Italian · Lunch · Dinner
Spaghetti with Clams
Spaghetti alle vongole
Whole-wheat spaghetti tossed with sweet, briny clams, garlic, a splash of white wine and plenty of fresh parsley. It is a light, bright Italian seafood classic made with just a modest amount of olive oil.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Serves
- 4
Calories come from: Carbs 61% · Fat 21% · Protein 18%
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Ingredients
For 4 servings- 1.2 kg in shell (about 200 g meat)Fresh clams (vongole), in shell
- 320 g dryWhole-wheat spaghetti
- 2 tbsp27 gExtra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves12 gGarlic, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tspRed chilli flakes (optional)
- 1/2 cup118 gDry white wine
- 1 cup loosely packed30 gFresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 3 litres3,000 gWater, for cooking the pasta
- 3/4 tsp5 gSalt, for the pasta water
- 1/4 tspBlack pepper, freshly ground
- 1 tsp finely gratedLemon zest (optional)
Steps
- 1
Rinse the clams under cold running water and scrub off any grit.
- 2
Throw away any clams with cracked shells or any that stay open after a firm tap.
- 3
Bring the water to a boil in a large pot and add the salt.
- 4
Add the spaghetti and cook for about 2 minutes less than the packet time, stirring now and then.
- 5
While the pasta cooks, warm the olive oil in a large, wide pan over medium-low heat.
- 6
Add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook gently for 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
- 7
Turn the heat to high, add the clams and pour in the wine.
- 8
Cover and cook for 4-6 minutes, shaking the pan, until the clams have opened.
- 9
Discard any clams that have not opened.
- 10
Scoop out about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the spaghetti.
- 11
Add the spaghetti to the clam pan with half the parsley.
- 12
Toss over high heat for 1-2 minutes, adding splashes of the reserved pasta water until the sauce is glossy and coats the pasta.
- 13
Season with black pepper, then sprinkle over the remaining parsley and the lemon zest.
- 14
Serve straight away.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- Use gluten-free spaghetti (choose one labelled gluten-free) for a gluten-free version, since every other ingredient is naturally gluten-free.
- Replace the white wine with an equal amount of low-sodium fish or vegetable stock plus a squeeze of lemon juice if you prefer to cook without alcohol.
- If fresh clams are hard to find, use canned whole baby clams, drained, and stir them in at the end just to heat through, using some of their juice in place of part of the wine.
- Swap whole-wheat spaghetti for regular spaghetti or linguine if you want the classic look and a softer texture.
Storage
This dish is best eaten straight away, as reheated clams turn rubbery. If you have leftovers, remove the clams from their shells, refrigerate within 2 hours in a covered container for up to 1 to 2 days, reheat gently until steaming hot, and do not freeze.
Make ahead
You can slice the garlic, chop the parsley and grate the lemon zest a few hours ahead and keep them covered in the fridge. Store live clams in the fridge in a bowl covered with a damp cloth (never in water or a sealed bag) and scrub them just before cooking.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
Contains: GlutenMolluscsSulphites
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (928 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 416 kcal | 45 kcal |
| Protein | 18.9 g | 2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 62.9 g | 6.8 g |
| of which sugars | 2.6 g | 0.3 g |
| Fiber | 7.7 g | 0.8 g |
| Fat | 9.7 g | 1 g |
| of which saturated | 1.4 g | 0.2 g |
| Sodium | 778 mg | 84 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
