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Spaghetti alle Vongole
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This spaghetti alle vongole is a classic Italian pasta dish made with tender clams, garlic, white wine, and a light, briny sauce that coats every strand of spaghetti. Originating from southern Italy, this version is rich without cream, with just a touch of heat from crushed red pepper and extra depth from pancetta and butter. If you enjoy elegant seafood pastas like this, you may also love the 20-minute salmon and zucchini pasta or the indulgent creamy lobster pasta for your next meal.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Restaurant-quality at home — A classic Italian seafood pasta that feels special but comes together quickly.
- Light yet flavorful sauce — No cream needed! The clams, wine, and butter do all the work.
- Flexible and forgiving — Can be made with fresh or canned clams and customized to taste
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Clams – It is best to buy clams within about 24 hours of when you plan on cooking with them. Store in a bowl and cover with a damp towel. Do not submerge in water. When preparing to cook the clams test to make sure they are still alive but smelling them, if they smell fresh like the sea then they are still alive. Discard any clams that do not open on their own when steamed.
- Pancetta – Pancetta comes from pork belly and is salted, seasoned, cured and aged for an extended period of time. Pancetta is similar to bacon in flavor though not as smokey. It can be substituted for bacon, speck or guanciale in this recipe or omitted entirely for a meatless version.
- Garlic – Cooking the garlic in the rendered pancetta fat throughly flavors the sauce. I always recommend using fresh garlic – the flavor is much better than any pre-minced jars.
- White wine – White wine is the base for the sauce. Use a dry white wine for spaghetti alle vongole since it won’t overpower the dish by making it too sweet. While I will use just about any white wine in a pinch I prefer cooking with Sauvignon blanc.Never cook with a wine you wouldn’t drink!
- Spaghetti – While this is called spaghetti and clams, linguine or even bucatini is suitable in this recipe. Linguine and clams is another very well known pairing.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Pro Tip
Discard any clams that do not open during steaming, and add the pasta to the sauce while it’s still hot so it absorbs the briny white wine flavor before serving.
Swaps and Substitutions
- Littleneck Clams: Swap for Manila clams or cockles; canned clams can be used in a pinch.
- Spaghetti: Substitute linguine or bucatini for a traditional variation.
- Pancetta: Use bacon, speck, guanciale, or omit entirely for a meatless version.
- White Wine: Any dry white wine works; Sauvignon Blanc is preferred.
- Butter: Can be reduced or omitted for a lighter finish.
How to Make Spaghetti Alle Vongole (Step-by-Step)
Scrub clams under cold water to remove any debris or sand and set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water then drain and return the pasta to the pot and set aside.
Heat a large heavy bottomed pot over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Add pancetta and cook until the pancetta is crispy and the fat has rendered about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pancetta and set aside.
Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are tender and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the red pepper followed by the wine and bring to a simmer.
Arrange the clams in the pot and increase the heat to high. Cover and steam until the clams open, about 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the size of the clams.
After the clams open, use tongs to transfer them to a bowl, discarding any clams that did not open. Remove half the clams from the shells (I like to save the small clams for serving) and roughly chop, leaving some in the shells as garnish.
Stir the butter into the sauce, continuing to stir until the butter has melted. Add the crispy pancetta back to the pot along with the chopped clams and half the parsley.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the pasta to the pot, tossing in the sauce and covering until the pasta is warm and has absorbed some of the sauce, adding ½ cup of the pasta water.
To serve, use tongs to transfer the pasta to warm pasta bowls. Top the pasta with the reserved clams in the shells and divide the remaining sauce among the bowls; garnish with parsley. Serve immediately with bread on the side to dip in the white wine sauce.
How to Make This With Canned Clams
If you can’t find fresh clams you can create this recipe using 1 (6.5 ounce) can whole clams with the juices. While it will not be as fresh tasting as steaming clams for this recipe it will do in a pinch.
How to Serve Spaghetti alle Vongole
- With warm, crusty bread for dipping into the white wine sauce.
- Paired with a simple green salad or lemony arugula.
- As a main course for a dinner party or date night.
- Finished with extra parsley and freshly cracked black pepper.
How to Store This Spaghetti alle Vongole
Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Reheat: Gently reheat in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water or broth.
Refresh: Add fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice before serving to brighten the flavors.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Spaghetti alle vongole translates to “spaghetti with clams” in Italian and is a classic seafood pasta dish from southern Italy.
Yes. Use one 6.5-ounce can of whole clams with their juices. While fresh clams provide the best flavor, canned clams work well in a pinch.
A dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio works best and won’t overpower the delicate clam sauce.
No. Traditional spaghetti alle vongole has a light, glossy sauce made from olive oil, wine, butter, and clam juices—no cream.
This dish is best enjoyed immediately, as clams and pasta lose their texture when reheated.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this spaghetti alle vongole recipe, I recommend checking out some of these pasta dishes:
- 20-Minute Salmon and Zucchini Pasta
- Fettuccine with Shrimp and Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
- Creamy Lobster Pasta
Tried it? Loved it? Tweaked it? Leave a review below and tell me how it went – I’m all ears (and always hungry).
Spaghetti alle Vongole
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Ingredients:
- 5 pounds littleneck clams, scrubbed
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup diced pancetta
- 1 medium shallot, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1½ cups dry white wine
- juice from 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup chopped parsley, divided
Instructions:
- Scrub clams under cold water to remove any debris and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water then drain and return the pasta to the pot and set aside.
- Heat a large heavy bottomed pot over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Add pancetta and cook until the pancetta is crispy and the fat has rendered about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pancetta and set aside.
- Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are tender and translucent, about 4 minutes.
- Stir in the red pepper followed by the wine and bring to a simmer.
- Arrange the clams in the pot and increase the heat to high. Cover and steam until the clams open, about 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the size of the clams.
- After the clams open, use tongs to transfer them to a bowl, discarding any clams that did not open. Remove half the clams from the shells and roughly chop, leaving some in the shells as garnish. I prefer to leave the smaller clams for garnish.
- Stir the lemon juice and butter into the sauce, continuing to stir until the butter has melted. Add the crispy pancetta back to the pot along with the chopped clams and half the parsley.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the pasta to the pot, tossing in the sauce and covering until the pasta is warm and has absorbed some of the sauce, adding ½ cup of the pasta water.
- To serve, use tongs to transfer the pasta to warm pasta bowls. Top the pasta with the reserved clams in the shells and divide the remaining sauce among the bowls; garnish with parsley. Serve immediately with bread on the side to dip in the white wine sauce.
Notes:
Nutrition:
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