Pecan Free Spaghetti alle Vongole
Few pasta dishes capture the spirit of a seaside trattoria quite like this briny, garlicky bowl of spaghetti and clams. Fresh littleneck clams open right in the pan, releasing their natural juices into a sauce built from white wine, sliced garlic, and a hit of red pepper flakes — no cream, no fuss, just pure coastal flavor. The trick of pulling the pasta out two minutes early and finishing it in the clam broth is what makes the sauce cling to every strand rather than pool at the bottom of the bowl. A generous handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley and a final drizzle of good olive oil tie everything together at the very end. Because the ingredient list is so clean and focused on seafood, aromatics, and pantry staples, there's nothing here to worry about when it comes to tree nut cross-contact — no nut-based garnishes, no hidden additions, just honest Italian cooking. Squeeze a lemon wedge over the top before you dig in and you'll swear you're eating with your feet in the sand.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 2 lb littleneck clams (about 24 clams), scrubbed
- 1 lb spaghetti
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ¾ cup dry white wine (such as pinot grigio or vermentino)
- ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- salt
For serving
- lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the scrubbed clams in a large bowl of cold salted water and let them soak for 30 minutes to purge any sand. Drain and rinse well.
- 2
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until 2 minutes shy of al dente — the pasta should still have a firm, chalky center. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the spaghetti.
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