• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Always From Scratch
  • Old School Italian Recipes
  • Italian Chicken Recipes
  • Italian Summer Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • About Me
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Old School Italian Recipes
  • Italian Chicken Recipes
  • Italian Summer Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • About Me
    • Email
    • Instagram
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Old School Italian Recipes
    • Italian Chicken Recipes
    • Italian Summer Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • About Me
    • Email
    • Instagram
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Italian and American Pasta

    Linguine with Red Clam Sauce

    Published: Apr 10, 2023 · Modified: Aug 15, 2024 by Vinny · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    A perfectly refreshing summer dish, linguine with red clam sauce uses deliciously ripe cherry tomatoes and garlic, topped with toasted breadcrumbs. This dish is a favorite and one we coined "Linguine Clamato".

    I'm always looking for more dishes to add to our Christmas Eve meal and Fried Flounder Oreganata are always in there!

    linguine with clams in red sauce on a plate.

    Looking for more seafood pasta? Check out our Shrimp Fra Diavolo with Linguine or Shrimp Scampi.

    Jump to:
    • The Perfect Summer Clam Sauce
    • Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
    • Purging the Clams
    • How to Make Linguine with Clams in Red Sauce
    • Pro-Tips
    • Toasted breadcrumbs
    • Recipe FAQs
    • More Seafood Pasta Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Reviews

    The Perfect Summer Clam Sauce

    You HAVE to make this take on linguine with clams this summer. Traditional Linguine with clams is one of my absolute favorite recipes, but I prefer it when it starts to get cold out for some reason. I have this craving for fresh tomatoes once the warm weather hits and cherry tomatoes are back in season.

    There is no cheese in this dish, just toasted breadcrumbs to give you that same texture we miss without the cheese. Typically, seafood is not paired with cheese in Italy. Seafood and cheese weren't usually available in Italy in the same place. The cheese was inland and the seafood was on the coastline. Although, I maintain that this seafood pasta should be cheese-less, do what you please. Just try the toasted breadcrumbs first!

    Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

    Ingredients for the recipe.

    Toasted Breadcrumbs. You could substitute parmesan for the breadcrumbs. But as I said before, I don't recommend cheese with this one!

    Anchovies. As for the anchovies, everyone always asks if they can leave them out. Again, I wouldn't recommend that, but if you do, add a little salt to the sauce to make up for it.

    Fresh Clams. If you can't find fresh clams, you can use canned clams but the sauce will be slightly thicker. I use little neck clams or cherrystone clams for this recipe. Little neck clams are the best in pasta because their small and sweeter. Cherrystones are a bit more of a mouthful

    *Please see the recipe card below for more information on the ingredients.

    Purging the Clams

    Start by scrubbing the clams under cold running water. Then place them in a cold and salty water bath. The clams will filter out any gritty sand. Allow them to sit for 60 minutes, then change the water and let them sit for another 60 minutes. When you're ready to add them to the sauce, you'll remove them from the bath and rinse them again.

    Make sure to ask wherever you get the clams if they are already purged. Then you can skip this step! I always purge my clams, because I usually don't take them home and cook them right away anyway. It's a great way to make sure they don't die. I always purge them when I make Italian Stuffed Baked Clams.

    How to Make Linguine with Clams in Red Sauce

    Garlic and anchovies sauteing in olive oil.

    Step 1: In a large saucepan, add 2 tablespoon of olive oil and bring to medium heat. Add the garlic and anchovies once the olive oil is shimmering. Saute until the garlic is fragrant. The anchovies will melt away into the oil slowly.

    Tomato Paste caramelizing in saucepan.

    Step 2: Add the tomato paste and combine with the garlic. Let the tomato paste caramelize on the pan for two minutes.

    Cherry tomatoes added to the olive oil.

    Step 3: Add cherry tomatoes and allow them to simmer and break down. Saute for 5-8 minutes until the tomatoes begin to break down.

    White wine added to the sauce.

    Step 4: Add white wine and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add salt. Add linguine and boil until just before al dente.

    Closed clams simmering in the sauce.

    Step 5: Add the clams to the pot and cover for 3-4 minutes or until all the clams open. Discard any clams that do not open on their own.

    Clams opening in the sauce.

    Step 6: Add some of the pasta water to the pan and continue simmering on low until the pasta is ready.

    Pasta added to the sauce.

    Step 7: Stir in the pasta and combine well until the sauce is covering the pasta. Allow the pasta to cook for another 2-3 minutes in the pan. Serve Linguine with red clam sauce with toasted breadcrumbs instead of parmigiano.

    Pro-Tips

    1. Purging the clams is the most important step in the recipe. It doesn't DO anything special to your recipe, but if you don't do it, it could ruin everything. Not purging the clams could result in a dish filled with sand and grit. Unless you like chewing sand, please, PLEASE purge them. I have made this mistake enough times to know.
    2. Pasta water is key to recipes like this. Make sure to add that liquid gold to help make the pasta more creamy. Think about what it does to Spaghetti Carbonara. You want that creaminess in this pasta without the cheese.
    3. Don't overcook the clams. Try to time the pasta to finish just as the clams are opening so you can add it right away.

    Toasted breadcrumbs

    Toasted breadcrumbs are so easy and a great addition to seafood dishes. Simply place a small pan on the stovetop on medium heat. Add your desired amount of breadcrumbs and toss until they become toasted. They will quickly brown.

    Before cheese was available in most places in Italy, some people would use toasted breadcrumbs in place of Parmigiano. You can use these on any seafood pasta like Linguine with Clams or Shrimp Scampi Without Wine

    linguine with clams in red sauce on a plate.

