Give Pasta Fresh Seafood Flavor Using An Easy Canned Ingredient

At their core, seafood pasta dishes are quite simple, but something about them feels like they should be reserved for special occasions. The combination of tender pasta and briny, oceanic flavors is equal parts satisfying, comforting, and luxurious. Part of this exclusive nature may be due to how intimidating it can be to cook seafood at home, especially if you're dealing with fresh ingredients.

Buying fresh shellfish or mussels, cleaning them, and cooking them properly can quickly turn what should be an easy dinner into a time-consuming process. Frozen seafood can help, but it often lacks the robust flavor you're looking for. To solve these issues, add canned clams to your grocery list. They're shelf-stable, easy to use, and deliver a bold seafood flavor that's perfect for pasta.

Canned clams come fully cooked, so you don't have to deal with the stress of cooking fresh shellfish. The easiest way to incorporate them into a pasta dish is to choose a base recipe, like cacio e pepe, and dump the clams in. Both the clams themselves and the liquid they're packed in is full of delicious salty flavor; just mix them into the pasta and you'll be left with a tasty, protein-packed meal.

As you browse the supermarket aisles, you'll likely see a couple of different canned clam options, including minced or chopped meat. Chopped clams typically have a more pleasant texture and substance, and so are preferred for mixing into recipes, but feel free to experiment with different varieties. You'll also notice a choice between ocean and sea chopped clams. Ocean clams have a bolder flavor and more tender texture, while sea clams are the opposite. Either work just fine for pasta, so it's up to your personal preference.

Clams integrate seamlessly into recipes like linguine, along with basic pantry staples like lemon, parsley, and white wine. That's why canned clams are one of the best canned meats to keep in your pantry: It takes practically no time to transform them into an elegant and filling meal. enhancing their natural flavor. As a bonus, they're also widely available, affordable, and shelf-stable. For home cooks who value both flavor and efficiency, canned clams are an ideal choice. They make it easy to enjoy seafood pasta that tastes fresh and vibrant, no matter the time or occasion. By keeping a can in your pantry, you're always prepared to create a restaurant-quality meal in minutes. But if clams aren't your thing, don't be afraid to try canned oysters instead!