Spaghetti allo Scoglio is a classic Italian seafood pasta dish, loved across Italy. This flavorful recipe features a mix of fresh shellfish—mussels, clams, shrimp, and squid—cooked in a light cherry tomato sauce that brings out the taste of the sea.
You can use spaghetti, as I did, or go for linguine, which also pairs beautifully with seafood sauces. In Southern Italy, especially in Neapolitan cuisine, paccheri is another popular option for this dish.
Although it’s an easy recipe, Spaghetti allo Scoglio requires a bit of time and patience—mainly to clean the seafood and prep all the ingredients. The key steps? First, purge and cook the clams and mussels. Then, clean the shrimp and squid.
Once your seafood sauce is ready, the secret to achieving restaurant-quality flavor is to finish cooking the pasta in the sauce. This helps the pasta absorb all the delicious seafood juices and aromas.
This traditional Italian seafood spaghetti is perfect year-round—from summer dinners with friends to Christmas Eve family meals. It’s a simple yet impressive dish, ideal for anyone who loves seafood and Mediterranean flavors.
Ingredients
Prep Time: 30 Min + about 1 hour to purge the clams | Cook Time: 20 Min | Servings: 4
- 350 g (12 oz) spaghetti
- 1 kg (2 pound) fresh clams, in their shells
- 1 kg (2 pound) fresh mussels, in their shells
- 300 grams (⅔ pound) squid
- 300 g (⅔ pound) shrimp
- 200 g (½ pound) ripe cherry tomatoes
- 1 fresh red chili pepper
- 2 garlic cloves
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 150 ml (½ cup ) dry white wine
- a small bunch fresh parsley
- salt, to taste
Kitchen Tools and Equipment
- A very fine mesh strainer is essential to filter the water of the clams and mussels. We opted for this professional super fine mesh strainer with strengthened non slip handles.
- Even a large and low pot is important because it must contain both the sauce and spaghetti, that will have to finish cooking in the seafood sauce. So have a look to this stainless steel dutch oven casserole with lid.
- Very useful to drain spaghetti directly into the pan to continue cooking, is this silicone spaghetti strainer.
- Finally, another useful tool in the preparation of this recipe is an electric chopper to chop fresh parsley which is the final touch of your Spaghetti allo Scoglio.
Instructions
To prepare this Italian seafood pasta recipe, start by cleaning the clams and mussels. Then clean squids and shrimps. Here's how you need to do it:
Clean and Cook the Clams
Step 1) - Rinse clams under running water and then let them soak in plenty of cold water with a handful of coarse salt.
The clams should remain in the cold water for at least an hour, preferably two, to purge. Keep this time in mind when you decide to make this recipe.
After purging, discard the soaking water completely. Drain and rinse the clams under running water. Place them in a dry pan, without adding any water or oil, cover with a lid and cook over high heat for about 3 minutes, until they open.
Step 2) - The clams will release their own cooking liquid as they open. Strain this liquid through a very fine mesh strainer to remove any sand, and set it aside. You will use it later to flavor the seafood sauce.
Finally shell the clams, keeping some clams with their shells that you will use for the final decoration of the dish.
Clean and Cook the Mussels
Step 1) - Clean the mussels by scraping off any impurities with the blade of a small knife. Tear off the byssus, that is the bearded part that comes out of the shell. Then, with the help of a stainless steel sponge, clean well their shells.
Place the mussels in a pan and cook over high heat covered with a lid. Wait for them to open, this will take about 3 minutes.
We prefer to cook clams and mussels separately in case the clams release a lot of sand.
Step 2) - Now strain the mussels sauce with a fine strainer. Finally shell the mussels, keeping some of them with their shells: you will use them for the final decoration of the dish.
Clean the Squid
Step 1) - Wash the squid under running water, then remove the entrails, the eyes, the central beak and the internal bone.
Step 2) - Finally remove the skin and cut them into rings. Set aside.
Clean the Shrimps
Clean the shrimps, taking care to remove the dark filament, all the shell and the heads. Set aside.
Now that you have prepared and cleaned all the seafood, let's see how to make the sauce for the spaghetti allo scoglio.