    Recipe FAQs

    How do you reheat linguine with clams?

    Reheat linguine with clams by placing the pasta in a pan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until heated through. Drizzle with olive oil.

    What is red clam sauce made of?

    Red clam sauce is made of little neck clams, cherry tomatoes, garlic, anchovies, white wine, and tomato paste.

    What wine goes with linguine and red clam sauce?

    Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio both pair well with linguine with clam sauce. They both have their different qualities but go nicely with this dish because of their subtle but sweet flavors.

    More Seafood Pasta Recipes

    • Shrimp over pesto pasta garnished with basil.
      Creamy Pesto Shrimp Pasta
    • garlic anchovy pasta
      Garlic Anchovy Pasta with Toasted Breadcrumbs
    • lemon pesto spaghetti
      Lemon Pesto Spaghetti with Scallops
    • cajun shrimp scampi topped with parsley and parmesan
      Cajun Shrimp Scampi

    Follow us on Instagram @vindelgiudice and Tiktok @alwaysfromscratch. Leave us a review or comment below to let us know what you think of this recipe!

    📖 Recipe

    linguine with clams in red sauce on a plate.

    Linguine with Red Clam Sauce

    Vincent DelGiudice
    Linguine with red clam sauce is the perfect meal wehn you have fresh chams and ripe cherry tomatoes. It's delicious and quick for a summer pasta or christmas Eve meal!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 45 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 352 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 large saucepan
    • 1 large bowl for purging

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 lb linguine
    • 2 dozen clams
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
    • 5 anchovies
    • ¼ cup tomato paste
    • 1.5 cups white wine
    • ½ cup starchy pasta water
    • ½ cup toasted breadcrumbs

    Instructions
     

    • Scrub the clams and then purge them in cold salted water for 1 hour and then rinse and change the water and place in an ice bath for 1 more hour.
    • In a shallow saucepot, add 2 tablespoon olive oil and bring to medium heat. Add garlic and anchovies once the olive oil is shimmering. Saute until garlic is fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and combine with the garlic. Add cherry tomatoes and gently use a wooden spoon to help them break down. Saute for 5 minutes.
    • Bring a pot of water to a boil and add salt. Add linguine and boil until just before al dente.
    • Add white wine and bring to a simmer. Steal ½ cup of pasta water from the linguine and add it to the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes.
    • Rinse clams in a strainer, add them to the pot, and cover for 3-4 minutes or until all of the clams open. Stir the linguine into the sauce. Let the pasta simmer in the sauce for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Serve with toasted breadcrumbs.

    Notes

    1. Purging the clams is the most important step. Make sure to scrub them completely clean and purge them in ice water to remove as much sand from them as possible. Otherwise, you'll be chewing on grit. 
    2. Pasta water is key to recipes like this. Make sure to add that liquid gold to help make the pasta more creamy. 
    3. Don't overcook the clams. Try to time the pasta to finish just as the clams are opening so you can add it right away.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 352kcalCarbohydrates: 68gProtein: 13gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 171mgPotassium: 447mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 412IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 53mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?We'd love for you to Leave a Review!

    More Italian and American Pasta

    • Fettucine in alfredo sauce in a pan with tongs.
      Authentic Fettuccine Alfredo
    • Marinara sauce in a pan garnished with basil.
      The Ultimate Guide to Marinara Sauce
    • A square of lasagna on a plate.
      Authentic Italian Lasagna
    • Pasta alla gricia served on a plate and topped with guanciale.
      Pasta Alla Gricia

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Vinny

      July 16, 2023 at 10:53 am

      5 stars
      This is one of our favorite recipes to make at the end of the summer when fresh cherry tomatoes are available! Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
    5 from 1 vote

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Vinny in the Kitchen.

    Vinny DelGiudice, MS CCC-SLP

    My name is Vinny. I am an Italian-American home cook, a photographer, and previously, a speech pathologist specializing in swallowing and voice disorders. I share the recipes I grew up eating in my home and the recipes that I cook for my family. Always From Scratch is about cooking homemade meals and eating with family.

    More about me →

    Italian Summer Recipes

    • chicken spiedini
      Chicken Spiedini
    • Kale and Cannellini Bean salad in a bowl topped with pine nuts.
      Kale and Cannellini Bean Salad
    • Zucchini alla scapece on a tray garnished with mint.
      Zucchini alla Scapece
    • Grilled chicken burger on a bun with garlic aioli.
      Gorgonzola Grilled Chicken Burger
    • Chickpea and feta salad in a bowl topped with pistachios
      Chickpea Cucumber Feta Salad
    • Finished Italian green bean salad
      Italian Green Bean Salad

    Our Top Recipes!

    • sausage and peppers
      Italian Sausage and Peppers
    • lemon pepper grilled chicken
      Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs
    • A grilled pork chop stuffed with feta and sauteed spinach and garlic served on more sauteed spinach.
      Grilled Stuffed Pork Chops
    • Bacon blue cheese burger on a cutting board.
      Bacon Blue Cheese Burger
    • summer farro salad with Italian white beans
      Summer Farro Salad with Cannellini Beans
    • Orzo and garbanzo bean salad with olives, tomatoes, and more in a bowl.
      Orzo and Garbanzo Bean Salad

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up!

    Contact

    • Want to work with us?
    • Video Editing Service
    • Instagram
    • About

    Disclaimer: I may earn from affiliate links on this page. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 Always From Scratch

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.