Creamy Seafood Stuffed Shells (Printable)
Jumbo pasta shells filled with shrimp, crab, cheeses, baked in a rich, creamy white sauce.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 16 jumbo pasta shells
→ Seafood Filling
02 - 8 oz cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped
03 - 4 oz lump crab meat
04 - 8 oz ricotta cheese
05 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened
06 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 1 egg, lightly beaten
08 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
09 - 2 tbsp chopped chives or green onions
10 - 1 clove garlic, minced
11 - ½ tsp salt
12 - ¼ tsp black pepper
13 - ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
→ Sauce
14 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
15 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
16 - 1½ cups whole milk
17 - ½ cup heavy cream
18 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
19 - 1 tsp lemon zest
20 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
21 - ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
22 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Topping
23 - ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
24 - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
02 - Cook jumbo pasta shells in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
03 - Combine shrimp, crab, ricotta, cream cheese, Parmesan, egg, parsley, chives, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Mix until thoroughly incorporated.
04 - Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk and heavy cream until smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened (3-4 minutes).
05 - Stir in Parmesan, lemon zest, lemon juice, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat.
06 - Spread one-third of the sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
07 - Fill each pasta shell with approximately 2 tablespoons of the seafood mixture. Arrange stuffed shells open side up in the dish.
08 - Pour remaining sauce evenly over the shells. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan.
09 - Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
10 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until bubbly and golden.
11 - Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra parsley if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The richness of two cheeses balances the delicate sweetness of shellfish perfectly.
- This looks like restaurant food but comes together in about an hour on a weeknight.
02 -
- Overcooking the shells before stuffing makes them tear apart when you try to fill them.
- Cold cream cheese creates lumps that never fully blend into the seafood mixture.
03 -
- Pat your seafood very dry before mixing to prevent a watery filling.
- Use a piping bag or ziplock bag with the corner cut off to fill shells neatly.