Baked Seafood Pasta: An Incredible Ultimate Recipe for 4 Recipe
Baked Seafood Pasta is a creamy, delicious dish featuring a medley of shrimp, scallops, and crab meat baked with pasta in a rich garlic and herb-infused cream sauce topped with melted Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Perfect for a comforting, elegant meal serving four.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
Seafood
- 1 cup shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 cup scallops
- 1 cup crab meat
Pasta and Vegetables
- 8 ounces pasta (penne or fusilli)
- 1 cup spinach, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Cheese and Dairy
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (divided)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Seasonings and Oils
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to ensure it’s ready for baking the pasta later.
- Cook the pasta: Prepare the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain well and set aside to combine later.
- Sauté aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes, sautéing them until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Cook the seafood: Add shrimp, scallops, and crab meat to the skillet. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the seafood turns opaque and is just cooked through.
- Add spinach: Toss in the chopped spinach and continue cooking for 2 more minutes until wilted.
- Make the cream sauce: Pour in heavy cream and stir to combine with the seafood and spinach. Add half of the Parmesan cheese, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and pepper. Stir until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Combine pasta and seafood sauce: Mix the cooked pasta into the skillet with the seafood cream sauce, ensuring all the pasta is coated evenly.
- Transfer to baking dish: Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and transfer the pasta and seafood mixture into it in an even layer.
- Add cheese topping: Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese and the shredded mozzarella evenly over the top of the pasta.
- Bake: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown.
- Cool and garnish: Remove from the oven and let cool a few minutes to set. Garnish the baked pasta with freshly chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- Use penne or fusilli pasta to hold the sauce well and provide texture.
- If you prefer less heat, omit the red pepper flakes.
- Fresh seafood gives the best flavor, but frozen shrimp and scallops can be used if thawed properly.
- Make sure not to overcook the seafood in the skillet to keep it tender.
- Allow baked pasta to cool slightly before serving for better consistency.
Keywords: seafood pasta, baked pasta, shrimp, scallops, crab meat, creamy pasta, Italian seafood dish
