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Creamy Seafood-Stuffed Shells Recipe

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4 from 22 reviews

This Creamy Seafood-Stuffed Shells recipe features jumbo pasta shells filled with a luscious mixture of crabmeat, shrimp, and cream cheese, layered in a rich, tomato-cream cognac sauce, and baked to bubbly perfection with Parmesan cheese. A delightful seafood casserole perfect for special dinners or entertaining with a sophisticated yet comforting flavor profile.

  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Seafood Filling

  • 8 ounces lump crabmeat, roughly chopped
  • 8 ounces shrimp, roughly chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced, divided
  • Juice from ½ lemon
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes
  • 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, divided
  • 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, divided
  • Salt and pepper, as needed

Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • ½ cup cognac
  • 1 (28-ounce) can tomato purée
  • ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
  • Remaining 1 tablespoon parsley
  • Remaining 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Others

  • 6 ounces jumbo pasta shells (about 20 shells), cooked
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the stuffed shells.
  2. Cook seafood mixture: Heat a thin layer of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped shrimp, lump crabmeat, and 2 cloves of minced garlic. Cook until the shrimp turns pink and garlic becomes fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, then add cream cheese cubes. Stir continuously until the cream cheese is completely melted, about 3-4 minutes. Season with Old Bay seasoning, 1 tablespoon of parsley, 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat once combined well.
  3. Prepare the sauce base: In a deep skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 cloves of minced garlic and diced onion. Cook until softened and translucent.
  4. Add tomato paste and deglaze: Stir in tomato paste and cook until it begins to stick to the pan bottom, approximately 3 minutes. Pour in cognac to deglaze the skillet, bringing it to a simmer and allow the liquid to reduce by about half.
  5. Finish the sauce: Add tomato purée and heavy cream to the skillet, bringing the mixture to a simmer. Stir in the remaining red pepper flakes and parsley. Let the sauce thicken over about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Assemble the casserole: Spread a layer of the tomato cream sauce on the bottom of a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Stuff each cooked jumbo shell with the seafood-cream cheese mixture using a small spoon, filling them fully but avoiding overstuffing. Nestle the stuffed shells into the sauce evenly in the dish.
  7. Add cheese and bake: Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese evenly over the stuffed shells. Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cheese has melted and started to brown slightly.
  8. Garnish and serve: Remove the casserole from the oven, then garnish with additional chopped parsley and red pepper flakes for a touch of color and heat. Serve warm and enjoy.

Notes

  • Make sure to cook the jumbo shells al dente to avoid them becoming too soft after baking.
  • Use fresh seafood for best flavor, but frozen can be substituted if thawed completely before cooking.
  • The cognac adds depth to the sauce, but you can substitute with a dry white wine if preferred.
  • Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes based on your preferred spice level.
  • This dish pairs wonderfully with a light green salad or steamed vegetables to balance the creamy richness.
  • Author: Amelia
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://recipesvibe.com/creamy-seafood-stuffed-shells-recipe/