Seafood Pasta Aglio e Olio (Print Version)

Spaghetti tossed with shrimp, clams, garlic oil, parsley, and chili for a lively Italian main plate.

# What You'll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 9 oz large shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 1 lb fresh clams, scrubbed and rinsed

→ Pasta

03 - 14 oz spaghetti

→ Aromatics & Flavorings

04 - 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
05 - 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
06 - 1/2 to 1 tsp red chili flakes, to taste
07 - 1/2 cup dry white wine
08 - 1 lemon, zested and juiced
09 - 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish (optional)

11 - Additional chopped parsley
12 - Lemon wedges

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain the pasta.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and red chili flakes; cook until garlic is golden and fragrant, about 1 minute, taking care not to burn.
03 - Add shrimp to the skillet and sauté for 2 minutes until they turn pink. Remove shrimp and set aside.
04 - Add clams and white wine to the skillet. Cover and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, shaking pan occasionally, until clams open. Discard any unopened clams.
05 - Return shrimp to the skillet. Add drained spaghetti, lemon zest, lemon juice, and most parsley. Toss thoroughly, adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce.
06 - Adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately garnished with remaining parsley and lemon wedges if desired.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours fussing, but comes together in under 35 minutes.
  • The pasta water creates this silky, luxurious sauce that clings to every strand without any cream in sight.
  • Shrimp and clams cook so quickly that the seafood stays tender and briny, never rubbery.
02 -
  • Clams release liquid as they cook, so resist the urge to add wine all at once; start with less, cover, and let them do the work.
  • That pasta water is not an afterthought—it's how you transform olive oil and clam juice into an actual sauce that hugs the spaghetti instead of sliding off.
  • If you're nervous about the shellfish, buy from a reputable fishmonger and cook it the same day; fresh seafood speaks for itself.
03 -
  • Buy your seafood the same day you plan to cook; quality seafood cooked simply shows everything, so there's nowhere to hide mediocre ingredients.
  • If your clams seem reluctant to open, leave them covered for one more minute and check again—forcing them open defeats the purpose.
  • Serve this immediately in warm bowls; the dish cools fast, and cold spaghetti aglio e olio loses its silky magic.
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