Tips on how to Make Alex Cooper’s Clam Pasta

We’re large followers of turning surprising elements and choices into dinner. Queso can completely be dinner in case you have sufficient issues for dunking into it, and simply because a meal consists of two or three seemingly random elements doesn’t imply it gained’t carry you pleasure.  As social media has highlighted, dinner could be buttered noodles with parmesan or an expansion of all of your snacks and no matter’s within the fridge, even when that’s a mixture of pickles, rooster tenders, scorching cheetos, leftover lasagna, and berries — the sky’s the restrict. 

For certainly one of my new, practically immediate dinners, I’ve a stunning supply to thank: podcaster and entrepreneur Alex Cooper.

The Name Her Daddy podcast host caught viewers’ consideration on TikTok along with her staple fast dinner utilizing an surprising canned pantry merchandise: the Progresso White Clam Sauce (with Garlic and Herbs). Cooper initially confirmed her viewers learn how to make the dish in 2023, however in a current put up this yr, she demonstrated that she’s nonetheless having fun with it as we speak. 

In her splendidly chaotic cooking video, Cooper demonstrates learn how to use a can of this creamy sauce to make clam pasta, her favourite childhood dinner.

“That is certainly one of my lady dinners, however I simply know persons are going to be like ‘That’s disgusting’,” Cooper says within the video. Whereas some people could react this fashion, the favored podcaster has additionally impressed many others to attempt her straightforward canned clam spaghetti. 

To find out if her go-to meal was definitely worth the hype, I made a decision to belief Cooper and observe alongside for the experience, making a swift run to the grocery retailer to purchase a can of the required sauce.

This dinner is a handy three-ingredient recipe that depends on two non-perishable pantry staples and one ingredient you in all probability have already got available. To make it, you’ll want Progresso white clam sauce, spaghetti or linguine, and parmesan cheese.

Within the video, Cooper explains that her mother raised her on this actual canned clam sauce. “This clam sauce is to not be disrespected,” she jokingly tells her followers. “That is my childhood. That is my abdomen. Ninety % of my abdomen is rotting with Progresso clam sauce.” Though this may not sound interesting, after testing the recipe, I can verify that it is really scrumptious.

How do you make Alex Cooper’s clam pasta? 

When you’ve assembled your elements — the canned clam sauce, spaghetti or linguine, and parmesan — start by boiling water for the pasta. Whereas ready for the water to boil, Cooper concurrently pours her clam sauce from the can right into a separate, smaller pot to warmth it up. 

It’s necessary to notice that it is best to particularly use Progresso’s clam sauce, as many TikTok customers say the model makes a distinction on the subject of the recipe. (One creator tried making the dish with the Cento clam sauce as an alternative and didn’t get pleasure from it as a lot as different creators who used Progresso.) 

Subsequent, Cooper heads to the fridge for the third and last ingredient: Kraft parmesan. That is “clearly not actual parmesan cheese,” Cooper clarifies for her followers. She explains that she all the time used Kraft parmesan for this meal rising up and stays loyal to this step as an grownup.

Whereas the clam sauce heats on the range, she transfers the spaghetti to the boiling water. Subsequent, she provides grated parmesan to the heated clam sauce. If you wish to observe the precise recipe, you possibly can use Kraft parmesan, however this was the one step of the recipe I modified barely once I tried it myself. I couldn’t ignore the recent chunk of pecorino gazing me from my fridge, and this meal is absolutely about utilizing what’s available. You probably have actual Parmigiano Reggiano, that might undoubtedly elevate the dish as nicely.

As soon as the pasta is cooked and the sauce is heated via with the parmesan completely combined in, Cooper drains the noodles — utilizing a fuzzy sock to carry the recent rim of the pot, which we don’t advocate attempting at dwelling — then places the spaghetti in her serving bowl and pours the specified quantity of clam sauce on high earlier than mixing all of it collectively. For the ultimate step, she naturally tops it with much more parmesan.

After I lastly tasted a chunk of Alex Cooper’s clam pasta, I understood her love for the dish. I nonetheless appreciated her candid admission that, “I’m not going to lie, it doesn’t look wonderful, however the style of this, guys, you don’t even perceive.”

In one other TikTok video, Cooper had certainly one of her podcast company, content material creator Trisha Paytas, attempt the now-internet-famous canned clam spaghetti. Paytas, who considers herself a choosy eater, was initially involved by the meal’s look. Nonetheless, after giving it a attempt, she was pleasantly shocked and rated the recipe an eight out of ten.

Not solely is that this dish straightforward to make, however I can verify it has a deeply savory and scrumptious taste profile, because of the generously seasoned, garlicky, and herby white clam sauce. It tends to be on the saltier facet, and for those who discover that the dish is just too salty for you, I like to recommend including the juice of half a lemon to steadiness out the flavors and introduce a bit extra brightness.

I can’t wait to see what different fast canned meals Alex Cooper has in retailer, and within the meantime, I could begin stocking cans of clam sauce and containers of spaghetti in my pantry.