Seafood Cannelloni Recipe

Prepare seafood

Pat shrimp and scallops dry with paper towels. Coarsely chop the shrimp and scallops into small bite-sized pieces. Gently pick through crab meat and break into chunks, discarding any shells.

Combine filling

In a large mixing bowl, combine chopped shrimp, scallops, crab meat, ricotta, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, egg, chopped parsley, chopped basil, lemon zest, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and red pepper flakes if using. Mix gently until evenly combined; avoid overmixing to keep some texture in the seafood. Taste a small amount (cook a pinch if desired) and adjust seasoning.

Make the sauce

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). In a medium sauté pan over medium heat, melt 2 tbs butter with 1 tbs olive oil. Add minced shallot and cook until translucent, about 2–3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in 1/2 cup white wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 2–3 minutes. Stir in 3/4 cup stock, 1 cup tomato passata and 1 tbs tomato paste. Bring to a gentle simmer then add 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and 1/2 tsp dried oregano. Simmer gently 4–5 minutes until sauce slightly thickens. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat.

Prepare pasta

If using dried cannelloni tubes or manicotti, check package instructions. For most dried tubes: bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook tubes 2 minutes less than package time so they finish cooking in the oven (typically 6–8 minutes total; cook 4–6 minutes), stirring gently to prevent sticking. Drain carefully and transfer to a baking sheet lined with a clean tea towel; brush or drizzle lightly with 1 tsp olive oil to keep from sticking. If you are using no-boil pasta, skip boiling and handle per package instructions.

Fill pasta

Fit a piping bag or a zip-top bag with a corner snipped (or use a small spoon). Spoon the seafood filling into the bag and pipe or spoon filling into each pasta tube, leaving a little space at each end so filling doesn't squeeze out during baking. Arrange filled tubes in a single layer in a 9x13-inch baking dish (or two smaller dishes) with about 1/3 of the sauce spread on the bottom so tubes sit in a shallow layer of sauce.

Assemble

Pour remaining sauce evenly over the filled cannelloni so tubes are mostly covered; reserve a little sauce for serving if desired. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan and 1/2 cup mozzarella over top. Cover dish tightly with foil (spray or oil underside of foil to prevent cheese sticking if desired).

Bake covered in the preheated 375°F (190°C) oven for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10–12 minutes until cheese is melted and lightly golden and sauce is bubbling. If top isn’t browned enough, place under the broiler 1–2 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.

Let rest 5–8 minutes before serving to allow sauce to set. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, extra grated Parmesan, and lemon wedges on the side. Serve hot.