Description
Succulent Seafood Stuffed Shells bring coastal Italian flavors dancing across your plate with creamy ricotta and tender ocean treasures. Delicate pasta shells cradle a luxurious seafood filling that promises Mediterranean magic in each delightful bite you savor.
Ingredients
Scale
Seafood:
- 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped
- 1/2 pound lump crab meat
Cheese and Dairy:
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella (for topping)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (for topping)
- 1 egg, beaten
Seasonings and Other Ingredients:
- 20 jumbo pasta shells, cooked al dente
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups Alfredo sauce
Instructions
- Warm the oven to 375F (190C) and lightly coat a baking dish with olive oil for preventing sticking.
- Sauté minced garlic in a skillet for 60 seconds until fragrant, then quickly cook shrimp until they transform to a vibrant pink color, approximately 2 minutes.
- Create a rich seafood filling by blending ricotta, cream cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, beaten egg, chopped parsley, Old Bay seasoning, salt, and black pepper until smooth and well-combined.
- Gently incorporate crab and shrimp into the cheese mixture, ensuring even distribution of seafood throughout the filling.
- Carefully stuff each pasta shell with the decadent seafood mixture, positioning them neatly in the prepared baking dish.
- Generously drizzle Alfredo sauce over the stuffed shells, ensuring complete coverage, then sprinkle additional mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on top.
- Shield the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld and shells to heat through.
- Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese becomes golden and bubbling with appetizing texture.
- Finish by garnishing with fresh parsley and serve piping hot for maximum flavor enjoyment.
Notes
- Swap shrimp and crab with white fish like cod or halibut for a budget-friendly alternative that maintains the creamy, oceanic flavor profile.
- Replace dairy cheeses with nutritional yeast and cashew cream to create a plant-based version that’s equally rich and satisfying.
- Adjust Old Bay seasoning intensity based on personal preference, or experiment with Cajun or Mediterranean spice blends for unique regional twists.
- Prepare the stuffed shells a day in advance and refrigerate, allowing flavors to meld and making weeknight dinner preparation a breeze.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 1013 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 640 mg
- Fat: 70 g
- Saturated Fat: 34 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 32 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 62 g
- Cholesterol: 230 mg