Clam and Baby Shrimp Pasta
This easy Clam and Baby Shrimp Pasta combines canned clams, baby shrimp, and al dente linguine tossed in a garlicky white wine sauce with just a touch of tomato. Perfect for weeknights but impressive enough for gatherings!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 pound linguine or spaghetti
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium shallot diced
- 8 cloves garlic sliced
- 1 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 3 10-ounce cans baby clams see notes below
- 1 1/4 pounds baby, extra small, or tiny shrimp 70-90ct, shells and tails removed
- 1/2 cup minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
- 3 tablespoons butter cubed
- 2 cups reserved pasta water might not need all of it
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Separate the canned baby clams from their juice, reserving both.
- Heat a large pan to medium heat with the extra virgin olive oil. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until golden.
- Meanwhile, begin cooking the linguine until 1 minute less than al dente.
- Add the hot red pepper flakes to the pan and cook for another 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and cook for 3-5 minutes, adding a splash of water if the paste starts to burn. Add the white wine and turn the heat up to medium-high. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until it reduces by half then add all of the reserved clam juice and a 1/2 cup of pasta water.
- Turn the heat down to medium and add the clams and shrimp to the pan. Mix well.
- Add the linguine to the pan and half of the parlsey and mix well. Cook the pasta with the sauce for 1 minute or until the pasta just reaches al dente. If more sauce is needed, add a couple of ounces of reserved pasta water at a time. The pasta should have plenty of sauce.
- Turn the heat off and mix in the butter and remaining parsley. Mix well then taste test. Adjust salt and pepper levels if required. Covering the pan for a few minutes will make the sauce better absorb into the pasta. Enjoy!
Notes
- Canned clams. Three 10-ounce cans of baby clams will leave you with approximately 18 ounces of clam juice. If needed, use extra store-bought clam juice or more pasta water to make up the difference.
- Fresh clams. Use 2-3 dozen fresh clams to equal the 3 cans of clams. Steam the clams in water or white wine, remove as they open, then remove the clams from their shells and chop. Or just use them whole. The choice is yours. If using fresh clams, save and strain the steaming liquid to add to the sauce.
- Shrimp. Baby shrimp (70-9o count per pound) work very well for this dish and cook in a very short amount of time, so adding them right at the end is best. If using larger shrimp, add them earlier in the cooking process or sear them seperately in another pan before adding them into the pasta.
- Pasta water. The extra reserved pasta water can loosen up the sauce if it dries out while waiting for guests to be seated.
- Leftovers. Clam and baby shrimp pasta can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Nutrition
Calories: 643kcal | Carbohydrates: 56.4g | Protein: 43.9g | Fat: 23.2g | Saturated Fat: 6.5g | Cholesterol: 300mg | Sodium: 604mg | Fiber: 2.9g | Sugar: 4g | Calcium: 134mg | Iron: 12mg
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