Seafood Pasta Recipe
Make Seafood Pasta Recipe in just 40m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Pasta & cooking liquids
Seafood
Aromatics & vegetables
Liquids & wine
Finishing & seasoning
Method
Pasta & cooking liquids
- 1
Bring water to a boil
Fill a large pot with 4–5 liters (about 16–20 cups) of water and bring to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt.
- 2
Cook pasta
Add 12 oz spaghetti or linguine and cook until very al dente (about 2 minutes less than package instructions). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
Seafood
- 3
Pat dry and season seafood
Pat shrimp, calamari and scallops (and clams/mussels if using) dry with paper towels. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- 4
Cook harder shellfish first (if using clams/mussels)
If using clams or mussels, add them to a large cold skillet with 1/4 cup water, cover, and steam over medium-high heat until they open (3–5 minutes). Remove opened shellfish and set aside; discard any unopened shells. Reserve the steaming liquid and add to the stock/wine mixture in the next section.
- 5
Sear shrimp, scallops, calamari
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and scallops in a single layer, sear 1–1.5 minutes per side until just opaque; remove to a plate. Add calamari briefly and cook 30–60 seconds until just firm; remove. Keep the seafood slightly underdone as it will finish cooking in the sauce.
Aromatics & vegetables
- 6
Sweat onion and garlic
In the same large skillet, reduce heat to medium and add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Add 1/2 cup finely chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes; cook for 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
- 7
Add tomatoes
Add 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes (or 1 can 14 oz crushed tomatoes). Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes begin to break down and release their juices, about 6–8 minutes. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Liquids & wine
- 8
Deglaze and simmer
Add 1/2 cup dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any fond. Let the wine reduce by half (about 2–3 minutes). Stir in 1/2 cup stock (plus any reserved shellfish steaming liquid) and bring to a gentle simmer.
- 9
Finish sauce with lemon and butter
Stir in 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and the reserved 1 cup pasta water a little at a time to reach a silky consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Add the 1 tablespoon butter and swirl until melted.
Combine pasta & seafood
- 10
Return seafood to pan
Add the seared shrimp, scallops, calamari, and any steamed clams/mussels back into the sauce. Toss gently to coat and simmer for 1–2 minutes until seafood is cooked through and heated.
- 11
Finishing & serving
- 12
Add herbs and cheese
Remove the pan from heat. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley and 1/4 cup basil (if using). If desired, stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino. Adjust salt, pepper and lemon to taste.
- 13