Seafood pasta bake

There's something about the smell of seafood and garlic hitting hot oil that still takes me back to a small trattoria near the coast where I watched a chef throw together this exact dish in what felt like minutes. The creamy tomato sauce clung to every piece of pasta, and the way the cheese bubbled on top made it impossible to wait for it to cool. I've been chasing that moment ever since, and this baked version somehow captures it even better, with time to let everything meld together.

I made this for my partner one Wednesday night when we were both tired but craving something that felt like a proper meal, not just sustenance. Watching them go back for seconds without saying a word was better than any compliment, and now it's become our go-to when we want to feel like we're at a restaurant but actually at home.

Ingredients

• Pasta (300g penne or rigatoni): The slightly tubular shapes hold sauce in their pockets and don't turn mushy when baked, unlike delicate shapes that can lose their texture.
• Mixed seafood (300g, thawed if frozen): A combination of shrimp, mussels, squid, and scallops gives you texture variety and flavor depth that a single seafood can't achieve.
• Olive oil (2 tbsp): Use a decent quality oil here since you're tasting it in the base, not just cooking with it.
• Onion (1 small, finely chopped): Finely chopping lets it disappear into the sauce and sweeten everything without texture interruption.
• Garlic cloves (2, minced): Mince them small so they distribute evenly and don't create harsh pockets of raw garlic flavor.
• Canned chopped tomatoes (400g): Canned is honestly better here than fresh because the acidity and consistency are consistent, and it's cooked down to silky smoothness.
• Heavy cream (150ml): This transforms the sauce from simple marinara into something luxurious that clings to the pasta and seafood.
• Tomato paste (2 tbsp): A small amount concentrates the tomato flavor without making the sauce taste acidic or thin.
• Dried oregano (1 tsp): This Italian herb is essential and worth buying fresh enough that it still smells herbal, not dusty.
• Chili flakes (1/2 tsp, optional): A whisper of heat lifts everything and keeps the sauce from tasting one-note.
• Salt and black pepper: Taste as you go because seafood and cream are both a bit delicate and need just enough seasoning to shine.
• Mozzarella (100g, grated): Fresh mozzarella melts into creamy pockets, while low-moisture mozzarella browns and crisps at the edges, which honestly both work.
• Parmesan (40g, grated): The sharpness cuts through the richness and adds savory depth that makes you want another bite.
• Fresh parsley (2 tbsp, chopped): Added at the end so it stays bright green and tastes alive instead of cooked away.

Instructions

Heat your oven and prep the dish:

Set the oven to 200°C (400°F) and grease your baking dish with oil or butter so nothing sticks when you're trying to serve it. A moment of prep now saves frustration later.

Cook the pasta until just shy of done:

Boil the pasta in salted water for 2 minutes less than the package says because it'll keep cooking when you bake it. You want it tender but still slightly firm enough that the whole dish has good texture.

Build your sauce base:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the finely chopped onion for about 3 minutes until it softens and turns translucent, then add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Rushing this step means you miss the sweetness that builds when onion cooks gently.

Deepen the sauce:

Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, chili flakes, salt, and pepper, then let it simmer for 10 minutes while you stir occasionally. The sauce will smell incredible as the flavors marry and the raw edge of tomato softens.

Add the cream and balance flavors:

Pour in the heavy cream and simmer for 2 minutes just to warm it through and let it blend with the tomato, then taste and adjust salt, pepper, or heat to your preference. This is your moment to make it exactly what you want.

Introduce the seafood gently:

Fold in the mixed seafood and cook for only 2 to 3 minutes until it turns opaque and just cooked through, stirring gently. Overcooking seafood is the quickest way to ruin it, so watch carefully and trust your instincts about when it looks done.

Combine pasta and sauce:

Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce and seafood until everything is coated, then transfer the whole mixture into your prepared baking dish. Make sure it's spread evenly so every bite gets sauce and seafood.

Top with cheese:

Sprinkle the grated mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the top in a layer that looks generous but not clumpy. The cheese will melt and bubble and create those golden brown edges that make the dish feel special.

Bake until golden and bubbling:

Slide the dish into the hot oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and turning golden and you can see the sauce bubbling around the edges. The smell will tell you when it's close to done.

Rest and garnish:

Let it rest for 5 minutes so the sauce sets slightly and is less likely to slump on the plate, then scatter fresh parsley over the top. The parsley adds color and a fresh note that balances all the richness.

Save

The first time I served this to friends who said they didn't usually order seafood pasta, watching them ask for the recipe halfway through dinner was a small victory that felt bigger than it should. That moment taught me that the right combination of technique and care can change someone's mind about what they love.

Why Seafood Deserves a Second Chance

If you've had rubbery seafood pasta before, it probably comes from overcooking the seafood in a sauce that's been simmering for too long. The magic here is that you build all the flavor first, then introduce the seafood at the last possible moment so it stays tender and sweet. This approach means you're not wrestling with texture or wondering if something's cooked enough, because the timing is clean and simple.

The Cream and Tomato Balance

The combination of tomato and cream sounds obvious now, but it took me years to understand the actual mechanics of why it works so well. The acidity in tomato would curdle cream if you just dumped one into the other, but by simmering the tomato sauce first, you mellow that edge so the cream can integrate smoothly and create something velvety instead of broken or thin. It's a small thing, but it's the difference between a sauce that feels luxurious and one that tastes flat.

Making It Your Own

This recipe is flexible in the ways that actually matter, and rigid in the ways that don't. You can swap out seafood for whatever you love or can find fresh, and you can adjust the heat level or the richness to match your mood. What you shouldn't change is the order of operations or the timing on the seafood, because those details are what keep everything tasting restaurant-quality instead of like an experiment that didn't quite work out.

• If you want to use crème fraîche instead of heavy cream, it's lighter and adds a subtle tang that some people find even better.
• A splash of dry white wine added before the tomatoes simmers really bright and adds a complexity that makes people wonder what your secret is.
• Frozen seafood works perfectly fine as long as you thaw it completely and pat it dry, because excess water steams instead of cooking the seafood properly.

Save

This dish feels like you spent all afternoon in the kitchen, but it's honest work that takes less than an hour from start to finish. Serve it with a crisp white wine and crusty bread, and watch people's faces when they realize they're eating something this good at home.

Recipe FAQs

→ What types of seafood work best in this dish?

A mix of shrimp, mussels, squid, and scallops provides a variety of textures and flavors. Adjust based on availability or preference.

→ Can I substitute the pasta with gluten-free options?

Yes, gluten-free penne or rigatoni can be used to accommodate dietary needs without compromising the dish’s integrity.

→ How can I prevent the seafood from overcooking?

Fold the seafood into the sauce gently and cook only until just opaque, about 2-3 minutes, before baking.

→ Is it possible to make the sauce lighter?

You can substitute heavy cream with crème fraîche or light cream to reduce richness while maintaining creaminess.

→ What wine pairs well with this seafood dish?

A crisp white wine like Pinot Grigio complements the creamy tomato sauce and seafood flavors beautifully.

→ Can I add extra seasoning for more heat?

Yes, increasing the chili flakes or adding fresh chili can enhance the dish’s spiciness according to taste.