Chef John's Spaghetti with Red Clam Sauce

This spaghetti with red clam sauce is one of my 'go to' recipes and it takes only about 15 minutes from start to finish. The only prep work really is mashing the garlic. The sauce is great on any pasta, but I prefer angel hair or spaghetti.

Prep Time:

5 mins

Cook Time:

15 mins

Total Time:

20 mins

Servings:

Jump to Nutrition Facts

Ingredients

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Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons capers
1 tablespoon anchovy paste
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (24 ounce) jar tomato pasta sauce
¼ cup water
1 cup good-quality crisp white wine
2 (6.5 ounce) cans chopped clams, drained with juice reserved
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 pound dry spaghetti
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
fresh basil leaves or flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Directions

Pour olive oil into cold skillet. Add garlic, capers, anchovy paste, and red pepper flakes. Place over medium heat; cook and stir until oil infused with flavors, about 5 minutes, taking care not to brown garlic. Add tomato sauce; rinse jar with 1/4 cup water and add to skillet. Add wine and juice from clams, reserving clams; bring to a simmer until slightly reduced and thickened, 7 to 9 minutes.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until nearly tender yet firm to the bite, about 1 minute less than directed on package for al dente. Drain. Return spaghetti to the pot off heat.
Stir in clams. Pour sauce over spaghetti; stir. Cover the pot; let sit, off heat, to allow spaghetti to absorb some sauce, about 3 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese; top with chopped fresh basil and/or parsley.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

852	Calories
17g	Fat
117g	Carbs
44g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 852
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 17g	21%
Saturated Fat 4g	18%
Cholesterol 72mg	24%
Sodium 1514mg	66%
Total Carbohydrate 117g	43%
Dietary Fiber 8g	30%
Total Sugars 19g
Protein 44g	89%
Vitamin C 25mg	28%
Calcium 231mg	18%
Iron 33mg	184%
Potassium 1442mg	31%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

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