste.