Easy Spaghetti with White Clam Sauce

One of my mom's favorite meals at our amazing local Italian restaurant, Sal's, is the linguine with white clam sauce. They're clam sauce is seriously a work of art - big pieces of clam, tons of sliced garlic (you can actually spot the stuff studded throughout the pasta), cream, lemon, and spices, among other things. They put what looks like a pound of pasta on your plate, but because it tastes so incredible, it takes serious will power to stop eating. The funny thing is that I hated clam sauce prior to eating at Sal's, but after tasting my first swirl of pasta soaked in the garlicky, briny goodness of their clam sauce, I haven't gone back. I realize now that my day's without having a good clam sauce in my life were dark ones indeed.

Soon enough, after I tasted that pasta, I had to know how to make it for myself. I looked at so many recipes, and many called for fresh clams, but I unfortunately don't have time for fresh clams. They're pretty high maintenance (but delicious, nevertheless). I really felt I would never be able to make my own homemade clam sauce, until I saw a can of chopped clams at the grocery store, and gasp, a recipe right on the back of the can! That can of clams (Bumblebee brand!) is the foundation of a super fast, easy, and scrumptious clam sauce. Don't be afraid to double the sauce amount for a whole pound of pasta - this stuff makes some satisfying leftovers. 

Easy Spaghetti with White Clam Sauce

1 pound spaghetti or linguine

2 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 white onion, chopped finely

1 large clove garlic (or 2 small), minced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 cans chopped clams in juice

juice of half a lemon
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling, salted water until al dente. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add the onion and garlic, and cook until translucent. Add the red pepper flakes and cook a minute longer. Pour in the chopped clams with their juice and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and cook until the sauce reduces slightly. Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Drain the pasta, and immediately add it to the sauce. Stir in the parsley and parmesan cheese. Serve piping hot with tons of parmesan cheese!