“My kids love fresh clams so I picked some up from the grocery store and decided to make linguine with clams. I wanted to make the dinner light and healthy so I made a spicy red sauce instead of a butter sauce. It was a very simple recipe to make and tasted fantastic. The sauce wasn't too spicy for the kids and they gobbled it up. The leftovers the next day were delicious and very flavorful too.”

Linguine with Red Clam Sauce

Pam, author of the For the Love of Cooking blog

Recipe and photos by Pam, author of For the Love of Cooking.net. Note: This recipe calls for a Dutch oven (thick-walled cooking pot with a tight-fitting lid).

 

4 oz of pancetta, chopped (optional)

1-2 tsp organic extra virgin olive oil or organic macadamia nut oil

1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced

3-4 large cloves of garlic, minced (or 2 Tbsp organic garlic granules)

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1/2 tsp dried organic oregano

1 tsp organic fennel seeds, crushed

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper or organic cayenne pepper

Sea salt and organic coarse ground pepper, to taste

5-6 fresh basil leaves, chopped (divided)

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (divided)

10 oz linguine, cooked per instructions

1 lb Manila clams, thawed and rinsed cleaned

 

• If you want to include pancetta, cook the pancetta in a Dutch oven over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until browned, remove from the Dutch oven to a paper towel. If there isn't enough oil in the Dutch oven from the pancetta, add olive oil. 
  
  
• Add the onion to the Dutch oven and cook stirring frequently, until soft and tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add the seasonings and minced garlic, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes and half the basil and parsley, then stir. Taste and re-season if needed. Let the sauce simmer lightly, covered, for 30 minutes.
  
  
• Rinse the thawed clams in cold water, and keep them in the refrigerator until ready to use.
  
  
• Cook the pasta per instructions. While the pasta is cooking, add the fresh clams to the sauce by the handful and simmer for 4-6 minutes. Toss the cooked linguine with the sauce and clams until evenly coated. Top with the remaining basil and parsley and serve.