Vegan Linguine with Clam Sauce
This vegan linguine with clam sauce recipe is 100% vegan but has the taste and texture of the real thing! I know that it’s hard to believe, but if you like the taste of seafood, you must try this recipe!

Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, get more amazing vegan recipes that will satisfy your cravings!
Before going vegan, I really liked seafood and it is something that I have missed. I loved going to an Italian restaurant and ordering some buttery linguine and clam sauce.
How this recipe came about
A few years ago, my husband and I were eating at a local Chinese restaurant. The owner happened to be walking past when we were ordering and overheard us that we were vegan.
He stopped and said, “You’re vegan? I’ll make you something special!” He brought us a delicious dish made with king mushrooms. I had never had them before, and I couldn’t get over how much the texture was like seafood. A few weeks later, I was shopping in an Asian market and noticed the mushrooms for sale. I knew that I could create some great mock seafood recipes from these amazing mushrooms!

Where to purchase king mushrooms
The mushrooms are a little hard to find, but if you live near a major city, they are in most Asian grocery stores. I have also found them at my local Whole Foods. They are truly huge!
Preparing king mushrooms
Comprised of mostly stem, each mushroom is dense and “meaty” with a mild flavor. I cut off the top cap because it has a strong flavor, and the bottom inch or so of the stem because the texture is too chewy, then cut the rest into small cubes.

Instructions
For this Linguine with clam sauce, I use my homemade vegan butter. It tastes very similar to real butter and provides an authentic taste, but you can use regular vegan margarine too.
- Start by sautéing the cubed king mushrooms in the vegan butter in a large skillet and sprinkle with salt.
- When the mushrooms release their juices, add kelp powder. This can be purchased in many major grocery stores or you can order it on Amazon. This gives the mushrooms the clam flavor. (You can adjust the amount to suit your taste).
- Add the garlic and parsley and cook for another minute or two.
- Finally, toss in the cooked pasta, mix well, and you’re done!

This vegan linguini with clam sauce is one of the easiest pasta dishes that you can make! The whole thing only takes about 20 minutes, but it tastes as if it came from a fancy Italian restaurant!
More vegan seafood recipes
- Vegan Fish Fry
- Vegan Scallops
- Mock Clam Dip
- Vegan Tuna Melt
- Vegan Shrimp
- Canned Vegan Tuna
- Vegan Fried Shrimp
- Vegan Shrimp Scampi
📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!

Vegan Linguine with Clam Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lbs. linguine pasta, (gluten-free if desired)
- 2 king mushrooms diced
- ½ cup vegan butter, or margarine
- 2 teaspoons kelp flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil water and cook linguini according to package directions.
- While the pasta is boiling, wash king mushroom, cut off the cap and about 1 ½ inch off the end.
- Then dice the large stem portion of the mushroom into small cubes.
- Melt vegan butter on low in a large skillet and add mushrooms and salt.
- Sauté on medium-low until the mushrooms start to release their water.
- Add the kelp powder, minced garlic, and parsley and cook for about 2-3 more minutes.
- Add the drained and rinsed pasta to the skillet and mix well.
- Salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.
Notes
- Be sure to cook on medium-low heat as to not burn the butter or the garlic.
- Only cook 2-3 more minutes after adding minced garlic so it doesn’t burn.
- Top with more fresh parsley.
- Serve hot.
The only thing I’ve missed since going vegan is seafood. This recipe HITS THE SPOT!!! Thank you so much! Definitely making this again and again and again!
That’s so great to hear, Alex! I was a big fan of seafood before going vegan and sometimes I just need this dish! Enjoy! 🙂
Hi! I’m looking to try this! Do you think shiitake mushrooms could work?
I think that shitake has too strong of a taste to pass as mock clams. I use king mushrooms because of the mild taste and clammy texture. If you can’t find them, simple white button mushroom would also work. You want a very mild tasting mushroom. Enjoy! 🙂
Thank you sooo much for posting this recipe!!! I stopped eating shellfish several years ago, and of all things, I terribly missed clams (any way they can be prepared), blue crab and shrimp scampi (made with tiger prawns). Linguini with clams was my all time favorite dish. While I’m not vegan, so I used butter, which I already had in the house, this dish was incredibly close to what I used to love. My husband, who never ate clams in his life, also really enjoyed this dish. I’ll be making it for the second time tonight.
I’m so happy that you liked it! 🙂
This was fantastic with zoodles (Zuchini noodles), but I discovered this recipe because I wondered if I’m crazy or can mushrooms pass for clams in cocktail suce. Something I miss in the summer especially.
Those clams on ice with a drop of fresh lemon smothered in beet-horseradish & ketchup cocktail sauce.
Sure enough, let everyone know mushrooms are the new clams.
King mushrooms are definitely the new clams! You could fry them up and dip them in the cocktail sauce for sure! Enjoy! 🙂
Can this be done with white wine in the sauce too?
Yes, I have added about 3/4 cup of dry white wine to this and then let the wine cook off a little. I loved it, but my kids didn’t like it as much this way. 🙂
Well this looks easy and delicious – who knew you could make vegan linguine with clam sauce!!!
I can’t believe how much this tastes like real linguini with clam sauce! So good!