Why We Love This Seafood Stuffed Shells Recipe
Want to serve your family something that tastes luxurious but is also a cozy crowd-pleaser? This is the recipe for you! Fabulous silky Seafood Stuffed Shells are loaded with fresh shrimp, crab, and cheese. Then kissed with a delicate creamy seafood sauce and baked to perfection. While jumbo stuffed shells might seem a bit intimidating, this recipe is remarkably easy to make! It takes only an hour to prepare from start to finish, and serves beautifully both an elegant and comforting dish.
Ingredients You Need
For the Seafood Shells
Jumbo pasta shells Butter Sweet onion Garlic – freshly minced Raw shrimp – chopped Crab meat – fresh, claw crab meat if you can find it Cream cheese – for a creamy texture Grated parmesan cheese Fresh chopped parsley Old Bay seasoning – for loads of flavor Crushed red pepper – optional, if you like a little spice!
Pro Tip: We used a combination of shrimp and crab meat because it is readily available to us, but feel free to use equal amounts of any variety of seafood, chopped into small pieces.
For the Seafood Sauce
Butter Flour – to thicken the sauce Seafood stock – for the best flavor, or you can use chicken or vegetable broth Cooking sherry Tomato sauce Heavy cream Old Bay seasoning Parmesan cheese
Best Crab Meat to Use
We suggest purchasing fresh wild-caught claw crabmeat. This has the most meaty pieces and the hard work is already done. However, you do need to watch out for little bits of shells. You can also choose jumbo lump crab meat, but this is more expensive and will need to be chopped before cooking.
How to Make Seafood Stuffed Shells
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set out a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Then set a large pot of water over high heat and bring it to a boil. Do not salt the water! Once the water is boiling, drop the jumbo pasta shells into the water and cook according to the package instructions. I usually like to throw in a couple of extra shells just in case any of them break. Once cooked, drain the shells and place them open-side-up in the baking dish. Meanwhile, make the shrimp and crab meat filling. Set a large skillet (or sauté pan) over medium heat. Place 2 tablespoons of butter in the skillet. Once melted, add the diced onion and garlic to the skillet. Stir and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Then stir in the chopped shrimp pieces. Stir and sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes until cooked and pink. Now stir in the crab meat, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, Old Bay seasoning, chopped parsley, and crushed red pepper. Gently stir until the cream cheese melts and the seafood is well coated in the sauce. Turn off the heat. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of seafood mixture into each jumbo shell. If you have extra filling, it’s OK to go back and add more filling where needed. Next, make the seafood sauce. Rinse out the skillet and set it back on the stove over medium heat. Add the butter and flour. As the butter melts, whisk it together with the flour to create a smooth roux. Continue to whisk the roux around the pan until it reaches a golden brown color. Then whisk in the seafood stock, cooking sherry, tomato sauce, heavy cream, and Old Bay seasoning. Continue to whisk until the sauce comes to a simmer. Allow the sauce to simmer low for 4-6 minutes to thicken, then turn off the heat. Carefully pour the seafood sauce over the top of each stuffed shell. Then sprinkle the top with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake the shells, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling around the edges of the dish.
Recipe Variations and Tips
We like a combination of shrimp and crab meat, but you can use equal amounts of any variety of seafood, such as crawfish meat, scallops, lobster, or clams. Chop it into small pieces before cooking. Swap seafood stock with more budget-friendly chicken or veggie stock. Use gluten-free jumbo pasta shells, if you like. If you want it cheesier, you can add shredded mozzarella cheese to the top along with the parmesan cheese before baking! Do not overcook the seafood mix! The cooking goes very quickly, and the heat should be turned off immediately. Don’t overstuff the shells! They should be plump, but not close to overflowing.
Serving Suggestions
Pair crab and shrimp stuffed jumbo shells with a fresh salad and crusty bread. These simple side dishes really bring the restaurant-style ambiance! You definitely can’t go wrong with Homemade Breadsticks or Garlic Bread. And who could resist a warm basket of Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits? To lighten things up, pair it with a fresh salad like a classic Steakhouse Caesar Salad, Ultimate Wedge Salad, or a Crunchy Bell Pepper Salad!
Looking for More Delicious Pasta Recipes? Be Sure to Try:
Avocado Pesto Stuffed Shells Best Lobster Ravioli Sauce Clam Pasta (Alle Vongole) Seafood Marinara (with Shrimp) Skillet Shrimp Fra Diavolo Mexican-style Stuffed Shells
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