Name: Linguine with Clams and Lemony Breadcrumbs
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2 slices whole wheat bread, (crusts cut off); 2 teaspoons olive oil; 1 clove garlic, (minced); Zest of 1 lemon; 1 tablespoon chopped parsley; 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt; 8 oz. quinoa linguine or other linguine; 4 teaspoons olive oil; 1 medium leek, (halved lengthwise and sliced (white and light green parts)); 3 cloves garlic; ¼- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes; 3 dozen littleneck clams (about 4 ½ lbs.), (cleaned); ¾ cup dry white wine; Juice of 1 lemon; 2 tablespoons chopped parsley; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Published: Mar 31, 2012 · Last Updated: May 27, 2022 by Dr. Sonali Ruder · This post may contain affiliate links · 23 Comments

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My Linguine with Clams and Lemony Breadcrumbs is a restaurant-quality dish that is deceptively simple to make at home.

I love seafood and am always looking for ways to incorporate a wide variety of seafood into my diet. My Linguine with Clams and Lemony Breadcrumbs is a restaurant-quality dish that is deceptively simple to make.

Although many people are intimidated by the thought of cooking clams at home, I actually grew up eating fresh clams that we used to get from the creek behind my family's summer house. After hours of digging in the sand for fresh clams, we would go back to the house and enjoy a huge pot of steamed clams made with a simple garlic and white wine sauce that we would sop up with crusty bread. Now that I live in Manhattan, I buy my clams from the local fish market but I still love to make them because they are quick, delicious and very nutritious.

Clams- nutrition

Clams, like a lot of other mollusks and shellfish, have a fair amount of cholesterol but more importantly, are very low in saturated fat. Eating a diet low in saturated fat is the most important factor for maintaining a healthy blood cholesterol.

Clams are also a very good source of protein and are packed with several minerals and vitamins including selenium, manganese, phosphorus, zinc, Vitamin B12 and Vitamin C.

They are surprisingly high in iron- one 3 ounce serving of cooked clams (about 9 small clams) has 132% of your daily recommended amount. This makes clams a great option for people who don't eat red meat and want to make sure they get an adequate amount of iron in their diets.

Clams also have a good amount of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Check out my post on seafood and the health benefits of omega 3 fatty acids. Because of the health benefits of omega-3s, the USDA dietary guidelines recommend eating at least two servings of seafood per week.

So don’t just limit yourself to fish like salmon and tuna when trying to get your omega-3s- consider adding clams and other mollusks like mussels and oysters to vary your seafood intake.

How to prep clams

To avoid getting bites of gritty sand in your finished product, clams require a little bit of prep work. Before getting started, discard any clams that are cracked, open or have a bad odor because this usually means that the clam is already dead and shouldn't be eaten. If you tap the clam gently and it closes, then it's ok to eat.

Soak the clams in a bowl of water for at least 20 minutes. As they soak, they will purge any sand from inside their shells. After they're done soaking, lift the clams from the water leaving any sand in the bottom of the bowl. Don’t pour the contents of the bowl into a colander or you will end up dumping the sand on top of the clams.

Finally, scrub the clams with a stiff kitchen brush to remove any other grit or particles on the surface. After that, you’re ready to go.

How to make the dish

For my dish, I like to start by sautéing aromatics like leeks, garlic and a bit of red pepper flakes for heat. Leeks are in season and have a lovely, mild oniony flavor that pairs very well with seafood. If you don’t have them, you can use a regular onion or shallot.

Then I add the clams to the pot along with some white wine and lemon juice. After that, the pot is covered and the steam cooks the clams in a matter of minutes- once they open, they’re done. If you cook them for too long, they will get tough and rubbery. If any of the clams don’t open, throw them out.

Sprinkle in some fresh parsley to brighten the flavor and you’re ready to eat. Before serving, I like to toss the sauce with quinoa linguine so that the pasta absorbs the flavorful liquid.

Quinoa pasta is a great, nutritious substitute for traditional pasta and has all of the health benefits of quinoa.

To finish the dish, I like to add some homemade lemon-infused breadcrumbs on top for texture. Although you can use store-bought breadcrumbs, fresh breadcrumbs only take a few minutes to make and are definitely worth the effort.