Description
Creamy seafood stuffed shells bring Italian coastal flavors to your dinner table. Jumbo pasta shells packed with tender shrimp, crab, and ricotta cheese create a luxurious Mediterranean-inspired meal you’ll savor with each delightful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup lump crab meat
- 1 cup cooked shrimp, chopped
- 20 jumbo pasta shells (cooked al dente)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 cups whole milk (473 ml)
- 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsps butter
- 2 tbsps all-purpose flour
- 2 green onions (finely chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley (chopped)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Seafood Filling Preparation: Delicately combine chopped shrimp, crab meat, ricotta, mozzarella, green onions, garlic, parsley, and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper, ensuring a harmonious blend of flavors and textures.
- White Sauce Creation: Develop a silky sauce by creating a golden roux with butter and flour. Gradually incorporate milk, stirring consistently to maintain smoothness. Simmer until thickened, then enrich with Parmesan, nutmeg, and seasoning. Allow sauce to rest and develop depth.
- Assembly and Initial Baking: Warm the oven to 375F. Spread a thin sauce layer in a baking dish. Carefully stuff pasta shells with the seafood mixture, arranging them snugly. Drench the shells completely with remaining sauce. Generously top with additional mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes to meld flavors intensely.
- Final Baking and Finishing: Remove foil and continue baking until cheese transforms into a bubbling, golden crust. After removing from oven, let the dish rest briefly to set and concentrate flavors. Garnish with fresh parsley for a vibrant visual and aromatic finale. Serve immediately to showcase the luxurious seafood and cheese layers.
Notes
- Seafood Selection Matters: Choose fresh, high-quality shrimp and crab meat for the most robust flavor and best texture in your stuffed shells.
- Prevent Watery Filling: Pat seafood dry before mixing to avoid excess moisture that could make the filling runny and compromise the dish’s consistency.
- Cheese Melting Technique: Grate cheese fresh for superior melting and more even distribution across the stuffed shells, creating a more luxurious experience.
- Dietary Adaptation: For gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with cornstarch or gluten-free flour blend in the white sauce and use gluten-free pasta shells.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 890 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg