What is vongole sauce made of?

If I were to describe the classic white alle vongole sauce, I'd say it's a basic aglio, olio, e peperoncino with clams and white wine added . (There's also a red version, with tomatoes included, but I'm focusing on the white one in this article.)

What is the meaning of linguine vongole?

Linguine alle Vongole, or Linguine with Clams as it's called in the US, is spicy, briny, and glistening with an irresistibly aromatic sauce. This authentic Italian recipe will make you feel like you're at a fancy ristorante.

What is white clam sauce made of?

Water, Clams, Soybean Oil, Garlic . Contains less than 2% of: Modified Food Starch, Salt, Corn Protein (hydrolyzed), Soy Protein Concentrate, Dried Parsley, Sugar, Onion Powder, Spice, Sodium Phosphate, Clam Juice Concentrate, Citric Acid, Tomato Extract.

What do vongole taste like?

Spaghetti vongole is a delicious Italian pasta dish made with spaghetti, clams, garlic, and parsley. It's a simple yet sophisticated dish that is enjoyed all over the world. The combination of the salty clams and the sweet spaghetti is the perfect balance of flavors.

Why use linguine instead of spaghetti?

These small tongues, as translated, are most adept at lapping up oil-based sauces with finely chopped herbs, and tiny dots of pepper. Probably associated most famously with white clam sauce (vongole), linguine actually holds onto sauces better than spaghetti due to its flat curvature .

Why is linguine so good?

Linguine is a long strand of pasta known for pairing up with a few types of sauces. Linguine is often paired with lighter, thinner sauces of fresh tomatoes, olive oil and lemon, but is sturdy enough to hold up to heavier, creamier sauces too.

Are white clams healthy?

Low in Calories, High in Protein For those looking to maintain a healthy weight without compromising on protein intake, clams are a fantastic option . They offer a substantial amount of protein with relatively low-calorie content, making them a smart choice for those focused on weight management and overall well-being.

How do you make linguine taste better?

Once the pasta, sauce and some of the cooking water is mixed and the texture is right, taste some and adjust the seasoning. This is the time to add a final hit of black pepper, grated cheese and a splash of acidity – red or white wine vinegar or lemon juice to brighten up the flavour.

Do you rinse linguine after cooking?

Do Not Rinse . Pasta should never, ever be rinsed for a warm dish. The starch in the water is what helps the sauce adhere to your pasta. The only time you should ever rinse your pasta is when you are going to use it in a cold dish like a pasta salad or when you are not going to use it immediately.

Do you wash vongole before cooking?

Rinse the clams in cold running water, and scrub if necessary , then put them into a large bowl and cover with cold water. Salt generously and leave for a couple of hours, then drain and rinse well to remove any grit or sand.

What is another name for vongole?

Palourde, or carpet-shell clams (Italian: vongole veraci; pl. ), are used, or the small, Mediterranean wedge shell (Donax trunculus, also known as the Tellina or "bean clam"). Both types are also called arselle in Liguria and Tuscany. In America small cherrystone clams may be substituted.

Are clams the same as vongole?

Vongole (Katelysia scalarina, K. peronii and K. rhytiphora) are members of the Venus shell family (their name means 'clams' in Italian) .

What is a substitute for white wine in spaghetti vongole?

FORGO THE WINE: While we love the depth of flavor white wine adds to this recipe, you can easily substitute extra clam juice or chicken broth .

Linguine Alle Vongole In Bianco (White Clam Sauce)

Linguine alle vongole (linguine with white clam sauce) is always a hit! This dish is great for the spring and summer months or really anytime you’re in the mood for a light and fresh Italian pasta recipe. The briny clams, white wine, hot pepper flakes, and fresh parsley are the perfect flavor match for the pasta.

This recipe is cooked in bianco. I like white clam sauce for pasta. Without pasta, I prefer Clams In Red Saucewhich is quite nice with just a loaf of crusty Italian bread.

Either way, clams are great and it purely comes down to personal preference! When I was a boy my Grandmother made this dish for us quite frequently. Fresh clams were a rare treat so most of the time she made it with canned clams.

