Pasta with Clams, Corn, and Basil Pesto

A summery pasta dish combining fresh littleneck clams with sweet corn and homemade basil pesto. The pasta is tossed in a white wine sauce with garlic and shallots, creating a perfect blend of seafood and fresh summer produce.

4 servings

30 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•½ clove garlic clove, finely grated
•¼ cup grated Parmigiano
•1 cup packed fresh basil leaves (stems reserved)
•3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
•½ lemon lemon zest
•1 to taste Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
•1 to taste Kosher salt
•2 tablespoons unsalted butter
•2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
•3 cloves garlic cloves
•2 whole small shallots
•½ cup white wine
•24 pieces littleneck or Manila clams
•12 ounces short tubular pasta
•2 cups corn kernels

Cooking Instructions

1.
In a blender or food processor, combine garlic, Parmigiano, basil, and oil and blend until very smooth, scraping down sides as needed and adding a tablespoon or two of water if needed to get things moving. Add lemon zest and season with salt and pepper. Set pesto aside (you should have about 1/2 cup).
5 min
2.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta and season it generously with salt. In a medium Dutch oven or large cast-iron skillet, heat butter and oil over medium-high heat. When butter is foaming, add garlic, shallots, and reserved basil stems and cook until mixture is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add wine and bring to a simmer. Add clams, toss to coat, cover, and cook, checking and stirring every few minutes, until clams begin to open, 3 to 5 minutes. As clams open, transfer them with a slotted spoon to a medium bowl, but try to keep pot covered as much as possible. Fish out basil stems and keep pan sauce warm over very low heat. (If you want a shell-free dining experience, gently liberate clams from their shells and return them to bowl with a splash or two of pasta water over them so they don't dry out.)
15 min
3.
Cook pasta until 1 or 2 minutes shy of al dente. Scoop 1 cup of pasta water into pan with clam sauce. Drain pasta and add to sauce along with half of the pesto. Add corn and bring mixture to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until liquid starts to thicken and pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes. Add clams and any accumulated liquid from bowl. Cook, stirring and tossing, until clams are warmed through, 2 minutes. Serve pasta and clams topped with more pesto.
10 min

Ingredients

•½ clove garlic clove, finely grated

•¼ cup grated Parmigiano

•1 cup packed fresh basil leaves (stems reserved)

•3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

•½ lemon lemon zest

•1 to taste Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

•1 to taste Kosher salt

•2 tablespoons unsalted butter

•2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

•3 cloves garlic cloves

•2 whole small shallots

•½ cup white wine

•24 pieces littleneck or Manila clams

•12 ounces short tubular pasta

•2 cups corn kernels

Cooking Instructions

In a blender or food processor, combine garlic, Parmigiano, basil, and oil and blend until very smooth, scraping down sides as needed and adding a tablespoon or two of water if needed to get things moving. Add lemon zest and season with salt and pepper. Set pesto aside (you should have about 1/2 cup).

5 min

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta and season it generously with salt. In a medium Dutch oven or large cast-iron skillet, heat butter and oil over medium-high heat. When butter is foaming, add garlic, shallots, and reserved basil stems and cook until mixture is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add wine and bring to a simmer. Add clams, toss to coat, cover, and cook, checking and stirring every few minutes, until clams begin to open, 3 to 5 minutes. As clams open, transfer them with a slotted spoon to a medium bowl, but try to keep pot covered as much as possible. Fish out basil stems and keep pan sauce warm over very low heat. (If you want a shell-free dining experience, gently liberate clams from their shells and return them to bowl with a splash or two of pasta water over them so they don't dry out.)

15 min

Cook pasta until 1 or 2 minutes shy of al dente. Scoop 1 cup of pasta water into pan with clam sauce. Drain pasta and add to sauce along with half of the pesto. Add corn and bring mixture to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until liquid starts to thicken and pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes. Add clams and any accumulated liquid from bowl. Cook, stirring and tossing, until clams are warmed through, 2 minutes. Serve pasta and clams topped with more pesto.

10 min