This easy weeknight Spaghetti with Clams is made with a quick and easy canned clam sauce and a lemony breadcrumb topping for a tasty pasta night dinner on the table in under 20 minutes!
JUMP TO RECIPEAn easy weeknight dinner made with inexpensive pantry items, this flavorful Spaghetti with Clams recipe uses canned clams and bottled clam juice for a tasty seafood pasta you can whip up any night of the week.
With plenty of flavor from garlic, red pepper flakes and wine, and a great crispy and lemony breadcrumb topping, this elevated Spaghetti and Clams is perfect for busy days when you want to get something delicious on the table.
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make this easy weeknight Spaghetti and Clams recipe:
Spaghetti. I like to use a classic spaghetti for this recipe, as it has a nice chew and thickness. If you like, linguine or angel hair pasta would also work great.
Extra virgin olive oil. You'll use this to saute the aromatics and build the sauce. A little extra drizzled over your bowl of pasta is also a tasty addition! Use a good quality olive oil, such as California Olive Ranch.
A few scallions and some fresh garlic cloves. These add great flavor to the quick sauce, and cook quickly, since they are sliced extra thin.
Crushed red pepper flakes, for some kick. You can adjust the amount to taste, if you prefer things less spicy.
Dry white wine. Use something you like to drink, like a nice Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio (it does not need to be fancy). You'll only need ½ cup, and the remaining wine makes a great accompaniment to the meal!
Canned minced or chopped clams. This is really up to your personal preference. Chopped clams are larger chunks, and minced are smaller pieces that will meld into the sauce. So if you're looking for big pieces of clam in your bite, go for chopped, and if you want clams that meld more into the sauce, opt for minced.
A bottle of good quality clam juice. This recipe calls for a whole pound of spaghetti, so you'll need a bit more juice than what is reserved from the cans. I love Snow's Clam Juice, and Bar Harbor.
Fresh chopped parsley, fresh squeezed lemon juice, and butter, for giving the sauce a flaorful and creamy finishing touch just before serving.
Panko breadcrumbs, lemon zest (we're using the whole lemon here), and more butter, for making the lemony breadcrumb topping for the pasta. This topping adds a nice crunchy and burst of lemony flavor that perfectly compliments the Spaghetti and Clams!
How to make Clam Sauce with canned clams
While your pasta boils, you'll start the sauce by cooking the scallions, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a bit of olive oil to soften them and release their flavor. Then you'll add the clam juice and wine and simmer.
Once the pasta is done, you'll add it right to the pot with the sauce, along with the clams until well coated and clams are warmed through. Fold in some butter, parsley and lemon juice, and dinner is served!
Tools needed
To make this pasta, you'll need:
- A large stockpot, for boiling the pasta.
- Tongs or a spider, for transferring the pasta to the sauce, right from the pasta water.
- A large, deep saute pan, for building the sauce. The pan should be large enough to accommodate all the cooked pasta and sauce.
- A good zester, for making the lemony breadcrumbs. I love my Microplane.
- A small frying pan, for making the toasted breadcrumbs.
Spaghetti with Clams and Breadcrumbs Recipe
Equipment
- large, deep saute pan
- stockpot
- tongs or spider
Ingredients
- 1 lb Spaghetti
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 Scallions, thinly sliced (aka green onions)
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
- ½ cup Dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio
- 2 6.5 oz cans minced or chopped clams in juice (drained and juices reserved)
- 1 8 oz bottle of clam juice
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- The zest of ½ lemon
- 2 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 6 tablespoon butter, divided (see recipe)
- ½ cup unseasoned Panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoon butter (reserve remaining butter for pasta) in a medium nonstick skillet until melted. Add panko breadcrumbs and lemon zest, and cook, stirring frequently, until breadcrumbs are toasted, 4-5 minutes. Once toasted, immediately remove to a bowl and set aside to cool. 2. Bring a large pot of salted water (like the sea) to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until just shy of al dente, according to package directions. 3. While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil over medium heat in a large deep skillet (large enough to hold the pasta). 4. Add sliced garlic, scallions, and red pepper flakes. 5. Cook, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes, until fragrant. 6. Add white wine and clam juice to the pot with the garlic, scallions and red pepper flakes, and simmer 4-5 minutes over medium low heat, until slightly reduced. 7. Add drained clams, salt and pepper, and cooked drained pasta, and toss to coat. 8. Turn off heat and stir in the remaining butter, lemon juice, and parsley. Serve with breadcrumb topping and a drizzle of olive oil and more fresh parsley, if desired.
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Step by Step Photos
Substitutions and Additions
In place of white wine, you could swap it for an equal amount of dry vermouth, or additional clam juice.
Tips
- Add more clam juice if needed. If your sauce is looking a bit dry after adding the pasta, add a bit more clam juice, or some reserved pasta water to help thin it out.
- Do not overcook clams! Add the clams at the very end so they don't get tough and chewy. Canned clams are pre-cooked, so you only need to warm them through to serve.
- Keep the pasta to al dente- or just under. Since the pasta will cook a bit more in the sauce, you want it a little under done so it doesn't get mushy.
- Make sure you use a dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, or Pinot Grigio for best flavor. Use a wine you'd like to drink (doesn't need to be pricey!) and steer clear of overly sweet wines like Rose or Moscato, as they will make the sauce sweet and unappealing.
- Add the breadcrumbs right before serving, or allow guests to serve themselves so they stay extra crispy!
- Make sure your pasta water is salty like the sea!
- If you want extra garlic flavor, use minced rather than sliced.
- Can't get enough clams? Add an extra can!
Pasta choices
Classic spaghetti is a great choice for this recipe, but you could also use linguine or angel hair pasta for this recipe. Since this is a light sauce, this recipe works best with a simple long, thin pasta shape, rather than a tubular pasta such as rigatoni, which is better suited for thick, meaty sauces like Spicy Sausage Pasta.
What to serve with Spaghetti and Clams
This tasty clam pasta goes great with a simple side salad and some crusty bread or garlic bread! A great tomato salad with burrata would make an excellent appetizer, too!
Storing and reheating leftovers
To store leftovers, cool to room temperature, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat, add a bit of water or extra clam juice, and heat in a saucepan over medium-low heat until just warmed through. Be sure to store any leftover breadcrumbs separately to avoid getting them mushy.
More great pasta recipes
If you love this recipe, you'll also love my Individual Smoky Seafood Pot Pies, Pasta Amatriciana with Calabrian Chilies, or Spicy Spaghetti Arrabbiata Pasta!
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