The Seafood Sauce
Step 1) - Wash and chop the cherry tomatoes then chop the parsley. Set aside.
Step 2) - In a large saucepan, sauté the peeled garlic cloves in the extra virgin olive oil. Add the red hot chili pepper and the squid. Cook for about 2 minutes over medium heat.
Step 3) - Then raise the heat and add the white wine. Stir and allow the alcohol to evaporate. Finally add the mussels and clams and lower the heat.
Step 4) - Add a ladle of clams water and then the chopped tomatoes. Mix and cook over high heat for about 10 minutes.
Step 5) - Finally, add the shrimp and chopped parsley. Cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes (shrimp have very short cooking times).
Italian seafood sauce is ready. Remove the garlic cloves and chili pepper (see note below).
Cook the Pasta
Step 6) - Now cook the pasta. Bring plenty of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to the cooking times described on their packaging. Using a slotted spoon, drain the spaghetti 3 minutes before the end of cooking time.
Season and Serve
Step 7) - Place them directly in the pan with the seafood sauce. Stir and finish cooking the spaghetti in the pan for another 3 minutes over high heat. This way they will better absorb the flavor of the seafood sauce.
Stir well and transfer the best Spaghetti allo Scoglio you have ever eaten to a serving dish. Garnish with the shells kept aside and serve.
NOTE ABOUT GARLIC AND HOT CHILI PEPPER: We chose to leave the garlic and hot chili pepper whole. This way you can easily remove them from the sauce. If you prefer, though, you can chop them up and leave them in the sauce, depending on your taste.
YOU MUST ALSO TRY:
- Paccheri with creamy Pumpkin sauce and Clams
- Spaghetti with Clams Recipe (Spaghetti alle Vongole)
- Shrimp with Zucchini Pasta and Cherry Tomatoes
- Mussels Marinara (Cozze alla Marinara)
- Classic Italian Stuffed Mussels (Cozze Gratinate)
- Pasta allo Scarpariello
Storage
Enjoy your spaghetti allo scoglio immediately and if there is any left over, it can be stored in the refrigerator in a food container for up to 1 day.
I do not recommend freezing. However, you can freeze the seafood sauce if you have used fresh ingredients.
Variations
TOMATO OPTIONS: I used cherry tomatoes, but you can also use ripe grape or vine tomatoes. If fresh tomatoes aren't available, canned peeled tomatoes or tomato passata work well too. Just remember to cook the sauce longer before adding the seafood, as canned tomatoes need more time to develop flavor.
SPAGHETTI ALL SCOGLIO "IN BIANCO" (WITHOUT TOMATOES): This tomato-free version is very popular in Italy. The method is the same—just skip the tomatoes. It enhances the natural seafood flavor, so use the freshest shellfish possible. Add a bit more olive oil, parsley, and clam juice for extra richness.
SEAFOOD VARIATIONS: You can add or swap in scampi, octopus, or other seafood based on your taste. The key is to include a mix of mollusks, crustaceans, and shellfish for a balanced Italian seafood pasta. For another delicious pasta recipe with mussels, try Pasta, Patate e Cozze, a comforting Neapolitan dish made with short pasta and potatoes.
USING FROZEN SEAFOOD: While fresh seafood is best, frozen fish is a good alternative. Thaw it completely before following the recipe as usual.
EXTRA FLAVOR TIP: Using whole shrimp? Sauté the heads with garlic at the start to boost the flavor of your seafood spaghetti sauce. Just remove them before serving.
SCOGLIO VS PESCATORA: “Pasta allo Scoglio” and “Pasta alla Pescatora” are often used interchangeably, but there's a difference.
- Spaghetti allo Scoglio includes only shellfish and crustaceans—no fish fillets.
- Pescatora typically excludes shell-on mollusks and may include fish like sea bass or swordfish.
Both are delicious variations of Italian seafood pasta, and both can be made with or without tomatoes, usually paired with spaghetti or linguine.
