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Spaghetti alle Vongole

Spaghetti alle Vongole reads citrus 5.7, sourness 5.2 and salinity 5.2 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian main, about 50 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 6.2 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 5.1 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 7.3 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.5 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 4.0 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.0 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Citrus 5.7 · Sourness 5.2 · Salinity 5.2 · Marine & Briny 5.0 · Fruity 4.8 · Richness 3.8 · Umami 3.7 · Allium 3.5 · Herbaceous 2.4 · Funk & Ferment 2.1 · Floral 1.7 · Heat 1.6 · Bitterness 1.4 · Warm Spice 1.3 · Earthy 1.2 · Sweetness 1.1 · Nutty 0.9

What's in it (12)

• thin spaghetti — 340 g
• shelled clams — 907 g
• extra-virgin olive oil — 54 g
• garlic — 15 g
• red chili flakes — 3 g
• dry white wine — 237 g
• bottles of clam juice — 237 g
• unsalted butter — 54 g
• flat-leaf parsley — 30 g
• lemon — 65 g
• salt — 5 g
• freshly ground black pepper — 3 g

Time & effort: about 50 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 37.5 kcal, 1.2 g protein, 3.1 g fat, 4.5 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Submerge the clams in a large bowl of cold, generously salted water for 20 minutes to release any grit, then scrub the shells under running water and rinse well; discard any clams that are cracked or won't close when tapped. Set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat for the pasta.
3. In a wide, deep skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and just turning golden at the edges, 1-2 minutes.
4. Pour in the white wine and clam juice, raise the heat to high, and bring to a boil.
5. Add the spaghetti to the boiling pasta water and cook until 2 minutes short of package directions for al dente, about 7 minutes; reserve 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.
6. While the spaghetti cooks, add the clams to the wine broth, cover, and steam over high heat until the shells open, 5-7 minutes, discarding any clams that stay closed.
7. Add the drained spaghetti and 1 cup of the reserved pasta water directly to the clam pot. Toss over medium-high heat until the pasta finishes cooking and the sauce reduces enough to cling to the strands, about 2 minutes, adding more pasta water if the pan looks dry.
8. Remove from heat and swirl in the butter, parsley, lemon zest, and lemon juice; season with the kosher salt and black pepper, tossing until the butter melts into a glossy sauce.
9. Divide among warm bowls immediately, finishing each with a drizzle of olive oil.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Mussels in White Wine Garlic Broth — French
• White Wine Clam and Chorizo Linguine — Mediterranean
• Shrimp Scampi Linguine — Italian-American
• Greek-Style Grilled Swordfish Steaks — Greek
• Greek-Style Baked Cod with Tomatoes and Olives — Greek

Keep reading: what citrus, sourness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.