Seafood Pasta

Make this dish for a special occasion or even a weeknight meal. With easy prep and just 10 minutes of cooking time, you can enjoy a luxurious pasta any day of the week! If you want to try more easy pasta recipes, then try my chicken alfredo recipe, homemade cacio e pepe, or easy chicken pesto recipes.

What You Need to Make This Recipe

Noodles – linguine noodles cooked al dente pair well with the thick, creamy seafood pasta sauce. Alternatively, you can use spaghetti or fettuccine noodles. Shrimp – choose uncooked large shrimp. Peel and devein them before starting this recipe. If using frozen, thaw thoroughly before cooking. Scallops – you’ll need 12 sea scallops. Pat them dry with a paper or cloth towel to remove any excess moisture and help form a good crust when cooking. Mussels – get 12 live mussels with closed shells. If any mussels are open, gently tap them to shut. If they don’t close, discard them (they’re dead and not safe to use). Butter – use unsalted butter to avoid making the sauce too salty. Garlic – mince fresh garlic cloves or use 2 teaspoons of pre-minced garlic from the grocery store. Cream – heavy cream is a key ingredient in making this creamy shrimp pasta. Don’t skip it. White Wine – a dry white wine like sauvignon blanc adds a subtle acidic flavor to the pasta sauce that pairs well with the citrus and cheese. Broth – chicken broth adds flavor and depth to the sauce. Use regular or low-sodium chicken broth. Alternatively, you can use vegetable broth or seafood stock. Lemon – a hint of fresh lemon zest in the sauce perfectly accents the rich flavors. Additionally, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to the pasta before serving.

How to Make Seafood Pasta

1. Boil the linguine noodles in a large pot of salted water according to the package directions. Drain the pasta, reserving ¼ cup of the pasta water to use later.
2. While the pasta cooks, sprinkle the shrimp and scallops with ¼ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and scallops and brown on each side, about 1½ minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
3. Add the garlic to the skillet and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the cream, wine, and broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes.
4. Add the mussels. Cover and cook until the mussels open, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the mussels from the skillet with a slotted spoon (to save the sauce) and set aside. Discard any mussels that did not open during cooking.
5. Gradually whisk grated parmesan cheese into the cream sauce in the skillet until well combined.
6. Mix in ¼ cup of reserved pasta water to the cream sauce. Whisk in the lemon zest, remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper to the skillet, and continue whisking until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth.
7. Add the cooked pasta, using tongs to toss them in the sauce to coat completely.
8. Stir in the shrimp, scallops, and mussels. Garnish with parsley and ¼ cup of parmesan and serve with lemon wedges.

Pro Tips For Making This Recipe

Use fresh seafood. Fresh is best for optimal flavor. Mussels should always be fresh, but you can also use frozen shrimp and scallops in a pinch. Thaw completely before preparing and cooking. Heavily salt the pasta water. Properly salting the water adds significant flavor to the pasta and the dish so always make sure to stir in enough salt before bringing the water to a boil. I recommend 1-2 tablespoons for every gallon of water. Spice it up. Add red pepper flakes or cajun seasoning to the shrimp and scallops while cooking them, or mix into the sauce for extra heat. Gradually mix in parmesan. When making the sauce, slowly add the cheese to the skillet as you stir it in to prevent it from clumping up. This will give the sauce the best even, smooth texture. Optional: remove the mussels from the skillet when mixing in the cheese. The cheese can get stuck in the mussel shells when stirring it in, which is why I remove them from the pan before stirring in the cheese. If doing so, carefully transfer them with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Once the cheese sauce is smooth and creamy you can gently fold them back in. Optional variations. Try mixing in sundried or fresh tomato, spinach, capers, olives, or mushrooms when cooking the cream sauce. Additionally, add chunks of white fish, lobster, or calamari rings to switch up the seafood.

If you’ve tried this Seafood Pasta recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!