The Best Seafood Pasta Recipe (original) (raw)

This post contains affiliate links.

This easy Seafood Pasta recipe is perfect when you want a quick and easy gourmet meal; it can be ready to eat in under 30-minutes.

Seafood Pasta is your mic drop moment.

I can't think of a dinner that's this impressive, but also easy to make! It's one of my favorite pasta recipes to reserve for special occasions; it's light, fresh, and truly tastes gourmet.

You can mix and match whatever seafood you like but I love the combination of shrimp, scallops, mussels and clams. If you don't have fresh seafood near you, Costco has a good quality and well priced bag of frozen mixed seafood.

Don't miss my other seafood recipes like Lobster Tails, Cioppino, Shrimp and Grits, Clam Chowder and Seared Scallops.

How to make Seafood Pasta:

Cook Pasta: Cook pasta according to package instructions in a large pot of salted boiling water, until al dente. Drain noodles but reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.

Cook Seafood: Season shrimp and scallops with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp and scallops, cooking for 2 minutes per side (shrimp should be pink and both should be opaque). Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm. Add remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and shallots to pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes then add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add wine and bring to a simmer, cooking for a few minutes. Add clams and mussels then cover with a lid and cook for 4-5 minutes, until the shells open. Remove mussels and clams to the plate of seafood. Toss out any shells that didn't open.

Make Sauce: Combine cream with 1 teaspoon cornstarch, then add to pan along with bouillon and ¾ cup parmesan, stirring until sauce has slightly thickened. Taste sauce and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Toss the pasta and lemon zest in the sauce then add seafood. Garnish with parsley and more parm.

We serve this creamy seafood pasta with a side of artisan bread.

• ▢ 1 lb linguine noodles, , spaghetti or fettucine

• ▢ 4 Tablespoons butter, , divided

• ▢ 1/2 lb uncooked shrimp, , peeled and deveined

• ▢ 1/2 lb scallops, , pat dry

• ▢ ½ lb mussels, , cleaned and beards removed

• ▢ ½ lb clams

• ▢ kosher salt

• ▢ freshly ground black pepper

• ▢ 1 shallot, , diced

• ▢ 4 cloves garlic, , minced

• ▢ ¾ cup dry white wine, (174g)

• ▢ 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, (284g), half and half or milk

• ▢ 1 teaspoon cornstarch

• ▢ 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon paste

• ▢ 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, (100g), divided

• ▢ lemon zest, , from ½ of a lemon

• ▢ 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley, (15g), plus more for garnish

• Cook Pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions, until al dente. Drain noodles but reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.
  1 lb linguine noodles

• Cook Shrimp and Scallops: Season shrimp and scallops with a pinch of salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp and scallops and cook for about 2 minutes per side (until shrimp is pink and both are opaque), then transfer to a plate. Cover with foil to keep warm.
  ½ lb uncooked shrimp, ½ lb scallops, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, 4 Tablespoons butter

• Cook Clams and Mussels: Add remaining 3 tablespoons butter to skillet. Add shallot and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add wine and bring to a simmer, cooking for a few minutes. Add clams and mussels then cover with a lid and cook for 4-5 minutes, until shells open. Remove mussels and clams to the plate with the other seafood (discard any shells that didn’t open).
  ½ lb clams, 1 shallot, 4 cloves garlic, ¾ cup dry white wine, ½ lb mussels

• Make Sauce: Stir 1 teaspoon cornstarch into the cream. Add cream mixture, bouillon, and ¾ cup of the parmesan to the pan and cook until sauce has slightly thickened. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
  1 ¼ cups heavy cream, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon paste, 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• Serve: Add pasta and lemon zest and toss to coat. Add some of the reserved pasta water, if needed, to thin the sauce. Add seafood. Garnish with parsley and remaining parmesan. Enjoy.
  ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley, lemon zest

Variations:

• • Add Veggies: Feel free to add in tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, sundried tomatoes, capers, or olives.
• • Seafood: Add small pieces of white fish, or calamari rings.
• • Cajun Seafood Pasta: Add a sprinkle of cajun seasoning to the shrimp and scallops while cooking.

Calories: 693kcal, Carbohydrates: 65g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 32g, Saturated Fat: 19g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 154mg, Sodium: 873mg, Potassium: 491mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 1434IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 240mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Text me new recipe ideas!

Simple, tasty ideas sent once a week. No spam.

Text Signup

I originally shared this recipe December 2022. Updated May 2025.

Related Posts

Published May 14, 2025

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.