I want to say right from the outset you can get great results with good quality canned clams.

For this linguine alle vongole I use both fresh clams (little necks) and canned ones. I like the combo of both and it also adds a lot more clams to the dish which is a good thing! The other ingredient I always use is anchovies. They add a ton of seafood flavor and are a great addition.

If you’d like an easier pantry-style white clam sauce recipe, try this linguine with canned clams.

Ingredients

1 pound linguine
3 dozen little neck clams – Other small bivalves such as manila clams or co*ckles work great.
10 ounce can baby clams – I used Cento brand. Use any good quality baby canned clams. Using the small baby clams distributes a lot more pieces of clam throughout the dish.
1/2 cup dry white wine – Pinot Grigio works nicely and is great to serve with the finished linguine and clam sauce.
4 anchovies – Canned anchovies come in small tins, also anchovy paste can be used.
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes – A good starting point. Use more according to taste.
10 cloves garlic
1/4 cup chopped parsley –Definitely try to use fresh parsley.
1/4 cup olive oil – for sauteing the garlic.
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil –For finishing the pasta. Extra virgin olive oil is nice to drizzle on top of pastas right before serving.
Pasta water –Make sure to reserve 2 cups of pasta water for the sauce. You will not need it all but it’s always good to have extra insurance if the pasta dries out while waiting for guests to be seated.

Do The Clams Need To Be Purged?

Purging removes sand from the clams. Clams tend to have a lot of sand because they live in it and are filter feeders. The sand needs to be removed before cooking them.

Most of the time commercial operations purge clams before selling them off to large stores like Costco, Whole foods, etc.

Ask if they are purged before purchasing and if you are unsure and want to do it correctly readthis very comprehensive article from Hank Shaw on how to purge clams.

What I do before cooking with purged clams is rinse the clams and remove any loose sand. That’s it!

Linguine With White Clam Sauce Instructions

The first step is to cook pasta to “al dente” in (2 Tbsp kosher salt per gallon of water) a large pot of salted water. Also, chop the garlic. If you like it thin do it that way, if not chop it coarsely. It’s all personal preference!
Finely chop the fresh parsley.

Remove 4 Anchovies and chop them up. By chopping them they will evaporate in the olive oil more quickly.
Drain the baby clams and reserve the clam juice as well.
In a large sauce pan saute garlic and anchovies on medium low in a 1/4 cup of olive oil.
Make sure to reserve some pasta water in a mug or leave the water in the pot if you have a pasta pot with strainer combination.

Substitutions And Additions

Capers – Capers can add an even brinier flavor to linguine alle vongole. Just be careful with them as they can definitely overpower the dish. The clams should be the predominant flavor. If choosing to use them, 1-2 Tbsp would be a good amount.
White wine – Vermouth can be substituted for white wine. Alternatively, alcohol can be omitted and the dish will still be great. If choosing to remove the wine, a little bit more pasta water will be needed. Not a problem, because extra pasta water has been reserved.
Lemon juice – I love the addition of fresh lemon juice. Start with 1 lemon and work your way up. Linguine alle vongole is nice with some fresh lemon wedges served on the side at the dinner table. This gives your guests the ability to choose exactly the right amount of lemon flavor.
Cream – I do not recommend it as it will really blunt the briny seafood flavor in the dish.
Cheese – Cheese is optional. I do not like it on linguine alle vongole but enjoy it on some seafood dishes. Cheese with seafood is frowned upon in Italy. I elaborate more on this in thisLemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta Recipe Of Ours.

What To Serve With Linguine Alle Vongole

Broccoli with Garlic and Oil
Sauteed Broccoli Rabe With Garlic And Oil

More Pasta You’ll Love

Tuna Pasta With YellowFin Tuna
Pasta With Cherry Tomatoes and Basil
Shrimp Fra Diavolo
Rigatoni Alla Vodka

If you’ve enjoyed this Linguine alle Vongole recipe or any recipe on this site please let us know in the comments. We would love to hear how you did and it’s nice to show others as well. Thanks!

The full Youtube video for this recipe is directly below in the recipe card.