Linguine allo Scoglio (Italian Seafood Pasta)

Few seafood pastas capture coastal Italian cooking as clearly as linguine allo scoglio: long strands of pasta dressed with shellfish, prawns and a light sauce made from tomatoes, white wine and the seafood’s own cooking juices. The character of the dish comes from restraint rather than richness — garlic, chilli, parsley and lemon lift the briny mussels and clams without masking them. The sauce should stay loose and glossy, clinging to the linguine rather than weighing it down. Served straight away, it feels special enough for a weekend meal but remains practical, fast and adaptable for a confident seafood dinner at home.
Cuisine style Italian coastal pasta
Spice level Mild
Time commitment Under 1 hour

Why this recipe works

  • Seafood-led depth: The strained mussel and clam liquor becomes part of the sauce, giving the pasta a natural savoury, briny base.
  • Bright, light finish: White wine, tomato and lemon lift the richness of the seafood without making the sauce feel heavy.
  • Glossy pasta coating: Tossing the linguine in the sauce with a little pasta water helps it cling to the strands rather than sit separately in the pan.

Get the most out of this recipe

Authenticity notes

  • Coastal Italian style: Allo scoglio usually refers to pasta with mixed seafood, often served with shellfish in their shells for flavour and presentation.
  • Keep the sauce light: The sauce should be reduced only enough to turn glossy, allowing the seafood and pasta to remain the focus.

Ingredient notes

  • Use live shellfish: Choose fresh, live mussels and clams, and discard any with cracked shells or any that do not open after cooking.
  • Remove grit before saucing: Soaking the clams and straining the shellfish liquor helps keep the finished pasta clean rather than sandy.
  • Add lemon at the end: Lemon zest and wedges are best used just before serving so the flavour stays bright and fresh.

Common mistakes

  • Overcooking the prawns: Add the prawns only once the tomato sauce has reduced; they need just enough time to turn pink and opaque.
  • Making the sauce too thick: Avoid reducing the tomatoes into a heavy sauce. It should be loose enough to coat the linguine with help from the pasta water.
  • Adding shellfish back too early: Return the mussels and clams at the end so they warm through without becoming tough.

Timing notes

  • Prepare before heating the pan: Slice the garlic, chop the parsley, zest the lemon and clean the shellfish first; the cooking moves quickly once started.
  • Serve immediately: This pasta is best served straight away while the seafood is tender and the sauce is still glossy.

Equipment you'll need

Ingredients
Instructions
Print
  1. Finely slice the garlic. Roughly chop the parsley, then zest the lemon and cut it into wedges.
  2. Warm the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, then add the garlic and chilli flakes. Cook for 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant, keeping the garlic pale.
  3. Add the mussels and clams to the pan and pour in the white wine. Cover and steam for 4 to 6 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice, until the shells open. Tip the shellfish into a bowl, discarding any that stay closed, and pour the cooking liquor back into the pan through a colander to catch grit.
  4. Stir the tomatoes into the pan with the strained shellfish liquor and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes until lightly reduced and glossy. Add the prawns and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until just pink and opaque.
  5. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil and cook the linguine until just shy of al dente. Drain, reserving a splash of the pasta water.
  6. Add the linguine to the sauce and toss over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, loosening with a little reserved pasta water so it coats the strands. Return the mussels and clams to the pan, then add the lemon zest and most of the parsley and toss gently just to warm through. Serve straight away with lemon wedges and the remaining parsley.

Made this recipe? Rate it — a comment is optional.

Recipe notes

Tips

  • Soak the clams in cold water for 20 minutes, then rinse well to help them release any sand before cooking.
  • Keep the sauce light by reducing it only until glossy; you want it to coat the pasta rather than turn thick.
  • If you are pregnant, elderly, immunocompromised, or serving young children, ensure the shellfish are thoroughly cooked and discard any mussels or clams that do not open.

Substitutions

  • Replace Dry White Wine with water for a non-alcoholic version; simmer the sauce for an extra 1 to 2 minutes to concentrate the flavour.
  • Replace Chili flakes with a smaller amount for a milder heat, or increase slightly for more warmth.
  • Replace Lemon with a little extra zest for a brighter finish, or use less if you prefer it less tangy.

Storage

  • Refrigerate up to 1 days
  • Best eaten straight away. Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate, and reheat gently in a frying pan with a splash of water until piping hot; avoid overcooking the prawns.

Ratings & reviews

Liked this recipe? Share your feedback to support our cooking community.

Tried this recipe?

Choose 1–5 stars. A comment is optional.

If you leave a comment, use 10–500 characters.

Stay inspired

Discover new recipes, seasonal favourites and cooking inspiration every day. Follow JustRecipes on Pinterest and Spillt.

Linguine allo Scoglio (Italian Seafood Pasta)
Image by JustRecipes
Pinterest

Recipe overview

  • Servings: 2 servings
  • Total time: 45min (35min active)
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Cuisine: Italian
  • Allergens:
    Crustaceans Gluten Molluscs Wheat

Plan your meals and get a complete grocery list automatically.

Add to meal planner

Equipment you'll need

Advertisement

Recommended tools for this recipe

Best overall

Misen Carbon Steel Nonstick Frying Pan 12 Inch

Versatile induction-ready pan
  • Works on all stovetops
  • Naturally nonstick when seasoned
  • Requires seasoning and maintenance

Got ingredients left?

Find recipes using ingredients from this recipe or what you already have at home.

Find recipes with these ingredients →

Make this recipe easier next time

Advertisement

These tools help you get better results with less effort.

Best overall

Misen Carbon Steel Nonstick Frying Pan 12 Inch

Versatile induction-ready pan
  • Works on all stovetops
  • Naturally nonstick when seasoned
  • Requires seasoning and maintenance
Best value

T-fal Ultimate Hard Anodized Nonstick Fry Pan 12 Inch

Best value nonstick pan
  • Excellent price-performance
  • Thermo-Spot heat indicator
  • Not induction compatible
Top quality

All-Clad HA1 Hard Anodized Nonstick Fry Pan 12 Inch

Premium nonstick performance
  • Top-tier build quality
  • Excellent heat distribution
  • Expensive

Browse alphabetically

Looking for a specific recipe? Choose a letter below to jump directly to recipes starting with that letter or number.

Enjoy cooking with JustRecipes?

Add JustRecipes as one of your preferred Google sources to discover our recipes more easily across Google Search.

Add JustRecipes to Google

Every recipe on JustRecipes follows the same structured editorial process. Learn how recipes are created, validated, translated, illustrated, and continuously improved across the platform. How we create recipes.