Recipe Card
Italian Seafood Pasta Recipe (Spaghetti allo Scoglio)
Ingredients
- 350 g spaghetti - 12 oz
- 1 kg fresh clams, in their shells - 2 pound
- 1 kg fresh mussels, in their shells - 2 pound
- 300 grams squid - ⅔ pound
- 300 g shrimps - ⅔ pound
- 200 g cherry tomatoes - ½ pound
- 1 fresh red chili pepper
- 2 garlic cloves
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 150 ml dry white wine - ½ cup
- 1 small bunch fresh parsley - ⅓ cup
- salt - to taste
Instructions
CLEAN AND COOK THE CLAMS
- Rinse clams under running water and then let them soak in plenty of cold water with a handful of coarse salt. The clams should remain in the cold water for at least an hour, preferably two, to purge. Keep this time in mind when you decide to make this recipe.
- After purging, discard the soaking water completely. Drain and rinse the clams under running water. Place them in a dry pan, without adding any water or oil, cover with a lid and cook over high heat for about 3 minutes, until they open.
- The clams will release their own cooking liquid as they open. Strain this liquid through a very fine mesh strainer to remove any sand, and set it aside. You will use it later to flavor the seafood sauce.
- Finally shell the clams, keeping some clams with their shells that you will use for the final decoration of the dish.
CLEAN AND COOK THE MUSSELS
- Clean the mussels by scraping off any impurities with the blade of a small knife. Tear off the byssus, that is the bearded part that comes out of the shell. Then, with the help of a stainless steel sponge, clean well their shells.
- Place the mussels in a pan and cook over high heat covered with a lid. Wait for them to open, this will take about 3 minutes. I prefer to cook clams and mussels separately in case the clams release a lot of sand.
- Now strain the mussels sauce with a fine strainer. Finally shell the mussels, keeping some of them with their shells: you will use them for the final decoration of the dish.
CLEAN THE SQUID
- Wash the squid under running water, then remove the entrails, the eyes, the central beak and the internal bone.
- Finally remove the skin and cut them into rings. Set aside.
CLEAN THE SHRIMPS
- Clean the shrimps, taking care to remove the dark filament, all the shell and the heads. Set aside.
MAKE THE SEAFOOD SAUCE
- Wash and chop the cherry tomatoes then chop the parsley. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, sauté the peeled garlic cloves in the extra virgin olive oil. Add the red hot chili pepper and the squid. Cook for about 2 minutes over medium heat.
- Then raise the heat and add the white wine. Stir and allow the alcohol to evaporate. Finally add the mussels and clams and lower the heat.
- Add a ladle of clams water and then the chopped tomatoes. Mix and cook over high heat for about 10 minutes.
- Add the shrimp and chopped parsley. Cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes (shrimp have very short cooking times). Italian seafood sauce is ready. Remove the garlic cloves and chili pepper
COOK THE PASTA, SEASON AND SERVE
- Cook the pasta. Bring plenty of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to the cooking times described on their packaging. Using a slotted spoon, drain the spaghetti 3 minutes before the end of cooking time.
- Place them directly in the pan with the seafood sauce. Stir and finish cooking the spaghetti in the pan for another 3 minutes over high heat. This way they will better absorb the flavor of the seafood sauce.
- Stir well and transfer the best Spaghetti allo Scoglio you have ever eaten to a serving dish. Garnish with the shells kept aside and serve.
Mirka says
Hi, do I cook the clams in the water they've been sitting in or discard it fully and cook the clams dry? Thanks!
Silvana Nava says
Hi! Discard the water the clams have been soaking in completely. After purging, drain and rinse the clams, then place them in a dry pan with no added water or oil. Cover and cook over high heat until they open.
As they cook, the clams will naturally release their own flavorful liquid. That is the “clam water” you should strain through a fine-mesh strainer and keep for the seafood sauce.
Thanks for asking — I can see how the wording in the recipe could be confusing, so I’ll make that steps clearer!
William Goldstone-Harden says
Should I put the shrimp heads and skins in the oil with the garlic and chile, then crush and discard before I put in the rest of the ingredients?
Silvana Nava says
Yes, exactly! This is an optional step, but it will give the sauce an even richer seafood flavor. Sauté the shrimp heads and shells in the oil with the garlic and chili pepper for 2–3 minutes, gently crushing the heads with a wooden spoon to release their juices. Then remove and discard everything before adding the squid and continuing with the recipe. Thank you for your comment, William!