Linguine with Clams, Anchovies, and Breadcrumbs
If you like pasta with clams, you’ll love this linguine with clams, anchovies, and breadcrumbs that shows shellfish a thing or two with some powerhouse flavor.
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I’m a massive pasta lover, and I’m a total pushover for it when it has lots of garlic—I’m already thinking about this linguine aglio e olio with roasted garlic—and a salty bite. That inspired me to boost classic linguine with clams by adding flavorful anchovies and panko breadcrumbs.
As for the clams, this recipe calls for canned. Fresh clams are wonderful, but they can be time-consuming to prepare and challenging to find, depending on where you live. Canned clams are an excellent alternative because they’re inexpensive, convenient, and found in almost any grocery store year-round.
As for flavor, I bump up the clammy goodness of this dish with lots of fresh garlic, white wine, and anchovies. The anchovies’ umami flavor makes the pasta almost addicting. Don’t like anchovies? I encourage you to give them a try here.
Anchovies meld into the pan as they cook and don’t really taste like anchovies anymore—a little trick that seems to turn many haters of this saltwater fish into fans. Then you top the linguine with a generous pile of toasted garlic panko breadcrumbs for some crunch.
And the cherry—or breadcrumb—on top? It only takes about 30 minutes to prepare from start to finish.
Why You’ll Love This Linguine with Clams, Anchovies, and Breadcrumbs
- It uses mostly pantry staples: Stocking up on pantry staples like beans, tuna, and, of course, clams and anchovies, makes it easy to whip up delicious meals like this one when you’re running low on food items.
- It takes less than 30 minutes to prepare and cook: All you need to do is boil the pasta and simmer a small handful of ingredients, and dinner is served!
- It’s a nice change of pace from the usual Parmesan pasta topping: Parmesan is tough to beat, but the toasted panko is so tasty and crunchy, you might not even miss the cheese!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Linguine: You can also use spaghetti.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: EVOO is essential for a pasta dish with limited ingredients.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: These breadcrumbs crisp up better than ordinary breadcrumbs.
- Garlic Powder: This infuses the breadcrumbs with a stronger garlic flavor than fresh garlic.
- Fresh Garlic: This infuses the olive oil.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Add a pinch of cayenne if you don’t have red pepper flakes.
- White Wine: I recommend a dry white wine like Pinot Grigio.
- Anchovies: This is crucial for that essential umami taste that can’t be beat.
- Canned Clams: You can use fresh, but canned clams are much easier to prepare.
- Italian Flat-Leaf Parsley: Optional, but a delicious garnish for many pasta dishes.
See the recipe card below for more information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Linguine with Clams, Anchovies, and Breadcrumbs
- Boil the linguine: Boil the linguine in a large pot of salted boiling water, and reserve about 1 cup of pasta water.
- Toast the panko breadcrumbs: Heat the oil in a large pan and add the panko and garlic powder with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toast the panko until golden brown, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Cook the garlic: Wipe any remaining breadcrumbs from the pan. Heat more olive oil and add the sliced garlic. Toast them until lightly golden. Add the red pepper flakes and give them a quick stir.
- Cook the wine, anchovies, and clams: Pour in the wine and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the anchovies and cook for 1 minute. Toss in the clams and cook for 1 minute.
- Finish: Garnish the linguine with minced fresh parsley and the toasted panko.
Pro Tips
Use chopped or a mix of chopped and minced clams: Minced clams are too small to use alone, and whole clams can be a bit chewy. Chopped clams (or a mix of chopped and minced for added texture) are just right—something that would make Goldilocks proud.
Use a dry white wine: Stick to a dry wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc because their higher acidity works well with light seafood dishes.
Don’t skip the anchovies: Without them, this dish is just linguine with clams. Like I mentioned, if you don’t like anchovies, give them a try them here. They mellow significantly when cooked down in the pan and provide a deliciously briny undertone.
Suggestions for Variations and Substitutions
- Linguine or spaghetti work best here, but other long pastas like thin spaghetti, angel hair, and even fettuccine are good options.
- If you have an opened jar of capers that you’ve been wondering what to do with, give them a rough chop and toss a few into the shimmering olive oil. And if you’re determined not to use anchovies, capers are a suitable substitution.
- For fresh acidity, add a little lemon zest to the finished dish.
Recipe FAQs
I recommend using chopped clams. They’re bigger than minced but smaller than whole clams, providing a good texture. As for brands, I recommend Snow’s wild-caught canned clams.
When it comes to lighter dishes like this one, including those that involve seafood, I recommend a higher-acidic wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. More full-bodied wines, like Chardonnay, are better for heavier dishes.
Storage
Refrigerator
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Freezer
I don’t recommend freezing this pasta, or most pasta in general.
Reheat
Reheat in the oven, covered, at 300F to 350F until warmed through. You can also reheat it in the microwave.
More Pasta Recipes
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Linguine with Clams, Anchovies, and Breadcrumbs
Ingredients
- 16 ounces linguine
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided (2 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons)
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 6 garlic cloves peeled and sliced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste
- ½ cup dry white wine (Note 1)
- 1 2-ounce tin anchovies roughly chopped
- 2 6.5-ounce can clams chopped, with liquid (Note 2)
- ½ cup Italian flat-leaf parsley handful, minced
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the linguine until al dente.16 ounces linguine
- Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pan on the stovetop on medium-low. Throw in a couple of granules of the panko; when they start to simmer, add the remaining panko, the garlic powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper and toast until the panko is golden brown, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Transfer the breadcrumbs to a plate, and wipe down the pan carefully with a paper towel to remove any remaining crumbs.2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 cup panko breadcrumbs; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; pinch of salt and pepper
- Reheat the same pan on medium-low with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the sliced garlic and toast them until lightly golden, stirring frequently. When they're about done, add the red pepper flakes and cook for a minute to help them "bloom."2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 6 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced; ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Pour in the wine, give everything a quick stir, and simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes so the alcohol cooks off. Add the anchovies and cook them for 1 minute. Add the canned clams, give everything another quick stir, and simmer the clams for no more than 1 to 2 minutes.½ cup dry white wine; 1 2-ounce tin anchovies, roughly chopped; 2 6.5-ounce can clams, chopped, with liquid
- Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining the linguine. Toss the linguine with the clams and anchovy mixture, and garnish it with the chopped parsley. Add some pasta water if it looks a little dry and to help loosen it. Serve the linguine and top it with some of the toasted panko. Enjoy!1 cup pasta water; ½ cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, handful, minced
