Description

Creamy Seafood Stuffed Shells is a decadent Italian-inspired dish featuring jumbo pasta shells filled with a luscious blend of shrimp, lobster, crab, cream cheese, spinach, and mozzarella, all baked in a rich homemade cream sauce. This comforting and elegant recipe is perfect for seafood lovers looking to impress with a deliciously creamy, cheesy, and flavorful meal.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Pasta Sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons butter (divided into 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, or substitute with broth)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning (start with 1/4 teaspoon and adjust to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste

Shells and Filling

20 jumbo pasta shells (about a 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 (thawed and drained if frozen)
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)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to get ready for baking the stuffed shells.
Cook Pasta Shells: Boil the jumbo pasta shells according to package directions, but remove them 2 minutes before the shortest recommended cooking time to avoid overcooking. Immediately cool the shells in cold water to stop cooking and prevent sticking.
Make Cream Sauce: Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the flour and stir continuously until the mixture thickens. Slowly whisk in the heavy cream, almond milk, and white wine. Add minced garlic, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir until the sauce is smooth and set it aside.
Cook Seafood: In the same skillet, melt ½ tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Add the chopped shrimp and lobster, cooking for 3-4 minutes on each side until fully cooked. Remove seafood from the skillet.
Prepare Filling Mixture: In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, cooked shrimp and lobster, lump crab meat, chopped spinach, ½ cup shredded mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, Old Bay seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until evenly combined.
Assemble Shells: Pour the prepared pasta sauce evenly into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Stuff each pasta shell with 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons of the seafood filling and arrange them in the baking dish on top of the sauce.
Add Cheese Topping: Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the stuffed shells.
Bake: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes at 350°F. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is lightly browned and bubbly.
Cool and Serve: Allow the dish to cool slightly before serving. This helps the filling set and makes serving easier.

Notes

You can customize the seafood by substituting with your favorite types such as more shrimp, scallops, or omit lobster and crab as desired.
Using about 1 ½ tablespoons of filling per shell yields approximately 18-20 stuffed shells.
Old Bay seasoning can be added either during cooking the shrimp and lobster or mixed in the filling; both methods impart great flavor.
Cook pasta shells al dente to ensure they hold their shape during baking; overcooked pasta will become mushy and difficult to handle.
Cool pasta shells immediately with cold water after cooking to stop the cooking process and prevent sticking.
Covering the baking dish during baking helps keep the shells moist and tender; baking uncovered can dry them out.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving (about 3-4 stuffed shells)
Calories: 550 kcal
Sugar: 3 g
Sodium: 680 mg
Fat: 32 g
Saturated Fat: 15 g
Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 38 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 33 g
Cholesterol: 110 mg