Strozzapreti With Creamy Pasta Sauce & Clams Recipe

This rich and creamy pasta sauce is made with simple marinara, cream, and Parmesan cheese and tossed with littleneck clams and strozzapreti.

Strozzapreti With Creamy Pasta Sauce & Clams Recipe

Strozzapreti with cream pasta sauce and clams can be made in 25 minutes. It’s elegant and simple to prepare. You’d be amazed how much flavor is packed into this simple and delicious dish. Simple dishes are always the best.

A memorable lunch inspired this recipe I had in Rome almost three years ago. It was one of my favorite meals on the entire trip.

This was especially memorable because the waiter used many adjectives I cannot write here. After all, my mom reads these things. He was not alone; there were many great Italians to make up for it. It’s amazing how easily certain moments are ingrained in our memories.

However, this particular dish also included mussels and shrimp. I decided to simplify it and concentrate more on the sauce.

Table of Contents

What can you make with Strozzapreti Pasta?

This sauce is simple marinara-based, but it’s seasoned with cream, minced garlic, cream, and grated Parmesan. This rich, creamy pasta sauce pairs well with the clams or denser strozzapreti. My favorite kitchen trick is to add cream to marinara from the store. This is a great way to add richness and flavor to your dish. It tastes better than regular marinara.

This makes strozzapreti thicker than regular pasta. This gives the dish a more rustic feel and texture than regular spaghetti. You can substitute gemelli for strozzapreti if you don’t have it.

How to cook Littleneck Clams (steamers)?

There are many ways to cook clams. All of them are very easy. There are many ways to cook clams. You can steam them in water, wine, or beer. My personal favorite is marinara sauce. It takes only 4-5 minutes to simmer in any sauce or liquid in a saucepan.

Cooking the clams in marinara has the added benefit of preserving the sauce’s flavor. The sauce will have a subtle, fresh seafood flavor without being too strong or gross. Finally, add the cooked strozzapreti to the creamy sauce. Garnish with chopped fresh basil.

This is an easy and delicious Italian meal that’s full of flavor. This is a quick and easy recipe that you can whip up in 25 minutes using 7 ingredients. Mangia!

Strozzapreti With Creamy Pasta Sauce & Clams

Strozzapreti With Creamy Pasta Sauce & Clams Recipe

Quick Overview

PREP TIME 10
COOK TIME 15
TOTAL TIME 25 MINUTES
YIELD: 2-3
CATEGORY: DINNER
CUISINE: ITALIAN

This rich and creamy pasta sauce is made with simple marinara, cream, and Parmesan cheese and tossed with littleneck clams and strozzapreti.

Ingredients

12-16 ounces of strozzapreti pasta, gemelli, or similar.
20 ounces of marinara sauce
Littleneck clams 1 lb
1/2 cup regular or light cream
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1-2 cloves garlic
chopped fresh basil for garnish
1/3 cup vodka (optional)

Cooking Steps & Instructions

Cool water is sufficient to rinse the clams. If any clams remain open for more than a minute, they should be discarded.
Combine marinara and Parmesan with garlic, Parmesan, Parmesan littleneck clams, and optional vodka in a large saucepan. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Bring to a simmer.
Allow simmering for 5 minutes or until the clams are fully opened.
Keep warm by reducing the heat to low.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water up to a boil.
Add pasta and cook for about 10-12 minutes.
Strain the pasta and add it to the clam marinara saucepan with the cream.
Toss until the cream is combined and the pasta takes on an orange hue.
Place the basil on a plate and garnish it with fresh chopped basil.