Recipes › Seafood › Creamy Seafood Pasta Recipe

Creamy Seafood Pasta Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

This Italian-inspired creamy seafood pasta combines tender shrimp, scallops, and mussels in a silky white wine and cream sauce that coats fresh pasta perfectly. The dish balances the delicate brininess of the seafood with a rich, luxurious sauce enriched with butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano, creating an elegant meal ready in under 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• 400 g dried linguine or fettuccine
• 300 g large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 250 g sea scallops, halved horizontally if large
• 200 g mussels, cleaned and beards removed
• 100 ml dry white wine
• 300 ml heavy cream
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 30 g butter
• 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 60 g Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
• 15 ml fresh lemon juice
• 2 g saffron threads (optional)
• 4 g sea salt
• 2 g black pepper
• 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• red pepper flakes to taste

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the dried pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente, approximately 10-12 minutes. Reserve 120 ml of pasta cooking water before draining.

2. While pasta cooks, heat the olive oil and 15 g of butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly.

3. Add the shrimp and scallops to the skillet in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until the shrimp is opaque and the scallops are just cooked through, then transfer to a clean plate.

4. Pour the white wine into the same skillet and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to deglaze, capturing all the flavorful browned bits. Let the wine reduce by half, approximately 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Add the mussels to the skillet and cover with a lid. Cook for 3-4 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the mussel shells open. Discard any unopened shells.

6. Reduce heat to medium. Pour in the heavy cream and stir to combine with the wine and mussel liquor. If using saffron, crumble it directly into the sauce. Simmer uncovered for 2 minutes.

7. Return the shrimp and scallops to the skillet. Add the remaining 15 g of butter and stir until melted and fully incorporated into the sauce, approximately 1 minute. Season with lemon juice, additional salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.

8. Add the cooked pasta directly to the seafood and sauce. Toss gently using two spoons or pasta tongs, adding pasta cooking water 30 ml at a time until the sauce lightly coats the pasta without pooling at the bottom, approximately 60-90 ml total.

9. Remove from heat. Sprinkle the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano over the pasta and toss gently to combine. Divide among four warmed pasta bowls.

10. Garnish each serving with fresh flat-leaf parsley, a crack of black pepper, and a small pinch of red pepper flakes if desired. Serve immediately with additional grated cheese on the side.

Substitutions

• Use medium shrimp instead of large shrimp, reducing cook time to 2 minutes per side.
• Substitute heavy cream with a mixture of 150 ml crème fraîche and 150 ml whole milk for a slightly lighter sauce.
• Replace scallops with 200 g of diced squid rings, cooking for 4-5 minutes until tender.
• Use 300 g of firm white fish such as halibut or monkfish cut into bite-sized pieces instead of scallops.

Tips

• Do not overcook the shrimp and scallops; they continue to cook residually when combined with the hot sauce. Shrimp are done when opaque and firm; scallops when they turn from translucent to opaque.
• Reserve pasta water before draining; the starch in pasta water helps the cream sauce adhere to the pasta and creates a silky texture without adding more cream.
• For the best flavor, use fresh seafood on the day of purchase. If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and pat dry with paper towels before cooking to prevent excess water in the sauce.
• Keep all ingredients and equipment at the ready before starting to cook, as this dish comes together quickly once the seafood hits the pan.

Creamy seafood pasta reflects the cooking traditions of Italy's coastal regions, particularly Liguria and the Campania coast, where fresh Mediterranean seafood is combined with regional specialties like local cream and white wines. While Italian coastal cuisine traditionally emphasizes the natural flavors of seafood with lighter preparations, the creamy version evolved in modern trattorie and represents a richer, contemporary interpretation of classic Italian seafood pasta.

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