Pasta perfection is just 25 minutes away with this incredibly easy and absolutely divine Linguine With Red Clam Sauce! This elegant Italian classic features al dente linguine tossed in a rich and deeply flavorful tomato based clam sauce. Budget friendly, family approved, and elegant enough for company, serve with a crisp Pinot Grigio and crusty bread for the ultimate Italian dining experience at home! Buon Appetito!
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What Is Red Clam Sauce?
Pasta with clam sauce is a classic Italian dish! Many people are familiar with pasta with a white clam sauce. Red clam sauce is simply a tomato based clam sauce, and it's absolutely delicious!
Why Make This Red Clam Sauce Recipe?
You'll want to make this absolute winner of a dinner if you are after:
- An elegant dinner
- A quick and easy meal (I promise this is soo easy to make using canned clams!)
- Budget friendly dining
- An absolutely delicious dinner that your whole family will love!
This dish features the lovely taste of clams, the saltiness of capers, and is slightly spicy with the addition of some chilies. Garnish with lots of Parmigiano Reggiano and you'll be over the moon delighted!
If this sounds good to you, please read on!
🥘 Ingredients
Here's what you will need to make this dish:
- Linguine (spaghettini or spaghetti are good subs)
- Canned chopped clams (we'll use canned instead of fresh clams for ease of preparation) - you'll use both the clams and the clam juice in the can in this recipe
- Italian tomatoes - I recommend canned San Marzano tomatoes (they are whole tomatoes and their juices)
- Tomato paste
- Garlic
- Thai chilies (can sub other red chilis or red pepper flakes, or omit altogether if you don't like spicy food)
- Capers
- Olive oil
- Fresh parsley (I recommend Italian parsley)
- Butter
- Salt and black pepper
- Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan cheese) as a garnish
Chances are you may already have most of these ingredients available in your pantry!
Now all you need is less than half an hour to get this fantastic dish on your table. So let's make some DELISH pasta!
🔪 Instructions
You are quite simply a few steps away from pasta heaven!
Bring a large pot of water to the boil, and prepare to cook the linguine to al dente according to your package directions. Time finishing cooking the pasta with when the red clam sauce is finished resting.
For the red clam sauce, heat up the olive oil on medium-low heat and begin by sautéing garlic and chilies for around 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.
Next add the tomatoes and clams (and their juices) and bring to the boil on medium-high heat, breaking up the whole tomatoes with your wooden spoon. Lower the heat to a simmer, stir in the capers and tomato paste, and simmer uncovered for around 10 minutes.
Now add butter, half of your Italian parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and let stand covered for around 5 minutes.
Your red clam sauce is now ready to serve with your linguine!
What To Serve With This Dish
To serve, garnish with the rest of the Italian parsley, as well as the real deal Parmigiano Reggiano!
I love to serve Linguine With Red Clam Sauce with a lovely salad, some crusty bread, and a crisp cold glass of Italian white wine such as Pinot Grigio.
Amaretti cookies, a favorite Italian cookie, would be the perfect dessert to finish off this dinner.☺️
Here's Reggie mesmerized by Linguine With Red Clam Sauce. 😅
I do hope you will enjoy some delicious and easy to make Linguine With Red Clam Sauce soon!
Buon appetito!!!
FAQ
Using Italian San Marzano tomatoes will make all the difference between a mediocre red clam sauce and one that is superb!
The main difference between red clam sauce and white clam sauce is that red clam sauce contains tomatoes whereas white clam sauce does not.
Some Other Easy Pasta Recipes You May Enjoy
Here are some other easy pasta recipes that you may enjoy:
- 5 Star Italian Linguine Alle Vongole (Linguine With White Clam Sauce Recipe)
- The BEST Linguine With Pink Shrimp Sauce
- Puglian Orecchiette With Baby Broccoli
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Buon Appetito!
Grace
Easy and Delicious Linguine With Red Clam Sauce!
Equipment
- 1 Covered skillet
- 1 large pot for cooking pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb linguine can sub spaghettini or spaghetti
- 2 6.5 oz cans of chopped clams you'll use both the clams and the clam juice in the can in this recipe
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 15 oz Italian tomatoes you will use the tomatoes and their juices in this recipe; I recommend San Marzano tomatoes (about 2 cups)
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 4-6 Thai chilies minced; can sub another type of red chili or ½ tablespoon red pepper flakes (add amount to your liking or omit for a non spicy dish)
- 1 cup Fresh parsley I recommend Italian parsley; lightly packed then chopped; ½ will be stirred into the pasta and ½ used as garnish
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon salt plus additional to taste
- ¾ teaspoon Black pepper plus additional to taste
Garnish
- Parmigiano Regianno grated...add to your heart's content!
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to the boil, and prepare to cook the linguine to al dente according to your package directions. Time finishing cooking the pasta with when the red clam sauce is finished resting.
- For the red clam sauce, heat up the olive oil on medium-low heat and begin by sautéing garlic and chilies for around 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.
- Next add the Italian tomatoes and clams (and their juices) and bring to the boil on medium-high heat. Use a wooden spoon or other utensil to break up the whole tomatoes.
- Lower the heat to a simmer, stir in the capers and tomato paste, and simmer uncovered for around 10 minutes.
- Now add butter, half of your Italian parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine, then remove from the heat and let stand covered for around 5 minutes.
- Your red clam sauce is now ready to serve with your linguine! Garnish with the rest of the Italian parsley, as well as the real deal Parmigiano Regianno!
Notes
Nutrition
[nutrifox id="154352"]
Grace
I make this dish every Christmas eve. It's so delicious and I love the red and green Christmasy colors of this red clam sauce! Yum!