Recipes › Pasta › Seafood Fettuccine Recipe

Seafood Fettuccine Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

This elegant Seafood Fettuccine combines tender shrimp, scallops, and fresh mussels in a light white wine and garlic sauce with hand-rolled fettuccine pasta. The dish balances briny seafood flavors with delicate herbs and a touch of lemon, creating a refined yet approachable Italian main course. Fresh ingredients and careful timing ensure each component retains its natural texture and flavor.

Ingredients

• 400g fresh fettuccine pasta (or 350g dried)
• 300g large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 250g sea scallops, side muscle removed
• 300g fresh mussels, cleaned and debearded
• 60ml extra virgin olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 150ml dry white wine
• 150ml fish or seafood stock
• 30g fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 15ml fresh lemon juice
• 5g lemon zest
• 6g sea salt
• 3g black pepper
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• 30g unsalted butter
• 15g fresh basil leaves, torn

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add fettuccine and cook until just al dente (3-4 minutes for fresh pasta, 9-11 minutes for dried). Reserve 120ml pasta water, then drain and set aside.

2. While pasta cooks, pat shrimp and scallops completely dry with paper towels. Season both with salt and black pepper on all sides.

3. Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches, sear shrimp for 90 seconds per side until just pink. Transfer to a clean plate without crowding the pan.

4. In the same skillet, sear scallops for 2 minutes per side until golden exterior forms. Transfer to the plate with shrimp.

5. Reduce heat to medium. Add sliced garlic and red pepper flakes to the skillet, stirring constantly for 45 seconds until fragrant. Pour in white wine and use a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan, scraping up all browned bits.

6. Add fish stock to the skillet and bring to a gentle simmer. Add mussels, cover with a lid, and cook for 4-5 minutes until all mussels have opened (discard any that remain closed). Remove lid.

7. Return shrimp and scallops to the skillet. Stir in drained fettuccine, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Add butter and toss continuously for 1-2 minutes until pasta is well coated and seafood is heated through.

8. If sauce appears too thick, add reserved pasta water 30ml at a time until reaching desired consistency. The sauce should be slightly glossy and coat the pasta lightly.

9. Remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Stir in half the fresh parsley and all the torn basil.

10. Divide fettuccine and seafood evenly among four warm bowls or plates. Spoon sauce over each portion and garnish with remaining fresh parsley and a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Substitutions

• Substitute shrimp with additional scallops or white fish fillets cut into bite-sized pieces for shellfish preferences
• Use vegetable or chicken stock instead of seafood stock if unavailable
• Replace fettuccine with linguine, tagliatelle, or spaghetti for pasta variation
• Substitute mussels with clams or additional shrimp for different bivalve options

Tips

• Pat seafood dry before searing to achieve proper caramelization and prevent steaming in the pan
• Cook seafood in batches rather than crowding the skillet to maintain even heat and avoid lowering pan temperature
• Reserve pasta water before draining—its starch helps emulsify the sauce and creates a silky coating on the noodles
• Add seafood back to the pan only in the final minutes to prevent overcooking and maintain tender texture

Seafood Fettuccine represents the cucina di mare tradition of Italian coastal cooking, particularly from regions like Sicily, Campania, and Liguria where Mediterranean seafood has been celebrated for centuries. The dish balances the luxury of mixed shellfish with the simplicity of a light sauce, embodying the Italian philosophy of letting quality ingredients shine without heavy embellishment.

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