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    Home » Recipes » Recipes

    Shellfish Spaghetti with Pesto Toasted Bread Crumbs

    Published: Oct 16, 2014 · Last Updated: Sep 22, 2022

    Jump to Recipe

    This light and savory shellfish pasta recipe has a pesto white wine sauce, crispy pesto toasted breadcrumbs, and flavorful clams and mussels!

    Two small wooden plates filled with shellfish spaghetti, topped with clams and mussels. this recipe

    I lurrrrveeeeee pasta.

    So much. I could eat it for every meal. I could eat it for every DESSERT after every meal. It's just a pile of carb-y, sauce-y, fantastical deliciousness.

    Overhead view of several wooden plates filled with shellfish spaghetti on a white surface.

    The problem with pasta is the heavy sauces that generally come with it. Don't get me wrong - I can put away Fettucine Alfredo and cheese-covered spaghetti and meatballs with the best of them. But sometimes, I like a lighter, more delicate flavor with my bucket o' carbs. Like this shellfish spaghetti - light, delicate, MADE WITH WINE, includes seafood. Also includes crunchy, delightful pesto bread crumbs. I'm hooked.

    Close up of fresh clams and mussels on top of spaghetti.

    There's not too much more I can say here, really, besides this: make this pasta. It will make you happy. And did I mention there's wine?

    Fork lifting a bite of spaghetti from a wooden plate.

    Print
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    Spaghetti topped with a clam and a mussel on a wooden plate.

    Shellfish Spaghetti with Pesto Toasted Bread Crumbs

    ★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews
    • Author: Jessie
    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 30 minutes
    • Total Time: 45 minutes
    • Yield: Serves 4-6 1x
    • Category: Pasta
    • Cuisine: Italian-American
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    Description

    This shellfish spaghetti is packed with flavor and easy to make - perfect for date night!


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 lb. spaghetti
    • 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • ½ large yellow onion, diced
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • 1.5 cups dry white wine (I used chardonnay)
    • ¾ cup basil pesto, divided
    • 1 lb. clams, cleaned
    • 1 lb. mussels, cleaned
    • ½ cup panko bread crumbs

    Instructions

    For the Pasta and Sauce:

    1. Cook spaghetti in very salty water until al dente.
    2. While spaghetti cooks, prepare the sauce. Heat oil in a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion and sauté until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
    3. Add salt and pepper to taste.
    4. Add white wine and pesto to saucepan and stir to combine.
    5. Add clams and mussels to saucepan and cover with the lid. Let steam until all the clams and mussels have opened, about 10-15 minutes. If there are any clams or mussels that refused to open, toss them out.

    For the Breadcrumbs:

    1. While shellfish cook, prepare the breadcrumbs. Mix panko breadcrumbs with remaining pesto in a small bowl. Transfer to a small skillet over medium heat and toast until breadcrumbs are just browned, about 5 minutes.

    To assemble:

    1. Drain al dente spaghetti and set aside.
    2. When shellfish have opened, remove lid and turn off the heat. Toss spaghetti with shellfish and sauce mixture until evenly coated.
    3. Top spaghetti with pesto breadcrumbs and serve immediately.

    Notes

    This recipe was great with clams and mussels, but you could swap in whatever shellfish you've got on hand! I think the sauce and pasta would also be great with lobster and/or shrimp.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 2 cups
    • Calories: 1033
    • Sugar: 5.2 g
    • Sodium: 2105.7 mg
    • Fat: 35.5 g
    • Carbohydrates: 109 g
    • Protein: 50.1 g
    • Cholesterol: 65.8 mg

    Keywords: seafood, pasta, date night

    Tag @lifeasastrawberry on Instagram to show us what you're cooking! Nutrition information is calculated per serving; it is approximate and will vary based on many factors.

    Shellfish spaghetti on a wooden plate next to a wood serving bowl.

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    Discussion

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    1. Kyle

      January 11, 2023 at 1:33 pm

      The pasta alone is suuuper good. Adding seafood just dials it up another level.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Team Life As A Strawberry

        January 11, 2023 at 6:19 pm

        WAHOO! So happy to hear you loved this pasta!

        Reply
    2. Willow

      June 28, 2017 at 11:54 pm

      It does not state how to divide the pesto. How much of the 3/4 c goes in the sauce?

      Reply
      • Jessie

        July 03, 2017 at 9:48 am

        Use 2 Tbsp. for the breadcrumbs! Sorry about the typo!

        Reply
    3. [email protected]

      October 16, 2014 at 6:05 pm

      THAT is something I need to start experimenting more with in the kitchen--clams and mussels. Thank you for the inspiration!

      Reply

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