Clam and Sausage Pasta: Even the Clam Hater will Love this Recipe

If you have ever tried clams and thought they were just mediocre or too chewy, give my clam and sausage pasta recipe a try. It will change your mind.

Trust me, I am just like you. I used to think that clams were kinda gross or meh at very best. And I grew up with these suckers in New England. In fact, clams have been abundant in all of the places I have lived. New Orleans and Dubai, check and check. And to think, I used to not be a fan. I mean no offense to New Englanders and their famed clam shacks, but you are over cooking and not seasoning them properly.

There is also a rumor going around that clams are hard to cook and ruin pots and pans. I pretty sure my dad is responsible for the rumor. Visiting in Cape Cod, I offered to make my Clams and Sausage pasta for my family and I was met with blank stares and disbelief. Shock and horror if you will. My dad and brother were convinced that I would not only destroy all the cookware by physically shaking the bejesus out of the clams, but I may also spontaneous burn down the house.

It is just not so. This is relatively easy meal to make, no shaking, combusting, or pyrotechnics needed. You don’t really need any special tools. All you have to do is soak the clams in cold water with some ice and scrub off any visible debris. Then drain and cook and voila! You have a beautiful, delicious, and spicy clam and sausage pasta.

Serves 6

Suggested Wine Pairing:

I know people swear by white wines with pasta, but i think this clam and sausage pasta recipe goes really well with Chianti Classico or Pinot Noir because of the addition of the tomatoes. A rose would be nice if the red seems too weird for you.

Ingredients:

1 lb. Clams, scrubbed

1 lb. Sausage, diced

1/2 onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 Thai red chilis, minced

1 tablespoon of tomato paste

Juice of 1 lemon

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons of oil

1 teaspoon of dried oregano

1 teaspoon of dried basil

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 lb. fettucine or angel hair pasta

Instructions:

1. Start by sautéing sausage until cooked through over medium high heat in large saucepan with a lid. Cook for about 10 minutes and remove from pan.
2. In the drippings, sauté onions for about 5 minutes or until beginning to soften and turn translucent. Add garlic, chilis, and tomatoes. Stir and cook for 30 seconds.
3. Add the lemon juice to deglaze the pan. Reduce the heat to low and add tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, basil, and cooked sausage. Stir to combine.
4. In the meantime, begin boiling the water for the pasta.
5. Drain the clams and add them to the tomatoes. Increase the heat to high and stir to submerge the clams. Cover the pan to steam the clams.
6. By now, your pasta water should be boiling. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions.
7. Add a scoop of pasta water as needed to the clams. They should be just submerged, but the sauce should not be too watery.
8. Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and set it aside. The clams should also be ready to be removed from the heat. Stir the sauce and ensure all clams have opened. Those that have not, should be discarded.
9. You can either leave the shells intact or you can pluck the clam from the shell and add it to the sauce, discarding the shell.
10. Combine the pasta with the sauce and garnish with the parsley and parmesan cheese and enjoy.

If you like this clam and sausage pasta recipe, be sure to keep your eye out for my shrimp scampi recipe, coming soon! Or, if seafood is not your cup of tea, try my marry me stuffed peppers.