This clam linguine is rich and buttery, and the baked clams add an extra oomph of savory flavor. Serve it with a white or rosé wine, some focaccia bread and a tossed garden salad for a sumptuous and satisfying meal.
Don’t forget to check out our complete guide to preparing shellfish for more recipe ideas.
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Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small diced onion
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon fresh oregano minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh basil minced
- 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- pinch dry mustard
- pinch ginger
- 3 cans minced/chopped clams with juice
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley minced for topping
- Parmesan cheese for topping
- 1 lb linguine
- 3 pounds Littleneck clams
- 3 cups bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 lemons zest and juice
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons pesto
- 1/2 fresh parsley chopped
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup clarified butter
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl or bucket, place the clams with enough water to cover them. Stir in one cup of cornmeal and 2 tablespoons of salt and let them soak while you prepare the stuffing. Soaking in cornmeal will help to purge the clams and loosen the shells.
- Prepare the stuffing. Mix together the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice and zest, garlic, pesto, parsley, olive oil and butter until they’re moist enough to form a mold, but not oozing liquid.
- Remove the clams from their cornmeal bath and pry them open with your fingers, or with a thin, dull knife edge between the shells. Stuff the open shells with enough dressing to completely cover the meat. Position the stuffed clams on your prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 – 14 minutes, or until the stuffing turns golden brown. While the clams are baking, in a large pot, heat water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente.
- As the pasta cooks, melt butter in a heavy skillet with the olive oil. Sauté onion and garlic, then add the crushed red pepper flakes.
- Add the lemon juice, oregano, basil, and spices. Stir for one minute then add the clams with juice.
- Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
- Drain pasta and place in large serving bowl.
- Cover pasta with the clam sauce, mix well together and sprinkle with parsley and parmesan cheese. Arrange some of the bake clams over the top and serve the remaining in a side dish.
Recipe Notes
This recipe calls for zested lemon peel. If you down own a zester and need a good one, then check out Foodal's Guide Zesters and Microplanes.
About Lorna Kring
Recently retired as a costume specialist in the TV and film industry, Lorna now enjoys blogging on contemporary lifestyle themes. A bit daft about the garden, she’s particularly obsessed with organic tomatoes and herbs, and delights in breaking bread with family and friends.
I just had something like this when I went to Buca Di Beppo. I like clams but no one else really does in my house. So while I want to try this I probably will not. Unless I can get my mother to eat it too than it will be worth it to make it. Otherwise I will wait until I get someone else to make it or go to a restaurant. It does look good and baked clams are good.
It can be lonely being the only clam lover in the house… what about giving the baked clams a try yourself?
This recipe looks delicious. I’ve never had shellfish this way before with linguine which is probably infused with the clam flavor. I can’t get fresh where I’m from will it taste the same with canned? I sure hope so well I’m going to try it anyway. I am going to try this for a romantic dinner.
The sauce for the linguine uses canned clams Eileen, and it will turn out great without the baked ones – they’re like a side dish and not necessary for your romantic pasta dinner!
I haven’t had this dish in a long time, and it sounds so good right now. I’m glad to see via the comments, that canned clams can be used, since I often have difficulty finding them here. I’d never heard about the cornmeal and salt soak to purge the clams, that will be very helpful when I am able to get some and make this dish!
Canned works great for the sauce Diane. And if you’re digging your own, purging makes a bit difference in not have any ‘gritty’ ones in your dish.
I love linguini and have not eaten it for years. You have inspired me anew. i need to get some and make this recipe. I live right at the coast where I am able to get many fresh shellfish too. This is going to be one of those very tasty meals and a bit of a celebration for me!
It’s always great to enjoy local fare like shellfish om! Hope you enjoy the recipe.
Linguine with clam sauce is one of my all-time favorite seafood/past dishes. I prefer with a white wine sauce, although the red wine sauce version is great as well.
The clams make it work either way Nikole!
This recipe is perfect! I have been craving something with clams lately and this sounds delicious! I don’t know if it is the cold weather outside or the time of year, but this looks so good. I am definitely going to put it down on my meal plan for this week.
Another of those great ‘comfort’ dishes that work so well in the winter! Let us know how it turned out.
Well I happen to live about as far away from an ocean as humanly possible, but I also happen to love seafood, so I am kind of doomed, but I get sweet relief when I hear of recipes like this. It is something so easy to make, and all you have to do is go out and get the seafood. The less steps there is, that is usually the preferred method for me, so this one sounds like it is right up my alley. Thanks for sharing.
I’m with you rz3300, simple and easy is the way to go, and this recipe fits the bill perfectly. Hope you enjoy it!
I can relate. I also live so far from the ocean that we only ever get to see it about once every year when we go on vacation. And like you, I also love seafood and these kind of recipes really make me feel good to make. They are easy to make and not much can go wrong with them which is great for a person like me who is still learning.
So true Norma, a foolproof recipe like this one is a great confidence booster for any novice cook. Thanks for your thoughts!