A rich, creamy clam sauce with crispy peppered bacon poured all over a bed of pasta. Fusilli Caserecci with Peppered Bacon Clam Sauce is so full of flavor and simple to make!
Seafood and pasta has got to be one of my favorite kinds of foods to indulge in.
With pasta, there is endless shapes and textures to choose from. So much possibilities!
Fresh seafood, on the other hand, is a tad bit harder to come by here in Utah.
Living in the middle of a state that is nowhere near the salty ocean… and living near a salty lake definitely does not count! But, finding a store that sells fresh seafood is a gem. Even if it’s clear around the mountain side.
Because fresh clams are so hard to come by in these neck of woods (literally), I also use the good ole’ fashioned way and open up cans of clams. Those are always available and taste wonderfully!
You may also use whatever pasta fits your fancy.
Fusilli Caserecci with Peppered Bacon Clam Sauce is a hearty dish to make any night of the week.
This happens to be one of my go-to recipes when I’ve got extra bacon from the morning. If you’re wondering how in the world could there be leftover bacon? I have to hide it. Simple as that. And, if I fry it up ahead of time for this dish, I still hide the bacon. Or there would be no bacon for the dish!
Have fun with this dish and make it for someone you love!
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 2 (6.5 oz.) cans of clams in clam juice. (save juice)
- juice from both cans of juice. (which comes to about 1 cup)
- 1 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup sherry (or can substitute for extra chicken broth or water)
- 1 1/3 half and half cream
- salt and pepper, to taste
- onion powder and garlic powder, to taste
- 1 pound bacon, fried and cut into pieces.
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh clams, scrubbed and rinsed with cold water.
- 10 ounces pasta (I used Fusilli Caserecci pasta.)
- 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan
- fresh parsley for garnish
- Bring water to boil and cook pasta for 2 minutes less than what the package directs.
- In a large skillet, saute the onion and garlic in the 1/2 butter, until almost translucent on medium to low heat.
- Whisk in flour and cook for about 5 minutes on low heat. (This cooks out the taste of the flour.)
- Slowly whisk in the clam juice from cans, chicken broth, sherry, and then the cream. Turn up to medium heat. Continue to whisk until it starts to thicken.
- Once you see the sauce almost thicken, add the washed clams to the sauce and put a lid on the skillet. This will steam the clams to open. It may take about 10-15 minutes. (This is happening while your pasta is cooking.)
- Once the clams have all opened, add the drained canned clams for extra clam action and crispy cooked bacon.
- Serve immediately over the drained pasta and top with fresh Parmesan and chopped parsley.
- Enjoy!
- This recipe serves 4-6 people.
You may just love to try these Garlic Parmesan Dinner Rolls to dip in the creamy clam sauce!
Yeah!!! Your back!!! Not that I was stalking your site or anything… ok.. I kinda was. 🙂 This recipe is awesome! I have never worked with clams before, they kinda freak me out but this recipe seems pretty fool proof. Love it and so fancy!
Krista @ Joyful Healthy Eats recently posted…Chicken Feta Walnut Grape Chopped Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Krista, I am going to bet once you make something with clams, you are going to think how simple it is and why you never did it sooner! So easy just setting them in some steam and waiting for them to open up and eat… easy peasy! AND, delicious!
You popped up in my feed and I thought Hey, Gloria is back! Hope you had a good break 😀
Yum, this looks so delicious! I am laughing out loud at the thought of hiding bacon. Funny, yes, but that is really smart!
Thanks so much, Cindy. It really is great to be back. I’ve missed everyone and didn’t realize really how long I was away from wonderful ladies, like you! (I have a lot of catching up to do… going in to see what everyone’s been up to with their creations I’ve missed out on… including yours!)
You wouldn’t believe how many times I have to hide the little pieces of bacon! If I didn’t, there would be just the crumbs left for whatever I was going to put them in… it has happened too many times before. 🙂
I love, love the new look Gloria!! And this pasta looks absolutely mouthwatering good!! I love that sauce; pinned 🙂 Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Chelsea @chelseasmessyapron recently posted…{Slow Cooker} Sweet potato, chicken, and quinoa soup
You are too kind, Chelsea! (I still have a few tweaks to make… like design my header.) Thank you!
Yay, so glad you are back Gloria! Hope you had a wonderful summer! Love the sound of using your leftover bacon in this clam pasta 🙂 It looks amazing!
You’re so sweet, Kelly! Thank you so much! xo
This is making my mouth water! Mannn do I love seafood, especially in…well, everything. But the clam sauce sounds fantastic with pasta. And great job with these photos as they show the clams in all their glory.
Ellie, thank you so much! Clams are so delicious, aren’t they?! 🙂
Yum! What a beautiful pasta dish! You had me at bacon 🙂
Chris @ Shared Appetite recently posted…Lightened Up Taco Salad
Yay!! You are in my feed again..AND with a mouth-watering recipe of course. Hope you had a wonderful summer!! Now, I need me some bacon clam sauce 🙂
Zainab recently posted…Spiced M&M Toffee Cookies for #OXOGoodCookies
This looks delicious! I would love for you share it on my Tasty Tuesday recipe link up here! Everything gets pinned and I would love to have you!
Stephanie recently posted…Tasty Tuesday Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
Nice to see you back again Gloria! Looks like you had a fantastic summer!!! Good for you… this recipe is awesome!!
Deb@CookingOnTheFrontBurner recently posted…Amazing Apple Recipes!
This looks mouth watering-ly delicious! Glad to see you back. 🙂
Tina @ Tina’s Chic Corner recently posted…Rustic Soft Pretzels
Oh….you always floor me with your recipes!! I can’t wait to see and share what you have planned 🙂
LOVE this pasta with clam sauce!!!
Lyuba@willcookforsmiles recently posted…Broccoli Cheese Casserole