Seafood Pasta

Creamy Seafood Pasta ready in under 30 minutes! Loaded with shrimp, scallops, mussels, and plenty of cheese, it is a quick and easy pasta recipe to enjoy for weeknight dinner or a special occasion!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 629kcal

Author John Kanell

Equipment

Large Pot
Large skillet

Ingredients

8 ounces linguine noodles (225g)
8 ounces uncooked large shrimp peeled and deveined (225g)
8 ounces scallops patted dry (225g)
¾ teaspoon salt divided
½ teaspoon ground black pepper divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves minced
¾ cup heavy cream (180mL)
½ cup dry white wine (120mL)
½ cup chicken broth (120mL)
12 mussels scrubbed and debearded (225g)
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese plus more to serve (60g)
½ teaspoon lemon zest
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Lemon wedges to serve

Instructions

Boil the linguine in a large pot of salted water according to the package directions. Drain, reserving ¼ cup pasta water.
Meanwhile, sprinkle the shrimp and scallops with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and scallops and cook, flipping halfway through cooking, until the scallops are browned and the shrimp is pink and opaque, about 1½ minutes on each side. Remove from skillet and set aside.
Add the garlic to the skillet and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the cream, wine, and broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes.
Add the mussels. Cover and cook until the mussels open, about 2 minutes. Remove mussels with a slotted spoon from the skillet and set aside. Discard any that did not open during cooking.
Gradually whisk in the parmesan and ¼ cup of reserved pasta water to the cream sauce in the skillet. Whisk in the lemon zest, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper to skillet, and continue whisking until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth. Add the cooked pasta, tossing to coat.
Stir in the shrimp, scallops, and mussels. Garnish with parsley and serve with lemon wedges and more parmesan.

Notes

Use fresh seafood. Fresh is best for optimal flavor. Mussels should always be fresh, but you can also use frozen shrimp and scallops in a pinch. Thaw completely before preparing and cooking.
Heavily salt the pasta water. Properly salting the water adds significant flavor to the pasta and the dish so always make sure to stir in enough salt before bringing the water to a boil. I recommend 1-2 tablespoons for every gallon of water.
Spice it up. Add red pepper flakes or cajun seasoning to the shrimp and scallops while cooking them, or mix into the sauce for extra heat.
Gradually mix in parmesan. When making the sauce, slowly add the cheese to the skillet as you stir it in to prevent it from clumping up. This will give the sauce the best even, smooth texture.
Optional: remove the mussels from the skillet when mixing in the cheese. The cheese can get stuck in the mussel shells when stirring it in, which is why I remove them from the pan before stirring in the cheese. If doing so, carefully transfer them with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Once the cheese sauce is smooth and creamy you can gently fold them back in.
Optional variations. Try mixing in sundried or fresh tomato, spinach, capers, olives, or mushrooms when cooking the cream sauce. Additionally, add chunks of white fish, lobster, or calamari rings to switch up the seafood.

Nutrition