Seafood Pasta Aglio e Olio (Printable)

Italian pasta with shrimp, clams, garlic oil, chili, lemon, and parsley for a fresh finish.

# Components:

→ Seafood

01 - 9 ounces large shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 1 pound fresh clams, scrubbed and rinsed

→ Pasta

03 - 14 ounces spaghetti

→ Aromatics & Flavorings

04 - 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
05 - 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
06 - 1/2 to 1 teaspoon 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, to taste
11 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish (optional)

12 - Additional chopped parsley
13 - Lemon wedges

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and chili flakes; sauté until garlic is golden and fragrant, about 1 minute, avoiding 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. Incorporate drained pasta, lemon zest, lemon juice, and most parsley. Toss thoroughly, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky sauce.
06 - Adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately, garnished with remaining parsley and lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you've been cooking all day, but you're done before your wine is even half empty.
  • Fresh shrimp and clams give you that briny, ocean-forward flavor that feels special without being complicated.
  • The simplicity means every ingredient matters, so you'll actually taste the garlic, the chili, the lemon—nothing gets lost.
02 -
  • Garlic burns fast and tastes terrible burned—medium heat feels slow until you taste the difference it makes in flavor.
  • Don't discard clams that don't open; save them for the next batch because some shells are just stubborn, and the meat inside is fine.
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain; starchy water is what makes this creamy without any cream.
03 -
  • Toast your pasta plates in a warm oven for thirty seconds before serving—it keeps everything hot and makes the dish feel intentional.
  • Finish with a tiny drizzle of really good olive oil and fresh cracked pepper; these last touches are what people remember.
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