A lighter, healthier take on White Clam Sauce Pasta! Dairy-free, gluten-free, and full of all the flavor you love from the classic dish.
My grandma was the classic Italian grandma and she LOVED making her special sauce and pasta dishes. So having her recipes on hand to make with my family brings about great memories of crowding around my grandma’s small kitchen table with a big plate of noodles and a big pot of sauce in front of us.
I love being able to honor my grandma’s memory and spotlight her special family recipes whenever I can. And that’s exactly what I’m doing today by sharing one of my favorite of her recipes….White Clam Sauce Pasta.
Healthy White Clam Sauce Pasta
In true Healthy Helper fashion, I gave the original recipe a few upgrades to make it a little lighter and healthier. But I can assure you, it’s just as flavorful and delicious as the original! If you’re a seafood lover, this one is for YOU.
It truly is one of the most delicious pastas I’ve ever had and it’s an instant favorite of anyone who tries it! Without further ado…
Healthy White Clam Sauce Pasta
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
1 lb gluten-free or whole wheat linguine
1 bunch asparagus , ends snapped off and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 cans of clams, drained with 1/2 cup liquid reserved
2 tbsp lemon juice
4 jarred hot cherry peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp coconut olive oil spread (such as Olivio brand), any vegetable based buttery spread, or unsalted butter
1 cup Italian parsley, chopped
Pecorino romano cheese, optional (for sprinkling on top!)
Instructions
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Add asparagus during last 4 minutes of cooking. Drain and set aside.
While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes until just starting to color, stirring so that garlic doesn’t burn.
Add clam juice and cook 1 min. Stir in drained clams, lemon juice, cherry peppers, and salt. Cook 1 min or until heated through. Stir in butter and parsley.
Toss pasta and asparagus with the sauce. Drizzle with olive oil if desired and serve immediately. Sprinkle with romano cheese!
Now I know what you’re thinking…clams?! But before you judge, hear me out. This dish is incredible! It’s so simple to make yet BURSTING with amazing flavor! So if you’re feeling a little adventurous and feel like veering away from your typical red sauce or meat sauces…GIVE THIS A TRY!
Let me know if you try this recipe out for yourself! I’d love you to share this dish with your families! It’s such a great comforting meal for me and I am sure you’d get as much joy as I get from eating it if you tried it out. 🙂
What’s one food or recipe that has special meaning to you and your family?
What type of sauce do you usually top your pasta with?
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11 responses to “Healthy White Clam Sauce Pasta [gluten-free + dairy-free]”
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This might be worth a try, the colors mix really well.
I would so eat pasta just to get me some of this sauce — looks so good. And, I do have some neat bakeware muffin tins, bundt pans, etc passed down from my grandma
So fun – my mom’s side is Italian so this recipe totally speaks to me – love me a good clam and pasta dish!
I don’t think I have ever had clam. Where do you buy it? I usually top my pasta with marinara sauce, it’s my favorite! My Hubs likes alfredo sauce, but that has always been a little rich for me.
You can buy canned clams at any grocery store! 🙂
Awww my mom used to always make clam sauce! It is so nostalgic for me. Love the addition of asparagus!
Ive never ever EVAH (yet :-)) eaten a CLAM!
Beautiful Spring pasta made using your grandma’s strainer!
I agree, this looks delish! I see a few ingredients I’ve never used before.
I love the addition of asparagus to a classic pasta dish! Yum! Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party! Hope you have a fantastic week and we see you at the next party!
Thanks Helen!