This copycat Old Spaghetti Factory White Clam Sauce recipe is the perfect way to enjoy a restaurant favorite at home. Ready in 20 minutes!
A simple pasta dish with Marinara or Alfredo Sauce is a go-to classic comfort food Dinner. This delicious Clam Sauce is a great way to change up your regular weeknight meal into a restaurant-worthy dish!
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Sabrina’s Old Spaghetti Factory White Clam Sauce (Copycat) Recipe
This clam pasta sauce is one of the best menu items at the Old Spaghetti Factory. With my simple recipe, you can make this favorite dish at home in practically no time at all. If you’ve never had it before, Spaghetti Factory’s Clam White Sauce is a tasty cream, butter and garlic sauce loaded with minced clams. My copycat version tastes just as amazing as the Spaghetti Factory original over a bed of spaghetti noodles, or since you’re making it at home – any noodles you like!
Ingredients
- Clams: I use canned minced clams in juice for this recipe. Reserve the clam juice into a bowl or cup, it will be used in the sauce to add a lot of the delicious briny flavor. You add the actual clams once the sauce is thickened so they don’t overcook.
- Half and Half: I use 4 cups of half and half, and besides the juice from the canned clams, it’s the only liquid in the sauce. You can also use equal parts whole milk and heavy cream (2 cups of each).
- Butter: Butter is the secret to why restaurant dishes taste so much better – they use the real thing and they use plenty of it! For this recipe, you’ll need ⅓ cup unsalted butter.
- Vegetables: Celery and onion are diced small enough so that you don’t get big bites of them throughout the rich white sauce, but they add plenty of flavor to the dish.
- Italian spices: The butter cream sauce doesn’t need too many herbs or spices to be flavorful. Some fresh garlic, ground thyme, and a little salt give the delicious blend a savory Italian flavor.
- Flour: I used a flour roux to thicken the sauce. You mix and heat the flour in the buttery veggies for a minute to cook off the raw flour taste.
How to Make
Time needed: 20 minutes.
- Soften Veggies
Start by dicing medium celery stalks and fresh onions into small pieces. Then, add the butter to a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and celery to the butter. Cook for 5-6 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Season
Then add in the fresh garlic, salt, and thyme to the sauteed veggies.
- Make a Roux
Next, whisk the flour into the mixture. You want the butter to absorb the flour and to continue cooking for another minute. Otherwise, the butter cream sauce will have the taste of raw flour.
- Simmer and Thicken
Drain the juice from the canned clams into a cup and pour it into the pan along with the half-and-half. Slowly whisk the ingredients. Bring it all to a simmer over medium-low heat and continue to cook until the sauce thickens. Finish by stirring in the chopped clams.
- Serve with Pasta
Serve the sauce hot over cooked pasta. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and enjoy!
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 yellow onion , diced
- 3 stalks celery , diced
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 12 ounces clams , canned and chopped
- 4 cups half and half
Instructions
- Add butter to a large pot on medium heat.
- Add in onion and celery, cooking for 5-6 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Add in garlic, salt, and thyme, cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Whisk in the flour until well absorbed, cooking for 1 minute so flour does not taste raw.
- Drain the juice from the clams into a cup or bowl.
- Slowly whisk in the clam juice and half and half.
- Bring to a simmer and let cook until it thickens.
- Add the chopped clams into the sauce, stir well.
- Add sauce over pasta.
Nutrition
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Chef’s Note: Canned or Fresh Clams
While you could go through the effort of making fresh clams for your sauce, I really don’t think it’s worth it. Fresh clams taste best when they are steamed in a seasoned broth, you get to enjoy their full briny flavor and plump, soft texture. Throwing steamed clams in a heavy, creamy sauce means you miss out on everything that makes clams so special. A good quality of canned clams in liquid, again not too fancy though, works best because the clam juice adds all that tasty briny goodness and it doesn’t break the bank. The key is to add the diced clam pieces at the very end, stir until they are just heated through, this way they keep softer texture and don’t get though or overly chewy.
Can this be made ahead of time?
- Yes, follow the recipe to cook the white clam sauce. Allow it to cool slightly before transferring it to an airtight container. Store the sauce in the refrigerator if you plan to use it within 3 days. For longer storage, you can freeze it.
- If you freeze the sauce, place it in an airtight container or a freezer-safe bag. For optimal quality, it’s best to use it within 2-3 months. Cream-based sauces like this one can sometimes change in texture after freezing. They might become a bit grainy or separate, so be prepared to adjust by adding extra cream or broth when reheating.
Nutritional Facts
Ideas for Serving this Clam Sauce
You don’t just have to serve this sauce over pasta! I like to spoon the creamy sauce over chicken or pork dishes like Grilled Chicken or Pork Chops, it’s kinda like a less fancy surf n’ turf. And of course it makes a great dipping sauce for Crusty French Bread or breadsticks, which could make a tasty appetizer for a dinner party. It would even make a delicious, indulgent topping for Baked Potatoes, especially garnished with some crumbled bacon bits and green onions!
How to Store
- Store: This marvelous white-clam sauce won’t stay good at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Transfer the leftover sauce to an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for 5 days. Reheat the sauce on the stovetop to enjoy the from-scratch recipe as good as new.
- Reheat: Reheat the sauce gently over low heat on the stove. Stir frequently to prevent separation. You can add some cream or reserved pasta water if it’s too thick. Before serving, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Freshly chopped parsley or a squeeze of lemon juice can help brighten up the flavors.
- Freeze: You can freeze Clam Sauce for up to 3 months, then reheat it and serve over fresh pasta. Thaw the sauce in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat gently over low heat, stirring often. If the sauce has separated, whisking it vigorously or adding a splash of cream can help restore its consistency.
Frequent Questions
Old Spaghetti Factory’s white clam sauce is a rich, creamy sauce made with clams, garlic, butter, and white wine. It’s often served over pasta, particularly spaghetti.
Spaghetti is traditional, but you can use any pasta you prefer, such as linguine, fettuccine, or even pappardelle. The key is to choose a pasta that will hold the sauce well.
Yes, the sauce itself can be gluten-free if you ensure the clams and other ingredients are gluten-free. Use gluten-free pasta to make the entire dish suitable for those with gluten sensitivities.
Variations
- Cheese: Make a creamy cheese sauce by adding a half cup of delicious cheeses like ricotta, parmesan, or mozzarella. Add the cheese simultaneously as the clams to serve the dish with rich, melted cheese.
- Italian seasonings: There are plenty of different Italian herbs and spices that you could use to add more flavor to the from-scratch recipe. A blend of herbs like oregano, rosemary, basil, and fresh parsley would taste great. You could also go for a more spicy blend with pepper ingredients like white, black, or cayenne.
- Vegetable sauce: You can add your favorite kinds of vegetables to the White Clam Sauce for a refreshing blend of flavors. Add a cup of chopped ripe tomatoes, seasoned mushrooms, peppers, or even fresh broccoli to the pot while cooking.
- Clam meat sauce: To make a rich meat sauce, add your choice of cooked meat to the clam base for the perfect blend of creamy sauce and hearty flavor. You can spoon the clam sauce over slices of Roasted Chicken and pasta for tender chicken. You could also cook Italian sausage or ground beef in a separate saucepan and stir it in for a rich meat sauce.
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