If you are a fan of clams this recipe is so addictive, plus it's a quick fix for a weeknight dinner, but elegant enough to serve at a dinner party and if you're not a white clam sauce lover, try our Red Clam Sauce we love that one equally.
The beauty of these simple pantry ingredients is the bold flavors that meld together in no time.
Serve this with a side of your favorite pasta, (we choose angel linguine)but rice can also be an alternative.
Of course, you can make it all year round but we typically serve this dish in White or Red Clam Sauce on Christmas Eve as part of the 7 fishes Italian tradition.
I’ve been making linguine alle vongole (“linguine with clams”) for years, and this recipe is best using fresh and whole steamed clams for the perfect combination.
You may also like to try our Haddock with Scallops another family favorite.
The garlic butter white sauce is superb in flavor and tastes like it came from a 5-star restaurant.
This dish can even be served with a favorite style of rice, you may like to try our Almondine Rice Marsala or just plain white rice is fine to substitute the pasta.
Scroll down to get this easily printable recipe with step-by-step instructions.
Basic White Wine Clam Sauce Recipe
This sauce is versatile for those who are allergic to seafood, just substitute boneless chicken for a non-seafood scampi-style sauce and add all chicken broth, no clam juice for a perfect white sauce.
This sauce is so delicious you may want to try our homemade bread to sop up that fabulous juice this makes with our crusty bread.
Below you will find even more substitutions for our non-clam lovers to another kind of fish, however, remember your cooking times will vary, always make sure the meat you choose is cooked thoroughly.
Add more or less red pepper flakes for heat or you can just leave it out and adapt the recipe to your own style.
Other Fish Substations
- smoked salmon
- mahi-mahi
- haddock
- crab meat or lobster
- scallops
- snook
- redfish
- Chilean sea bass
- shrimp
Tips
- use any kind of white wine or chicken broth for non-alcohol
- wash clams to get sand out
- do not overcook seafood remove until the sauce is completed cooking after sauteed
- don't brown garlic, it should be light in color
- cook any kind of pasta you like or rice for a side dish
- if clams are already opened when purchasing do not use them
More Recipes We Love
Italian Christmas Eve Seafood Recipes
Best Fried Fish Recipe Coatings
Stuffed Flounder with Shrimp and Crab
Pasta and Broccoli with Garlic and Oil
Pin for later
Easy Italian Meals
This light seafood dish with pasta is bold with flavors.
It's super easy to make and if you're in a hurry you can use any seafood you prefer canned or fresh over rice or pasta!
Let us know how you like our version of this recipe I have been making for over 35 years and my mother's recipe from the 1950s!
White Clam Sauce
Ingredients
- 24 littleneck clams rinsed in cold water and steamed
- 1 can of whole clams (these are more tender but you can use minced if you prefer)
- 1/2 stick butter
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil
- 6 cloves fresh finely minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
- 1- 6-inch tube of anchovy paste
- 1 1/2 cups dry white wine we use Pinot Grigio
- 1 -12 ounce can of chicken broth
- a pinch or more of red pepper flakes
- 1 - 1/2 cups clam juice (include reserved liquid)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon parsley,
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup shaved Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1 lb linguine cooked to package instructions al dente
Instructions
- Rinse whole fresh clams in cold water.
- In a large pot, steam the clams until all of them are open for around 10 minutes and set aside to keep warm.
- Melt butter in a pan with olive oil and saute the garlic for around 2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add the paste.
- Stir in the wine, chicken broth, clam juice, and herbs.
- Cook on low for 25 minutes.
- Add canned clams, and heat thoroughly.
- Cook pasta or choice to al dente on the package instruction, drain set aside tossed in 2 tablespoon olive oil and some sauteed garlic (this is optional).
- Arrange the plate:
- Add sauce on top of linguine arrange fresh whole steamed clams adding more sauce.
- Sprinkle the top with grated cheese on top and buttered toasted bread crumbs.
- Toasted Bread Crumbs:
- 1/2 cup Italian flavored bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon butter
- In a separate frying pan toast the bread crumbs in 1 tablespoon of butter or olive oil until golden around 2 minutes. Sprinkle on top of the pasta. Serve immediately garnished with shaved or grated cheese.
Notes:
Clam Prep and Tips
Never purchase clams that are already open, they should be closed. If they are open they are dead and will make you sick. Most supermarkets will know this and steam them for you if you ask, especially if you're not using them right away. ( I always bring mine home steamed)
Most clams available commercially have been cleaned, but if you dig your own, you must remove the sand and grit from inside the shell. Either use salt water or make enough saltwater brine (1 cup of salt per 3 quarts of water) to cover the clams. Soak clams in saltwater in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. This is particularly important for clams with protruding siphons. For tightly closed hard-shell clams, it may be enough to simply scrub the shells to remove grit.
To shuck clams, first put them in the freezer for five minutes to loosen their hold. Work over an empty bowl to collect any clam juice. Hold the clam in your hand with the shell hinge toward your palm, and insert a thin, dull knife (never a sharp kitchen knife) between the shell. Work the knife around so you can cut through the hinge. Open the shell and slide the knife between the clam and the top shell. Then detach the clam by sliding the knife between it and the bottom shell.
Cooking Methods:
Steaming:
Place 1/4-inch water (wine and seasoning optional; lemon makes an excellent seasoning) in the bottom of a large pan. Add clams in the shell. Bring water to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until shells open (four to five minutes). Throw away any clams that don’t open, or cook them until they do. Serve clams in bowls along with the cooking broth.
Grilling
Place cleaned and scrubbed clams in the shell directly onto the grill. Turn after two minutes. Cook until shells open slightly, about four minutes.
Pan-frying
Heat the frying pan, then add butter or oil. Add clam meat and saute until brown, two to three minutes.
Pin for later
Other Favorite Seafood Recipes
Red Clam Sauce
Pan-Seared Sea Bass Medley
Seafood Medley
Stuffed Shrimp and Crab Flounder
Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2010. It was edited and re-published in 2023.