A tasty Giada favorite from her everyday Italian cookbook, this Clam Spaghetti is made with dried spaghetti, fresh clams, chopped shallots, minced garlic, and dry white wine. This flavorful Clam Spaghetti is an ideal choice for dinner and serves 4 people.

You could also use mussels for a twist or small New Zealand cockles, whose refined shape and delicate flavor make for a more elegant version.

Giada Spaghetti With Clams Ingredients

• Salt
• 1 pound of dried spaghetti
• ½ cup of extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 finely chopped shallots
• 5 finely chopped garlic cloves
• 2½ pounds of Manila clams, scrubbed clean
• ½ cup of dry white wine
• ½ cup of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• ½ teaspoon of sea salt
• ½ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• Freshly grated zest of 1 lemon

How To Make Giada Spaghetti With Clams

1. Prepare the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook it until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often to prevent it from sticking. This should take about 8 minutes.
2. Start the Sauté: While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is almost smoking, add the shallots and sauté for about 3 minutes until soft.
3. Add Garlic and Cook: Add the garlic to the shallots and sauté for another 3 minutes, making sure the garlic turns golden but doesn’t burn, while the shallots become translucent.
4. Cook the Clams: Add the cleaned clams to the pan along with the white wine, 2 tablespoons of parsley, salt, and pepper. Cover the pan and let it simmer until most of the clams open, which should take about 6 minutes. Discard any clams that stay closed.
5. Thicken the Sauce: Once the clams have opened, whisk in the butter to slightly thicken the sauce. This will help create a rich texture that coats the pasta beautifully.
6. Drain the Pasta: Drain the cooked spaghetti, making sure to reserve about ⅓ cup of the cooking water. Do not rinse the pasta as the starch helps the sauce stick better.
7. Combine and Toss: Add the drained spaghetti to the sauté pan with the clam mixture. Toss the pasta well to coat it evenly with the sauce, adding the reserved cooking water gradually to moisten the dish.
8. Finish and Serve: Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle the lemon zest on top, garnish with the remaining parsley, and serve immediately while it’s still fresh and flavorful.

Recipe Tips

• Add some heat: If you prefer a bit of spice, add red pepper flakes while sautéing the garlic and shallots. This gives the dish an extra kick without overpowering the clams.
• Use fresh herbs: For a brighter flavor, mix in fresh basil or oregano along with the parsley. I’ve found that these herbs pair beautifully with the garlic and wine sauce.
• Don’t skip the zest: Adding lemon zest at the end really lifts the flavor. If you’re out of lemons, a touch of lime zest can work, though it offers a slightly different flavor.
• Swap the pasta shape: Orecchiette or linguine works just as well as spaghetti for this dish. The sauce clings better to pasta with ridges or a more open shape like orecchiette.
• Cook in batches: When cooking for more than four people, it’s best to sauté the clams in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. This ensures they cook evenly and all the way through.

Recipe FAQs and Variations

Check out More Giada Recipes:

• Giada De Laurentiis Baked Bolognese
• Giada De Laurentiis Cherry Tomato Spaghetti
• Giada Orecchiette With Spicy Sausage and Broccoli Rabe