Creamy Seafood Stuffed Shells (Printable)
Tender pasta shells stuffed with shrimp, crab, creamy cheeses, baked in a rich white sauce.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 16 jumbo pasta shells
→ Seafood Filling
02 - 8 oz cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped
03 - 4 oz lump crab meat
04 - 8 oz ricotta cheese
05 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened
06 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 1 egg, lightly beaten
08 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
09 - 2 tbsp chopped chives or green onions
10 - 1 clove garlic, minced
11 - ½ tsp salt
12 - ¼ tsp black pepper
13 - ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
→ Sauce
14 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
15 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
16 - 1½ cups whole milk
17 - ½ cup heavy cream
18 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
19 - 1 tsp lemon zest
20 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
21 - ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
22 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ Topping
23 - ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
24 - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Boil jumbo pasta shells in salted water until al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking process. Set aside.
03 - Combine shrimp, crab, ricotta, cream cheese, Parmesan, egg, parsley, chives, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly until fully incorporated.
04 - Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
05 - Slowly whisk in milk and heavy cream until smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens approximately 3–4 minutes.
06 - Stir in Parmesan, lemon zest, lemon juice, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat immediately.
07 - Spread one-third of the sauce evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
08 - Fill each pasta shell with approximately 2 tablespoons of seafood mixture. Arrange stuffed shells open side up in the baking dish.
09 - Pour remaining sauce evenly over shells. Sprinkle mozzarella and additional Parmesan cheese across the top.
10 - Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
11 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
12 - Let stand for 5 minutes before serving to allow flavors to set. Garnish with extra parsley if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The combination of shrimp and crab feels luxurious without requiring restaurant level technique or budget
- Lemon brightens the rich white sauce cutting through the cream so every bite feels balanced
- These reheat beautifully for lunch the next day if they last that long
02 -
- Overcooking the shells before stuffing makes them tear apart so aim for slightly underdone al dente
- The filling needs to be well chilled before stuffing or it becomes difficult to work with
- Letting the dish rest for 5 minutes after baking helps the sauce set slightly so serving is neater
03 -
- Room temperature cream cheese blends much smoother into the filling than cold straight from the fridge
- Use a piping bag or zip top bag with the corner snipped for the neatest stuffed shells
- Grating your own Parmesan makes a noticeable difference in melting and flavor