Recipe

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Spaghetti alle Vongole

Name: Spaghetti Alle Vongole
Ingredients: 1/2 lb spaghetti (bronze-cut pasta works best); 1 lb littleneck clams (scrubbed clean and purged); 3 cloves garlic (thinly sliced); 1/4 tsp red chili flakes (adjust to heat preference); 1/3 cup dry white wine (like Vermentino or Pinot Grigio); 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil; 1/2 cup fresh parsley (finely chopped, divided)

Italy

2 servings, 20 minutes

Sources: Cross-checked against Marcella Hazan and various regional Italian cooking standards

Watch it made

How to make Spaghetti alle Vongole

2 servings

You’ll need

7 items · tap to check off

Make it step by step

7 steps · 7 min of timed cooking

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a generous pinch of salt, and cook spaghetti until two minutes before the package directions.
While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat and sauté garlic and chili flakes until fragrant but not browned.
Add the cleaned clams to the skillet and pour in the white wine, immediately covering the pan with a tight-fitting lid to steam.
Cook for 3–5 minutes until the clams pop open; discard any that remain tightly shut after the shells open fully.⏱ 5 min
Transfer the slightly undercooked pasta directly into the skillet using tongs, keeping some pasta water clinging to the noodles.
Toss the pasta vigorously with the clam juices over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, adding a splash of pasta water if the sauce looks dry.⏱ 2 min
Fold in half of the chopped parsley, toss one final time, and serve immediately in shallow bowls topped with the remaining fresh parsley.

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Chef’s tip · The secret to the sauce is the **emulsion**—the vigorous tossing of the starchy pasta water with the olive oil and clam juice is what makes the sauce coat the noodles instead of sliding off.

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