Creamy Seafood Stuffed Shells (Print View)

Tender pasta shells filled with seafood and creamy cheeses baked in a rich 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:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
02 - Boil jumbo pasta shells in salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Set aside.
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 blended.
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.
05 - Bring sauce to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened (3-4 minutes). Stir in Parmesan, lemon zest, lemon juice, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat.
06 - Spread ⅓ of sauce over bottom of baking dish. Fill each shell with seafood mixture (about 2 tablespoons per shell) and arrange open side up in dish.
07 - Pour remaining sauce evenly over shells. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan.
08 - Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
09 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown.
10 - Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra parsley if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The combination of shrimp and crab in that creamy ricotta filling is absolutely luxurious
  • This looks impressive but comes together faster than you would expect
  • The white sauce with lemon zest brightens everything perfectly
02 -
  • Do not overcook the pasta shells initially because they will finish cooking in the oven
  • The filling needs to be cold when you stuff the shells so it does not melt and make a mess
  • Let the finished dish rest for 5 minutes before serving so the sauce sets slightly
03 -
  • Use a piping bag or zip top bag with the corner cut off to fill the shells quickly and neatly
  • The red pepper flakes are subtle but add a nice warmth, do not skip them

Go Back