Ultimate Stuffed Seafood Shells

  

decadent, crowd-pleasing dinner that combines rich seafood with creamy cheese and baked pasta. This is the recipe that turns a weeknight dinner into a special event.

There is something inherently comforting about stuffed pasta. But when you elevate that classic comfort food with succulent shrimp, scallops, and crab meat, it becomes spectacular. These stuffed seafood shells are exactly that—a little bit fancy, a lot comforting, and surprisingly easy to execute.

This dish features jumbo pasta shells, loaded with a creamy, garlic-herb seafood filling, nestled in a light cream sauce and baked under a blanket of bubbly mozzarella and parmesan. If you’re looking for an impressive meal for guests, or just want to treat your family (or yourself!), this is the one.

Let’s get cooking!

The Best Ever Stuffed Seafood Shells Recipe

Prep time: 25 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes | Total time: 50 minutes Yields: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

For the Shells and Filling:

• 1 box (12 oz) Jumbo Pasta Shells
• 1 lb Large Shrimp, peeled, deveined, and roughly chopped
• ½ lb Bay Scallops (or sea scallops, chopped)
• ½ lb Lump Crab Meat, drained and picked
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
• 1 cup Ricotta Cheese
• 1 large Egg, lightly beaten
• ½ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

For the Cream Sauce:

• 2 tbsp Butter
• 1 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
• 1 ½ cups Heavy Cream (or half-and-half)
• ½ cup Chicken or Vegetable Broth
• Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Prepare the Pasta: Pre-heat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the jumbo pasta shells and cook according to the package directions for al dente (usually about 2 minutes less than fully cooked). Drain the shells, rinse them briefly under cold water to stop the cooking, and space them out on a baking sheet or waxed paper so they don’t stick together.

2. Sauté the Seafood: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 60 seconds until fragrant. Add the chopped shrimp and scallops. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Cook for 3–4 minutes, just until the shrimp turn pink and the scallops are opaque. Do not overcook, as they will continue baking in the oven. Stir in the fresh parsley. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.

3. Mix the Filling: In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, the lightly beaten egg, the grated parmesan, and half of the mozzarella cheese. Gently fold in the slightly cooled sautéed shrimp, scallops, and the lump crab meat.

4. Make the Quick Sauce: Wipe out the skillet used for the seafood. Melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and heavy cream until smooth. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, whisking constantly, until it thickens slightly (about 3–4 minutes). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Assemble and Bake: Pour about half of the cream sauce into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish (or a similarly sized ceramic dish). Take a cooked pasta shell and stuff it generously with the seafood filling mixture. Place the filled shell into the baking dish. Repeat until all shells are filled and arranged in a single layer. Drizzle the remaining cream sauce over the shells. Top everything with the remaining mozzarella cheese and an extra sprinkle of parmesan.

6. The Grand Finale: Bake, uncovered, for 20–25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown and the sauce is simmering around the edges. For an extra golden top, you can broil it for the last 1–2 minutes, watching closely so it doesn't burn.

7. Serve: Let the dish rest for 5–10 minutes before serving. Garnish with additional fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges and a glass of crisp white wine.