Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Baked seafood stuffed shells fill a large white 9x13 baking dish that sits atop a dark gray textured surface. The stuffed seafood shells have been garnished with finely chopped fresh parsley. A large gold serving spoon rests atop the baking dish and a red and white muted linen napkin rests alongside.

Baked Seafood-Stuffed Shells with Béchamel Sauce

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 45 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: serves 6-8 1x
  • Category: Pasta Dishes, Main Dishes, Seafood Recipes
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Italian-American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

This recipe for Seafood Stuffed Shells is the ultimate pasta dinner! Cooked jumbo pasta shells are stuffed with a seafood filling made of shrimp, scallops, and lump crab (or any other seafood you love) and baked in a creamy, white Old bay béchamel sauce until golden brown and bubbling. This baked seafood pasta is decadent, comforting and a terrific meal for special occasions, but easy enough for a weekday dinner or date night at home.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 ounces jumbo pasta shells (approx. 22 shells)
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • ½ small yellow onion, finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
  • 8 ounces shrimp, thawed if frozen, peeled, deveined, and cut into ½-inch pieces (see Recipe Notes)
  • 8 ounces bay scallops, thawed if frozen and cut into ½-inch pieces if necessary (see Recipe Notes)
  • 8 ounces lump crab meat (see Recipe Notes)
  • ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
  • ⅓ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
  • ½ lemon, juiced
  • seafood bechemel, below
  • crispy breadcrumbs, below
  • kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season

for the seafood béchamel sauce:

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup clam juice (see Recipe Notes)
  • 2 cups half and half
  • 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
  • kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season

for the crispy breadcrumbs:

  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season

Instructions

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, ensuring a rack is positioned in the center of the oven. Spray a 9×13 oven-safe and broiler-safe casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. If using frozen seafood, thaw (see Recipe Notes) and use a paper towel to pat as dry as possible. Set aside. Gather and prep remaining ingredients (e.g. dice veggies, measure liquid ingredients, etc.) and set within an arm’s reach of the stovetop.Seafood stuffed shells ingredients arranged on a dark gray textured surface: jumbo pasta shells, unsalted butter, yellow onion, garlic, shrimp, bay scallops, lump crab meat, fresh parsley, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Old Bay seasoning, lemon, unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, clam juice, and half & half.
  2. Boil the pasta: Generously season a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Add the jumbo shells and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is 2-3 minutes under al dente (“al dente” cooking time is typically included in package directions). Drain the pasta – do not rinse! – and set aside. (Learn more ⇢ How to Cook Pasta Perfectly Every Single Time!)Drained jumbo pasta shells for stuffed seafood shells fill a large white colander. The colander sits atop a dark gray textured surface.
  3. Prepare the seafood filling: Meanwhile, as the pasta cooks, prepare the seafood filling. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and season with a good pinch of salt and ground black pepper as desired. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes, until golden and softened. Add the garlic, and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Stir in the scallops and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the shrimp and cook for 30 seconds longer. Transfer to a large mixing bowl with the crab meat, fresh parsley, mayonnaise, Dijon, Old Bay, and lemon juice. Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Set aside.Seafood filling for seafood stuffed shells fills a large clear glass mixing bowl that sits atop a dark gray textured surface.
  4. Prepare the seafood béchamel sauce: Use a paper towel to carefully wipe the skillet used to prep the seafood filling, then return to medium heat and add the butter. Once melted, add in the flour, whisking vigorously to eliminate any lumps in the roux. Cook the roux for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until golden brown. While whisking constantly to eliminate any lumps, slowly add the clam juice and half and half to the skillet. Season with 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ground black pepper as desired. Cook 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened to the point that it coats the back of a spoon (nappe). Remove from the heat and set aside.Seafood béchamel sauce for seafood stuffed shells fills a large gray skillet that sits atop a dark gray textured surface. A metal whisk rests atop the skillet for mixing.
  5. Prepare the crispy breadcrumbs: To a small bowl, add the panko breadcrumbs and melted butter. Season with a good pinch of salt and ground black pepper as desired. Toss to combine well, coating the breadcrumbs with butter. Set aside.Crispy breadcrumbs are mixed inside of a small ceramic bowl that sits atop a dark gray textured surface. A gold spoon rests inside of the bowl for mixing.
  6. Seafood stuffed shells assembly: Pour 1 cup of the seafood béchamel into the prepared baking dish, spreading it out to coat the bottom of the pan. Generously stuff the par-cooked jumbo shells with the prepared seafood filling. Nestle the stuffed shells in a single layer in the baking dish, seafood side facing up. Pour the remaining seafood béchamel over the stuffed shells, then sprinkle the crispy panko breadcrumbs over top each shell.Assembled seafood stuffed shells fill a 9x13 baking dish atop a layer of seafood béchamel sauce. The stuffed seafood shells have been covered in more seafood béchamel sauce and breadcrumbs. The baking dish sits atop a dark gray textured surface.
  7. Bake the stuffed shells: Transfer the casserole dish to the oven and bake 30 minutes, or until the seafood is cooked through, the sauce is bubbly, and the breadcrumbs are golden brown. If desired, turn the broiler on for 2-3 minutes, keeping a close eye on it as it broils to make sure it doesn’t burn, until it’s as bubbly and golden brown as you like.Baked seafood stuffed shells fill a large white 9x13 baking dish that sits atop a dark gray textured surface. The stuffed seafood shells have been garnished with finely chopped fresh parsley. A large gold serving spoon rests atop the baking dish and a red and white muted linen napkin rests alongside.
  8. Serve: Carefully remove the stuffed shells from the oven. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes, then serve immediately. Enjoy!An overhead shot of seafood stuffed shells served inside of a shallow red bowl that sits atop a dark gray surface. The shells are served alongside a simple green salad with a gold fork resting inside of the bowl. The bowl is surrounded by another red bowl, a gold fork, a small wooden pinch bowl filled with kosher salt, a red and white muted linen napkin, and a white 9x13 baking dish filled with seafood stuffed shells.

