Description
Delicious and creamy seafood stuffed jumbo pasta shells filled with a flavorful mixture of shrimp, lobster, crab, spinach, and cheeses, baked in a rich homemade cream sauce for an indulgent and impressive dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta Sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter (divided: 1 tablespoon and 1/2 tablespoon)
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or any milk)
- 1/4 cup dry white wine (Pinot Grigio recommended; can substitute broth)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning (start with 1/4 teaspoon and adjust)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Shells and Filling
- 20 jumbo pasta shells (about 12 oz package)
- 8 oz raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, chopped into 1/2–1 inch chunks
- 8 oz lobster meat
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 8 oz lump crab meat
- 2 cups finely chopped fresh spinach (or thawed and drained frozen spinach)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (divided into 1/2 cup portions)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Foil (for baking cover)
Instructions
- Prep your pasta shells: Boil the jumbo pasta shells until they are just shy of al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package instructions. This prevents them from becoming too soft and helps keep their shape for stuffing. Drain and set aside to cool, which makes stuffing easier without tearing.
- Whip up that dreamy cream sauce: In a skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Whisk in the all-purpose flour and cook until thick and bubbly. Gradually whisk in the heavy cream, almond milk, and dry white wine, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Once smooth, add minced garlic, grated Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning. Adjust seasoning by tasting, adding salt, pepper, or more Parmesan as desired.
- Cook the seafood: Heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped shrimp and lobster meat, cooking a few minutes per side until they turn opaque but are not fully cooked, as they will finish cooking in the oven. Remove from heat.
- Mix up the filling: In a large bowl, combine the cooked shrimp and lobster, lump crab meat, cream cheese, chopped fresh spinach, half of the shredded mozzarella, and grated Parmesan. Season the mixture with Old Bay seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste. Mix well and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Assemble and bake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spoon about 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons of the seafood filling into each pasta shell. Spread the cream sauce in a baking dish and arrange the stuffed shells on top. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese evenly over the shells. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes until the cheese topping is golden and bubbly.
Notes
- Using undercooked (slightly firmer) pasta shells prevents tearing when stuffing.
- Substitute almond milk with any milk of choice for cream sauce flexibility.
- Dry white wine adds great flavor to the sauce; broth can be substituted if avoiding alcohol.
- Make sure to thaw and drain frozen spinach thoroughly if used to avoid excess moisture.
- Adjust Old Bay seasoning and Italian seasoning based on your taste preference for spice and herbs.
- Cook seafood just until opaque to avoid overcooking since they finish cooking in the oven.
- Covering with foil keeps moisture during baking; removing foil at the end allows cheese to brown nicely.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian American
Keywords: seafood stuffed shells, creamy seafood pasta, baked pasta shells, shrimp lobster crab pasta, stuffed jumbo shells recipe
