Seafood Pasta Bake (Printable)

A comforting dish of pasta and mixed seafood in a creamy tomato sauce with cheese.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz penne or rigatoni

→ Seafood

02 - 10.5 oz mixed seafood (shrimp, mussels, squid, scallops), thawed if frozen

→ Sauce

03 - 2 tbsp olive oil
04 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 14 oz canned chopped tomatoes
07 - 2/3 cup heavy cream
08 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
09 - 1 tsp dried oregano
10 - 1/2 tsp chili flakes (optional)
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Cheese Topping

12 - 3.5 oz mozzarella, grated
13 - 1.5 oz Parmesan, grated
14 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a large baking dish.
02 - Boil pasta in salted water, cooking 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook onion until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
04 - Add chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Stir in heavy cream and simmer for 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - Gently fold mixed seafood into the sauce and cook for 2–3 minutes until just opaque, taking care not to overcook.
07 - Toss the cooked pasta with the seafood sauce, then transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
08 - Evenly sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan over the top of the pasta mixture.
09 - Bake for 18–20 minutes until the topping is golden and bubbling.
10 - Allow to rest for 5 minutes before garnishing with chopped parsley and serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The seafood stays tender because it's added at just the right moment, so you get that delicate sweetness without rubberiness.
  • Everything comes together in one dish, which means less cleanup and more time enjoying what you've made.
  • That cheesy golden top hides a creamy tomato sauce underneath that tastes like you've been cooking all day when really it's less than an hour.
02 -
  • Undercooking the pasta by two minutes is crucial—the difference between a creamy bake and a mushy disappointment.
  • Never skip the rest period after baking; it's the difference between a sloppy casserole and something that actually holds together on your plate.
  • Add seafood last and cook it minimally, or you'll turn beautiful tender shrimp into little rubber bands.
03 -
  • If your cream is cold, temper it slightly by whisking a spoonful of hot sauce into it first, then stir it back in—this prevents curdling and keeps everything silky.
  • Fresh seafood is ideal, but frozen works beautifully too; just thaw it completely and pat it dry before cooking so it doesn't release excess water into the sauce.
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