Seafood Pasta Aglio e Olio (Print Version)

Italian pasta with shrimp, clams, garlic oil, chili flakes, parsley, and lemon creating a flavorful seafood medley.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 - 1/2–1 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

# Recipe Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and chili flakes, sauté just until garlic turns golden and fragrant, about 1 minute without burning.
03 - Add shrimp to the skillet and sauté for 2 minutes until just 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 of the parsley. Toss thoroughly, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky sauce.
06 - Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve immediately, garnished with additional parsley and lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The garlic oil becomes this silky, briny sauce that coats every strand without any cream in sight.
  • Fresh seafood cooks so fast you'll have dinner ready before you've finished your first glass of wine.
  • It tastes like you've been cooking all day, but the whole thing takes less than 40 minutes.
02 -
  • Overcooked garlic tastes bitter and bitter ruins the whole dish—learn to walk away from the stove at exactly the right moment.
  • That reserved pasta water is magic; the starch in it emulsifies with the oil and creates a sauce instead of leaving everything glossy and separate.
  • Clams that don't open are not edible and must be discarded, no matter how nice the shell looks.
03 -
  • Cook your pasta one minute under, always—it finishes perfectly in the hot pan without ever becoming mushy.
  • Keep that pasta water close and pour it in slowly while tossing; you want a silky glaze, not soup.
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