Equipment

Notes

  • Ingredient Notes: 
    • Seafood: The beauty of seafood stuffed shells is that they’re pretty versatile! While we like the combination of scallops, shrimp, and lump crab meat, you can use whatever seafood you like most – provided it’s hearty enough to hold up to a 30-minute bake. Swap lump crab meat with lobster, swap scallops with 1-inch pieces of hearty white fish, swap shrimp with langoustines, etc. – have fun with it and use whatever looks best to you at the grocery store or fish market, aiming for about 1 ½ pounds seafood total. If you don’t live on the coasts, consider using frozen seafood, which is often fresher than what’s available at the seafood counter of a conventional grocery store – see below for thawing guidance.
    • Thawing frozen seafood: The fastest and safest way to thaw frozen seafood is to place it in a zip-top bag and submerge in cool water. The steady, cool temperature of the water creates a really controlled environment for the frozen seafood to come up to room temperature. This is better from a food safety standpoint, since it limits bacterial growth. Refresh the water every 10 minutes or so, until the seafood is completely thawed – 25-30 minutes, tops!
    • Clam juice: Aside from the seafood, the clam juice is what give these stuffed shells rich seafood flavor. Check your local fish market or purchase online (the brand we use is linked above).
  • Make-Ahead, Storage, and Freezing:
    • Make-Ahead Instructions: Seafood stuffed shells can be assembled up to 1 day in advance and baked off just before serving. To make ahead of time, complete Steps 2-6 of Recipe Directions above. Allow to cool, then cover and store in the refrigerator overnight. Bake as directed in Steps 1 and 7, above, adding an extra 5-10 minutes of baking time as needed to heat through the center of the dish.
    • Storage and Reheating: Leftover seafood stuffed shells will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
    • Freezer Instructions: You can also freeze leftover seafood stuffed shells for an easy dinner down the road. Simply transfer leftover the leftover stuffed shells into a freezer container – I love using these freezer containers to freeze individual portions. Freeze up to 3 months.

Find it online: https://playswellwithbutter.com/seafood-stuffed-shells/