A lighter twist on classic linguini with clam sauce, this dish has all the traditional deliciousness, with the modern touch of spiralized zucchini noodles. Don’t let cooking clams in the shell intimidate you: It’s easy, and the dish is a lot of fun to make.
Course: Entree
Keyword: pescatarian
Servings: 4
Calories: 204kcal
Author: Taffy Elrod
Ingredients
2poundslittleneck clamssoaked and scrubbed
¼cuplight olive oil
4clovesgarlicminced
3medium zucchini (about 1½ pounds)spiralized
1cupprepared marinara sauce
½teaspoonoregano
¼teaspoonblack pepper
pinchred pepper flakes (optional)
¼cupclam juiceplus extra for thinning sauce
¼cupParmesan cheese
Parsley and extra cheese, for garnish
Instructions
Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pan with a tight-fitting lid over high heat. Add clams to pot, and cover tightly. Cook until clams open and release their juice. Discard any clams that never open.
Remove clams from pan, and strain juice through a fine strainer into a bowl; reserve for sauce. Remove clams from shells, and roughly chop. You may save a few clams in the shell for garnish.
Place a large skillet over medium heat, and add olive oil. When oil is hot, add garlic, and cook until fragrant and brown.
Add zucchini, and cook 1–2 minutes, until zucchini begins to look slightly dry.
Add marinara sauce, oregano, black pepper and red pepper flakes if using; stir to combine. Add ¼ cup clam juice and chopped clams; cook until hot. If too thick, add more clam juice (saved from cooking clams) 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach desired consistency. Stir in Parmesan cheese.
Divide among four pasta bowls, and garnish with reserved clams in the shell, chopped parsley and more cheese.
Notes
Tip: Cooking zucchini briefly before you add sauce cooks off excess moisture, so the sauce clings to the “noodles” and they carry more flavor.