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WW Recipe of the Day: Spaghetti with White Wine Clam Sauce
We enjoyed this lightened up spaghetti with white wine clam sauce for dinner last night. It’s adapted a from this Weight Watchers Pasta Vongole recipe, that seemed to need a little tweaking, based on the reviews.
I’m a huge fan of linguini and clam sauce. It’s quick and easy, coming together in minutes, with minimal ingredients that I’ve usually got on hand. But some recipes for linguini and clam sauce can be really high in calories and WW Points values.
For years I used a recipe given to me my a friend, that had a stick of butter and 1/2 cup olive oil and a whole lot of Parmesan in it.
Yes, it was delicious. And yes, it was just that kind of cooking and eating that landed me in Weight Watchers!
Recipe Notes
This lighter version has only 1 tablespoon of olive oil, so it’s low in fat.
The red pepper flakes give it a nice little kick, but if you’re not a fan, leave them out.
And I added an extra can of clams, since they’re a WW Power Food and I like my linguini (or in this case, gluten-free brown rice spaghetti) with lots of clams.
How Many Calories and Points in Spaghetti with White Wine Clam Sauce Dinner?
According to my calculations each serving made with regular spaghetti has 334 calories.
To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
10 SmartPoints (Green plan)
10 SmartPoints (Blue plan)
10 SmartPoints (Purple plan)
9 PointsPlus (Old plan)
Save points by substituting whole wheat spaghetti.
Each serving made with whole wheat spaghetti has:
9 SmartPoints (Green plan)
9 SmartPoints (Blue plan)
2 SmartPoints (Purple plan)
We enjoyed a plate of tomatoes and mozzarella with our spaghetti and clams. (Oops, I shot the photo before I sprinkled it with salt and drizzled it with olive oil.)
Cooking Notes and Ingredient Substitutions
Have all your ingredients measured and prepared before you start cooking. That way you can give your attention to the sauce, which will be ready in about the time it takes your pasta to cook.
If you don’t have white wine, substitute 1/4 cup of bottled clam juice instead.
I used brown rice spaghetti to keep it gluten-free, but use whatever kind of linguini or spaghetti you like best.
If you enjoy this lightened up white wine clam sauce with spaghetti, be sure to check out my other Weight Watchers friendly recipes including Slow Cooker Manhattan Clam Chowder, Shrimp Risotto, WW Budget Bouillabaisse, New England Fish Chowder and Sheet Pan Roasted Shrimp and Broccoli
If you’ve made this Spaghetti with Clam Sauce, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Lightened Up Spaghetti with White Wine Clam Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound uncooked linguini or spaghetti (I used brown rice spaghetti)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh basil, chopped
- 3 cans (6.5 ounces each) minced or chopped clams, drained with liquid reserved
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti, according to instructions on package until it’s al dente and then drain it well.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet (affiliate link) or saucepan, gently heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring constantly, for about 15 to 20 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add the reserved clam juice and white wine. Bring to a boil and then continue to boil, uncovered, for about 1 minute.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently until the liquid begins to reduce, about 5 minutes.
- Add the clams and simmer until just heated, about 30 to 60 seconds. Then stir in the parsley and basil.
- Add pasta and toss until it’s well coated, about 30 to 45 seconds.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) Each serving made with regular spaghetti has: 10 SmartPoints (Green plan) 10 SmartPoints (Blue plan) 10 SmartPoints (Purple plan) 9 PointsPlus (Old plan) Each serving made with whole wheat spaghetti has: 9 SmartPoints (Green plan) 9 SmartPoints (Blue plan) 2 SmartPoints (Purple plan) Have all your ingredients measured and prepared before you start cooking. That way you can give your attention to the sauce, which will be ready in about the time it takes your pasta to cook. If you don’t have white wine, substitute 1/4 cup of bottled clam juice instead. I used brown rice spaghetti to keep it gluten-free, but use whatever kind of linguini or spaghetti you like best.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If you like Spaghetti with White Wine Clam sauce, you may also like
- My recipe for pasta alla puttanesca
- A recipe for steamed clams with fresh basil (SkinnyTaste)
- My recipe for pasta with broccoli and chicken
- A recipe for linguini with spicy red clam sauce (Bernoulli)
Did you know that clams have more iron than beef? Here’s an interesting article on the health benefits of clams (EverydayHealth)
This was delicious! I will definitely make it again. I added the red pepper flakes but probably didn’t need to. There was enough flavor already. 🙂
Why so many points on purple using brown rice pasta?
I’m showing 2 Points with whole grain pasta. ~Martha
Great recipe !
thank you