Spaghetti alle vongole with tomato is an Italian seafood pasta made with clams, garlic, olive oil, wine, and a light tomato sauce. The tomatoes add gentle sweetness and color without hiding the briny flavor of the clams, while pasta water helps bring everything together into a glossy, savory coating.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (340 g) dried spaghetti
- 2 pounds (900 g) live hard-shell clams, such as littlenecks or Manila clams
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little more to finish
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- ½ cup (120 ml) dry white wine
- 1 cup (240 g) cherry tomatoes, halved, or 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt for the sauce, plus salt for the pasta water
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 lemon wedge, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Check and clean the clams. Buy clams from a reputable seafood seller and keep them refrigerated until cooking. Discard any with cracked shells. Tap open clams lightly: if one does not close, discard it. Scrub the remaining shells under cold running water. If the clams are sandy, soak them in cold, lightly salted water for 20 to 30 minutes, then lift them out rather than pouring off the gritty water. Do not soak them in fresh water.
- Get the pasta water going. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt it moderately; the clams and their liquid are naturally salty, so use less salt than you might for a pasta without shellfish. Add the spaghetti and cook until just shy of al dente, following the package timing as a guide. Before draining, reserve at least 1 cup (240 ml) of pasta water.
- Start the sauce. While the spaghetti cooks, warm the olive oil in a wide, deep skillet or sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant but not browned. Burnt garlic can make the whole sauce bitter.
- Add tomatoes and wine. Stir in the cherry tomatoes and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until they begin to soften and release juice. If using canned crushed tomatoes, simmer them for about 5 minutes instead. Pour in the wine and bring it to a simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to cook off its sharp alcoholic aroma.
- Steam the clams. Add the clams and black pepper to the pan, cover, and cook over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice. Start checking after 4 minutes. As each clam opens, transfer it to a bowl with tongs so it does not overcook. When the clams have opened and the pan liquid is steaming hot, discard any that remain tightly closed. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve if it looks gritty, taking care to leave any sediment behind.
- Finish the pasta in the sauce. Add the drained spaghetti to the pan with the tomato-clam liquid. Toss over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, adding a splash of reserved pasta water at a time until the sauce lightly coats the strands. Taste before adding salt; the clam liquid may be salty enough. Return the opened clams to the pan, along with any clean juices in their bowl, and toss gently just until hot. Fold in the parsley and a small drizzle of olive oil.
- Serve promptly. Divide the spaghetti among warm bowls, arranging the clams over and around the pasta. Offer lemon wedges if desired. Serve while hot, with a spoon for the flavorful sauce.
Tips
- Keep the clams alive before cooking. Store them in the refrigerator in a bowl covered loosely with a damp towel, not in an airtight container or submerged in water. Cook them the day you buy them when possible, and follow the seafood seller’s storage advice.
- Control the salt. Clams vary in saltiness, and their cooking liquid seasons the pasta. Salt the boiling water lightly, then taste the finished sauce before adding any more.
- Use a broad pan and avoid overcooking. A wide pan lets the clams steam in a single layer and gives the pasta room to toss. Remove clams as soon as they open; prolonged cooking makes them tough.
- Choose the tomato style you like. Cherry tomatoes make a fresh, lightly textured sauce; canned crushed tomatoes create a more consistent, slightly fuller one. Avoid adding a large quantity of tomato, which can overwhelm the clams.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this pasta as the main course, with a crisp green salad or simply dressed bitter greens to balance the rich, briny sauce. Crusty bread is useful for scooping up the tomato and clam juices. A dry white wine that is also suitable for cooking, such as Vermentino or Pinot Grigio, makes a natural pairing. Parmesan is usually left off seafood pasta because its strong, salty flavor can compete with the clams.
Variations
For a more tomato-forward version, increase the tomatoes to 1½ cups and simmer the sauce for a few extra minutes before adding the clams. For a lighter, fresher result, use cherry tomatoes and finish with finely grated lemon zest. Manila clams are small and sweet; littlenecks are meatier, and either works well. If fresh clams are unavailable, use cooked, shucked clams and add them only at the end to warm through; replace some of the clam cooking liquid with bottled clam juice, tasting carefully before seasoning. Frozen cooked clams can also work if thawed safely in the refrigerator and drained. Do not use mussels as though they were clams without adjusting the cooking time and checking their own doneness.
Storage and Reheating
For best quality, eat the pasta as soon as it is made. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking (within 1 hour if the room is above 90°F/32°C), in a covered shallow container, and use within 1 to 2 days. Discard cooked clams or pasta left at room temperature beyond those limits. Reheat only the portion you plan to eat, in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of water, until steaming hot throughout; stir gently and avoid prolonged heating, which toughens the clams. A microwave can be used in short bursts, stirring between them. Do not freeze the finished dish: the pasta and clam texture can deteriorate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to soak clams before cooking?
Not always. Scrubbing under cold running water is essential; a short soak in cold, lightly salted water can help clams release grit, but it is not a substitute for buying fresh clams and checking them. Lift them out of the water so sand stays behind.
What should I do with clams that do not open?
Discard clams that stay tightly closed after cooking. Do not force them open to eat. Before cooking, also discard cracked clams and any open clam that does not close when tapped.
Can I make this without wine?
Yes. Replace the wine with an equal amount of water or low-sodium seafood stock and add a small squeeze of lemon at the end if you want extra brightness. The result will be less aromatic, but the clams and tomato still provide plenty of flavor.
Can I use canned clams?
Yes, though the flavor and texture will differ from fresh shell-on clams. Add drained canned clams near the end so they only warm through, and use clam juice or seafood stock to build the sauce. Check the package instructions and taste before salting.
How do I keep the sauce from getting watery?
Finish the slightly undercooked spaghetti directly in the clam liquid, tossing it until the sauce clings to the strands. Add pasta water sparingly; if the pan still seems loose, toss for another minute so the liquid reduces and emulsifies with the oil.