Seafood Pasta Bake (Printable Version)

Tender mixed seafood and pasta baked in rich tomato sauce topped with melted cheese.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz penne or rigatoni pasta

→ Seafood

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

→ Sauce

03 - 2 tablespoons 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 tablespoons tomato paste
09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - 1/2 teaspoon 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 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# Method Steps:

01 - Preheat the 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 in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté finely chopped onion for 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
04 - Incorporate chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, dried oregano, chili flakes (if using), salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Stir in heavy cream and simmer the sauce for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper accordingly.
06 - Fold in the mixed seafood carefully, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes until just opaque; avoid overcooking.
07 - Toss the cooked pasta with the seafood sauce until evenly coated. Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
08 - Evenly distribute grated mozzarella and Parmesan over the pasta mixture.
09 - Place the dish in the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes until the topping is golden and bubbling.
10 - Allow the bake to rest for 5 minutes before garnishing with chopped fresh parsley and serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's fancy enough to impress but comes together faster than most people expect.
  • The seafood stays buttery and tender because you're not overcooking it—the oven just kisses it with heat.
  • Once it's in the dish, there's almost no last-minute fussing, which means you can actually sit down with your guests.
02 -
  • Seafood overcooks in seconds—the moment it's opaque is the moment to stop, or you'll have rubber in your beautiful dish.
  • Cooking the pasta slightly under is non-negotiable; it keeps the final texture perfect instead of mushy.
  • The five-minute rest lets the sauce redistribute and the flavors calm into something balanced instead of chaotic.
03 -
  • Buy your seafood the day you plan to cook; frozen works, but fresh has a sweetness that elevates everything.
  • Don't skip the parsley at the end—it's not decoration, it's the final bright note that makes the whole dish sing.
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