Seafood Pasta Recipe tastes rich, garlicky, and a little briny in the best way, with tender shrimp and juicy scallops tucked into silky tomato cream sauce. It works for busy weeknights or at-home date nights in about 40 minutes from start to finish. I first cooked a version of this in a tiny apartment kitchen with one wobbly burner, so you can absolutely pull it off in a regular home kitchen.
Why Make This Seafood Pasta Recipe at Home
Homemade seafood pasta gives you restaurant flavor without restaurant prices or tiny portions. You control the quality of the seafood, the amount of garlic, and how spicy or creamy the sauce tastes.
You also skip mystery ingredients and heavy salt that many restaurants sneak into sauces. The whole meal cooks in one pot plus a pasta pot, so cleanup stays pretty painless.
“This seafood pasta tasted like a fancy coastal restaurant, but I made it in my sweatpants at home. ★★★★★”
Ingredients You Need
Pasta
- 12 ounces spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine
- I like bronze cut pasta because it holds sauce better.
- Use gluten free pasta if you need it and cook it slightly al dente so it holds up in the sauce.
Seafood
- 8 ounces large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 8 ounces sea scallops, side muscle removed
- 8 ounces mussels or clams, scrubbed and debearded if needed
Aromatics and Flavor Base
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or less for mild heat
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes or passata
- Use tube tomato paste so you store leftovers easily.
- I like Mutti or Cento for tomatoes, but any brand with low added sugar works.
Liquids
- 1 cup seafood stock or low sodium chicken broth
- If you cannot find seafood stock, use chicken broth plus 1 teaspoon fish sauce for depth.
- 1 cup half and half or heavy cream
- Half and half keeps the sauce lighter, heavy cream gives a richer, thicker sauce.
Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or dried oregano and basil mix
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- Optional: 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan for serving
Pantry Shortcuts
- Frozen seafood medley bag instead of separate shrimp, scallops, and mussels
- Pre minced garlic from a jar if you feel tired, though fresh garlic tastes better
- Dried parsley if fresh herbs cost too much, use 2 teaspoons
Equipment
- Large pot for boiling pasta
- Large deep skillet or Dutch oven for the sauce and seafood
- Tongs or pasta fork
- Fine mesh strainer or colander
- Microplane or small grater for lemon zest
- Ladle for pasta water
Tips & Mistakes
- Salt the pasta water generously so the noodles taste seasoned before they hit the sauce.
- Cook pasta to just shy of al dente since it finishes in the sauce and soaks up flavor.
- Pat seafood very dry with paper towels so it browns instead of steaming.
- Keep seafood in a single layer in the pan so it cooks evenly and stays tender.
- Pull shrimp and scallops off the heat as soon as they turn opaque and springy, not rubbery.
- Avoid boiling the cream hard or the sauce can separate and feel grainy.
- Taste the sauce at the end and adjust salt, lemon, and chili flakes so it tastes bright, not flat.
- Save at least 1 cup of starchy pasta water so you thin the sauce if it thickens too much.
- Add mussels or clams last and cook just until the shells open, then toss any that stay closed.
- Toss pasta with the sauce in the pan instead of spooning sauce on top so every strand gets coated.
How to Make Seafood Pasta
Step 1: Prep the seafood and boil the pasta
Peel and devein the shrimp if needed, then pat shrimp and scallops very dry and season them with salt and pepper. Scrub mussels or clams and discard any with cracked shells or ones that stay open when you tap them. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until just shy of al dente, then reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain.
Step 2: Sear the shrimp and scallops
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook about 1 to 2 minutes per side until they turn opaque and lightly golden, then move them to a plate. Add scallops to the same pan and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side until they form a light crust and feel just firm, then move them to the plate with the shrimp.
Step 3: Build the sauce base
Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining olive oil and butter to the skillet. Add diced onion and cook until it softens and turns translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often. Stir in garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute until the garlic smells fragrant and toasty.
Step 4: Add tomato flavor and liquids
Stir in tomato paste and cook it for 2 minutes so it darkens slightly and tastes sweeter. Pour in crushed tomatoes and seafood stock or broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer this mixture for 5 to 7 minutes so it thickens slightly and the flavors blend.
Step 5: Add cream and seasonings
Stir in half and half or cream, Italian seasoning, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Let the sauce simmer gently for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or chili flakes as needed.
Step 6: Cook the mussels or clams
Add mussels or clams to the skillet and cover with a lid. Cook 4 to 6 minutes over medium heat until the shells open. Remove the lid and discard any that stay closed.
Step 7: Toss pasta and finish with seafood
Add the drained pasta directly into the skillet with the sauce. Toss with tongs and splash in a little reserved pasta water until the sauce feels silky and clings to the noodles. Add shrimp and scallops back to the pan, squeeze in lemon juice, sprinkle parsley, and toss gently for 1 to 2 minutes so everything heats through without overcooking the seafood.
Step 8: Serve
Twirl portions of seafood pasta into warm bowls. Spoon extra sauce and mussels over each serving. Top with a little grated Parmesan if you enjoy cheese with seafood, and serve with lemon wedges on the side.
Variations I’ve Tried
I swap the cream for coconut milk when I want a lighter, dairy free seafood pasta with a subtle tropical note. I add a spoonful of chili paste and extra garlic for a spicy version that tastes close to fra diavolo. I also trade mussels for chunks of firm white fish like cod or halibut and cook them gently in the sauce until they flake.
Sometimes I skip tomatoes and build a garlic butter and lemon seafood pasta with lots of parsley and a splash of pasta water. I also toss in baby spinach or cherry tomatoes at the end for extra color and veggies. If kids feel picky, I chop the seafood smaller and use short pasta like penne so it feels more familiar.
How to Serve Seafood Pasta
Serve seafood pasta hot in wide bowls so the sauce pools around the noodles and seafood. Add a simple green salad or steamed vegetables on the side to balance the richness. Warm crusty bread or garlic bread works perfectly for soaking up extra sauce. Finish each bowl with fresh parsley, lemon wedges, and maybe a light sprinkle of Parmesan if that fits your taste.
How to store
- Cool leftovers to room temperature within 1 hour, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water or broth until the pasta loosens and the seafood warms through.
- Avoid boiling leftovers hard so the seafood stays tender and the sauce stays creamy.
- Freeze only if needed, in a freezer safe container for up to 1 month, and know that the texture of the seafood and pasta softens after thawing.
Seafood Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Pour in the white wine, if using, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to reduce slightly. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and seafood or chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add the shrimp, mussels, and calamari to the pan. Cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the shrimp are opaque and the mussels have opened. Discard any mussels that do not open.
- Stir in the lemon juice, chopped parsley, salt, and black pepper. Add the drained pasta to the skillet, tossing to coat in the sauce. If the mixture seems dry, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until the desired consistency is reached.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed. Serve hot, garnished with extra parsley if desired.
Notes
Approximate per serving (1/4 of recipe): 520 calories; fat 12 g; saturated fat 2 g; carbohydrates 68 g; fiber 4 g; sugars 6 g; protein 32 g; sodium 780 mg. Values will vary based on exact seafood mix, pasta type, brands, and portion size.