Seafood pasta bake (Printable)

Comforting seafood and pasta combined with creamy tomato sauce and a golden cheesy topping.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz penne or rigatoni

→ Seafood

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

→ 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 and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Cheese Topping

12 - 3.5 oz mozzarella, grated
13 - 1.5 oz Parmesan, grated
14 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a large baking dish.
02 - Boil pasta in salted water, cooking 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
04 - Add chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Stir in heavy cream and simmer for 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - Gently fold in the seafood and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until just opaque, taking care not to overcook.
07 - Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce and seafood mixture. Transfer everything into the prepared baking dish.
08 - Evenly sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan over the surface.
09 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until the topping is bubbling and golden brown.
10 - Let rest for 5 minutes before garnishing with chopped parsley and serving.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent all day cooking but takes less time than a movie.
  • The seafood stays tender while the pasta drinks in every drop of that creamy tomato magic.
  • One dish, one oven, and your whole table is happy.
02 -
  • Undercooking the pasta by those 2 minutes is non-negotiable—it's the difference between creamy and mushy.
  • Seafood cooks in seconds; the moment it turns opaque, stop. I learned this the hard way with rubbery squid.
  • Don't skip the 5-minute rest—it lets the cheese set and the flavors settle into harmony.
03 -
  • Keep your oven temperature accurate—too hot and the cheese burns before the pasta heats through; too cool and it never gets that golden bubble.
  • Freshly grated cheese melts and browns better than pre-shredded, which contains anti-caking agents that prevent that perfect melt.
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