Clam, Corn, and Guanciale Spaghetti

The perfect summer-to-fall transition meal

I pulled inspiration from two pasta dishes I love for this recipe: spaghetti alle vongole and carbonara. I love the lightness of white wine and clams, but as we head into the cooler fall months, I wanted to add in a bit more depth and warmth. Enter the guanciale, pulled from your classic carbonara. This dish begins by rendering guanciale until it’s golden and crisp, using that rich, savory base to bloom sweet fresh corn, garlic, and Calabrian chili. From there, tender clams get steamed in dry white wine, releasing their natural briny juices directly into the pan.

I thought corn would be the perfect addition as it’s still abundant and in-season, and it also provides a bit of sweetness and freshness to cut through the briny clams and fatty guanciale. While the kernels are used in the pasta sauce, the cobs are added to the simmering pasta water to create a sweet, starchy corn stock that is used to emulsify the sauce in the end.

It’s light yet comforting, bright yet deeply savory, and really a delicious meal that is a great entryway into cozy fall cooking.

This post and recipe were created in partnership with All-Clad. All opinions and recipes are my own.

Clam, Corn, and Guanciale Spaghetti

Prep Time: 20 - 25 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 lbs fresh clams (such as Manila or Little Neck)

• 2 cobs fresh sweet corn, kernels sliced off, cobs reserved

• 1 lb spaghetti

• 3 ½ oz guanciale, cut into ¼-inch lardons

• 3–4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• ½ tbsp chopped Calabrian chili

• ½ bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (divided)

• Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

• ¾ cup dry white wine (such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)

• 1-2 tbsp butter

• Kosher salt, to taste

Equipment

• D5 Stainless Brushed 5-ply Bonded Cookware, Stockpot with Lid and Strain & Splatter Guard, 8 quart

• 3 Quart Saute Pan with Lid from All-Clad Copper Core 5-ply Bonded Cookware Set

Directions

1. Place the clams in a bowl of cold, salted water for 20 to 60 minutes in the refrigerator to allow them to purge any sand. Drain, scrub the shells clean, and discard any open, dead, or cracked clams.

2. Fill the All-Clad Stockpot with water and a large pinch of salt. Slice the kernels off the 2 corn cobs and set the kernels aside. Drop the stripped corn cobs directly into the water, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low and let it simmer to infuse the water.

3. Place the sliced guanciale in the cold All-Clad Copper Core Sauté Pan, then set over medium heat. Cook slowly until the fat renders out and the guanciale becomes crispy and golden brown, stirring occasionally.

4. Transfer the crisp guanciale to a paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.

5. Add the sliced garlic, reserved corn kernels, Calabrian chili, half of the chopped parsley, and a generous crack of black pepper directly to the rendered guanciale fat over medium heat. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and the garlic is softened.

6. Add the cleaned clams and the dry white wine to the skillet. Immediately cover with a tight-fitting lid and let steam until the clams pop open (roughly 3–5 minutes for smaller clams like Manilas, or 7–10 minutes for larger ones).

7. While the clams are steaming, return the corn water to a rolling boil and drop in the spaghetti, cooking until just shy of al dente. Reserve 1-2 cups of the starchy pasta water and discard the corn cobs before draining the pasta. 

8. Uncover the clam pan and remove it from the heat. Discard any clams that failed to open. Transfer the cooked clams to a bowl. Pluck the clam meat out of most of the shells, leaving a few whole in their shells for garnish.

9. Reduce the heat under the skillet to low. Toss the cooked clam meat back into the garlic-corn sauce along with the drained spaghetti, a splash of the reserved pasta water, butter, and the remaining chopped parsley. Vigorously toss and stir for 1–2 minutes until the pasta is coated in a glossy, emulsified sauce. Season to taste with salt if needed.

10. Divide the pasta among warm bowls. Top each portion with the reserved clam shells, the crispy guanciale, and a final grating of fresh black pepper.