Spaghetti with Clams
I make this every Christmas Eve. I thought for a minute I might save this one until then, but since we had it for dinner the other night, I figured it was too good not to share. It is perfect for a late night meal, or an impromptu dinner with friends. It’s just the thing for the start of spring! It’s light and fresh and just makes you long for those upcoming summer beach days. I use lots of lemon and parsley to bring this to life. I love crushed red pepper in this dish too, but I left it out because of the kiddos, but it really ramps up the flavor.
I used canned chopped clams for this dish. They are easy to find and delicious. Some brands even sell whole canned clams. Be on the lookout for those! I keep a few cans stocked in the pantry just so I can have this dish whenever I want. By all means use fresh clams if you can get your hand on them! I would use about two pounds for this recipe. Fresh clams will definitely turn this one into a showstopper. I usually add some chopped tomatoes in the sauce, but this time I left them out because I really just wanted a simple clean white sauce. But If you do add some, do so at the beginning with the garlic and parsley. It will add a lot of flavor. I generally don’t add cheese to seafood dishes, but feel free to add some if you want to. I hope you enjoy this. It is a quick dish fancy enough for Christmas Eve, but luxurious any day of the year!
Spaghetti with Clams
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti or linguine
- 2 6.5 oz cans chopped clams
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 lemon zested & juiced
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup reserved pasta cooking water add as needed
- crushed red pepper optional
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions
- Zest and a lemon set aside.
- Chop the garlic and parsley. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium (you will add the pasta to it later, so make sure it is large enough) add garlic and parsley. Add the crushed red pepper if using. Saute for about a minute
- Add the canned clams and their juice.
- Add the chicken broth, wine. Juice the reserved lemon and add to the sauce. Let the sauce cook for until the wine has cooked out- about 5-7 minutes. Season with salt & pepper.
- Drain the pasta. Be sure to reserve about a cup of cooking water. Drop the heat to low. Add the pasta to your pan. Add the reserved pasta water and toss to mix. Check for seasoning.
- Serve topped with reserved lemon zest.
