Seafood Pasta Bake (Print Version)

A comforting mix of seafood and pasta baked with creamy tomato sauce and a cheesy topping.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz penne or rigatoni

→ Seafood

02 - 10.5 oz mixed seafood (shrimp, mussels, squid, scallops), thawed

→ Sauce

03 - 2 tbsp olive oil
04 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 14 oz canned chopped tomatoes
07 - 2/3 cup heavy cream
08 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
09 - 1 tsp dried oregano
10 - 1/2 tsp chili flakes (optional)
11 - Salt, to taste
12 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Cheese Topping

13 - 3.5 oz mozzarella, grated
14 - 1.5 oz Parmesan, grated
15 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a large baking dish thoroughly.
02 - Boil pasta in salted water, cooking 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Sauté onion for 3 minutes until soft, then add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
04 - Add chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
05 - Stir heavy cream into the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.
06 - Fold in mixed seafood and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until just opaque, avoiding overcooking.
07 - Mix cooked pasta thoroughly with the sauce and seafood, then transfer to the prepared baking dish.
08 - Evenly sprinkle grated mozzarella and Parmesan over the pasta mixture.
09 - Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes until bubbling and golden on top.
10 - Remove from oven and rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The oven does most of the work while you pour a glass of wine and take a breath.
  • Seafood stays tender because it barely kisses the pan before the oven gently finishes cooking it.
  • That crispy cheese top over creamy sauce underneath feels indulgent but comes together faster than you'd expect.
02 -
  • Seafood is fast, which means if you're not paying attention, it goes from perfect to rubbery in the time it takes to answer your phone.
  • Undercooking the pasta seems wrong until you remember the oven is going to finish the job—trust that instinct every time.
  • Cream can look like it's separated in the sauce and then come back together when the oven warms it; don't panic and dump it out.
03 -
  • A splash of white wine added to the sauce before the cream deepens everything without making it taste winey—it just rounds out the edges.
  • Don't thaw frozen seafood until the moment you need it; keeping it cold means it stays tender when it cooks.
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