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  1. Food and Cooking
  2. Recipes
  3. Linguine with Clam Sauce

Linguine with Clam Sauce

This is the first meal I ever cooked for Marlboro Man.

By Ree DrummondPublished: Feb 14, 2025
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the pioneer woman's linguine with clam sauce recipe
Stacy Allen
Yields:
6 serving(s)
Prep Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
20 mins

Once upon a time, a strapping young cattle rancher invited a red-headed city girl out to his house on the ranch and she made him the meal of his deepest nightmares. That's basically how my love story with Marlboro Man begins—with a big plate of linguine with clam sauce.

This is the first meal I ever cooked for Ladd. I don't know what convinced me that a meat-loving, fourth-generation cattle rancher would be impressed by linguine with clams, but oh, was I utterly wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Being the gentleman that he is, he ate it—well, most of it—and never let on how he really felt. It wasn't that the clam linguine was bad. In fact, it was lemony, garlicky, and pretty scrumptious if you ask me. But Marlboro Man and I were just getting to know each other and I would learn at a later date that he didn't eat fish. Oops!

No matter what Ladd tells you, this linguine with clam sauce is highly delicious—as long as you like seafood recipes! It's one of my favorite 20-minute pasta recipes because it feels a little special. I even add some heavy cream and parmesan to make it extra decadent! If you're still thumbing through Valentine's dinner ideas, try this one. Here's how to make it!

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Ingredients

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • 1 lb.

    linguine

  • 1 Tbsp.

    olive oil

  • 2 Tbsp.

    salted butter

  • 2

    (10-ounce) cans chopped clams, drained and juice reserved

  • 4

    garlic cloves, minced

  • 3/4 cup

    white wine

  • Juice of 1/2 lemon, plus lemon wedges for serving

  • 3/4 cup

    heavy cream

  • 2 Tbsp.

    fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, plus more for serving

  • 1/2 tsp.

    black pepper

  • Freshly grated parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions

    1. Step 1Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook according to the package directions for al dente. Be careful not to overcook; the pasta should have plenty of bite to it. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, drain the pasta, and keep it warm.
    2. Step 2Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter. (Using both olive oil and butter allows you to heat the mixture at a higher heat before it starts to brown.) Add the clams and garlic and stir together. Cook until fragrant and just beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Pour in the white wine, scraping the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Cook until the sauce is reduced and less watery, 2 to 3 minutes. 
    3. Step 3Add 1/2 cup of the reserved clam juice and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet and stir to melt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and squeeze in the lemon juice. Pour in the cream and sprinkle in the parsley. This is a very decadent dish! Add the black pepper, taste for seasoning, and add salt as desired. Cook at a low simmer, stirring, until heated through, about 3 minutes more.
    4. Step 4Pour the pasta directly into the skillet along with ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water, and toss until the pasta is glossy with sauce. Add additional pasta water, if needed. At this point your kitchen smells like heaven. Top with parmesan and more parsley, and garnish with lemon wedges.
Love this recipe? Try one of these next!
  • Shrimp Scampi
  • Clam Chowder
  • Shrimp Alfredo
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