Name: Best Creamy Seafood Stuffed Shells Recipe
Ingredients: Jumbo Pasta Shells: (24 shells) – The perfect vessel for holding our delectable seafood filling, providing a satisfying bite and visual appeal.; Shrimp: (1 pound, peeled and deveined) – Adds a sweet and succulent seafood flavor, providing a meaty texture to the filling. Choose medium to large shrimp for best results.; Crab Meat: (8 ounces, lump or claw meat, canned or fresh) – Contributes a delicate sweetness and luxuriousness, enhancing the overall seafood profile. Ensure to pick through for any shell fragments.; Scallops: (8 ounces, bay or sea scallops) – Offers a buttery, slightly briny flavor and tender texture, rounding out the seafood medley. If using sea scallops, cut them into smaller, bite-sized pieces.; Butter: (½ cup, unsalted) – Forms the base of our creamy sauce and adds richness and flavor to both the sauce and the filling.; All-Purpose Flour: (½ cup) – Used as a thickening agent for the cream sauce, creating a smooth and velvety texture.; Milk: (4 cups, whole milk recommended) – The liquid component of the cream sauce, providing body and richness. Whole milk creates the creamiest sauce, but 2% can also be used.; Heavy Cream: (1 cup) – Adds extra richness and luxuriousness to the sauce, making it incredibly decadent.; Parmesan Cheese: (1 cup, grated) – Imparts a salty, nutty flavor to both the filling and the sauce, adding depth and complexity. Use freshly grated Parmesan for the best flavor and melting quality.; Mozzarella Cheese: (2 cups, shredded) – Provides a gooey, melty texture and mild flavor, creating a beautiful cheese pull and complementing the seafood and cream sauce.; Garlic: (4 cloves, minced) – Infuses the sauce and filling with a pungent, savory flavor, essential for a flavorful seafood dish.; Yellow Onion: (½ cup, finely diced) – Adds a subtle sweetness and aromatic base to the sauce and filling, enhancing the overall flavor profile.; Dry White Wine: (½ cup, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc) – Adds acidity and complexity to the sauce, enhancing the seafood flavors and creating a more refined taste. Chicken broth can be substituted if preferred.; Fresh Parsley: (¼ cup, chopped) – Provides a fresh, herbaceous note and a pop of color, brightening up the dish and adding a touch of freshness.; Dried Oregano: (1 teaspoon) – Offers a warm, earthy, and slightly peppery flavor, complementing the seafood and cream sauce beautifully.; Dried Thyme: (½ teaspoon) – Adds a subtle, earthy, and slightly minty flavor, enhancing the herbal notes in the dish.; Red Pepper Flakes: (¼ teaspoon, optional) – Provides a gentle warmth and subtle spice, balancing the richness of the cream sauce and adding a layer of complexity. Adjust to taste or omit if you prefer no spice.; Salt: (To taste) – Enhances the flavors of all the ingredients and balances the overall seasoning.; Black Pepper: (Freshly ground, to taste) – Adds a subtle pungency and depth of flavor, complementing the other seasonings.; Olive Oil: (2 tablespoons) – Used for sautéing the onion and garlic, adding flavor and preventing sticking.

Ingredients

Jumbo Pasta Shells: (24 shells) – The perfect vessel for holding our delectable seafood filling, providing a satisfying bite and visual appeal.
Shrimp: (1 pound, peeled and deveined) – Adds a sweet and succulent seafood flavor, providing a meaty texture to the filling. Choose medium to large shrimp for best results.
Crab Meat: (8 ounces, lump or claw meat, canned or fresh) – Contributes a delicate sweetness and luxuriousness, enhancing the overall seafood profile. Ensure to pick through for any shell fragments.
Scallops: (8 ounces, bay or sea scallops) – Offers a buttery, slightly briny flavor and tender texture, rounding out the seafood medley. If using sea scallops, cut them into smaller, bite-sized pieces.
Butter: (½ cup, unsalted) – Forms the base of our creamy sauce and adds richness and flavor to both the sauce and the filling.
All-Purpose Flour: (½ cup) – Used as a thickening agent for the cream sauce, creating a smooth and velvety texture.
Milk: (4 cups, whole milk recommended) – The liquid component of the cream sauce, providing body and richness. Whole milk creates the creamiest sauce, but 2% can also be used.
Heavy Cream: (1 cup) – Adds extra richness and luxuriousness to the sauce, making it incredibly decadent.
Parmesan Cheese: (1 cup, grated) – Imparts a salty, nutty flavor to both the filling and the sauce, adding depth and complexity. Use freshly grated Parmesan for the best flavor and melting quality.
Mozzarella Cheese: (2 cups, shredded) – Provides a gooey, melty texture and mild flavor, creating a beautiful cheese pull and complementing the seafood and cream sauce.
Garlic: (4 cloves, minced) – Infuses the sauce and filling with a pungent, savory flavor, essential for a flavorful seafood dish.
Yellow Onion: (½ cup, finely diced) – Adds a subtle sweetness and aromatic base to the sauce and filling, enhancing the overall flavor profile.
Dry White Wine: (½ cup, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc) – Adds acidity and complexity to the sauce, enhancing the seafood flavors and creating a more refined taste. Chicken broth can be substituted if preferred.
Fresh Parsley: (¼ cup, chopped) – Provides a fresh, herbaceous note and a pop of color, brightening up the dish and adding a touch of freshness.
Dried Oregano: (1 teaspoon) – Offers a warm, earthy, and slightly peppery flavor, complementing the seafood and cream sauce beautifully.
Dried Thyme: (½ teaspoon) – Adds a subtle, earthy, and slightly minty flavor, enhancing the herbal notes in the dish.
Red Pepper Flakes: (¼ teaspoon, optional) – Provides a gentle warmth and subtle spice, balancing the richness of the cream sauce and adding a layer of complexity. Adjust to taste or omit if you prefer no spice.
Salt: (To taste) – Enhances the flavors of all the ingredients and balances the overall seasoning.
Black Pepper: (Freshly ground, to taste) – Adds a subtle pungency and depth of flavor, complementing the other seasonings.
Olive Oil: (2 tablespoons) – Used for sautéing the onion and garlic, adding flavor and preventing sticking.

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Instructions

Prepare the Pasta Shells: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the jumbo shells and cook according to package directions for al dente, usually around 8-10 minutes. Be careful not to overcook them, as they need to hold their shape for stuffing. Drain the shells and rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking process. Gently set them aside on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Sauté Aromatics: In a large skillet or pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
Create the Cream Sauce Base: Reduce the heat to low. Add the butter to the skillet and let it melt completely. Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the melted butter and whisk continuously to create a smooth roux. Cook the roux for about 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, to cook out the raw flour taste. Be careful not to brown it.
Build the Cream Sauce: Gradually whisk in the milk, about ½ cup at a time, ensuring each addition is fully incorporated and smooth before adding more. Continue whisking until all the milk is added and the sauce starts to thicken. Stir in the heavy cream and white wine (or chicken broth).
Season the Cream Sauce: Add the dried oregano, dried thyme, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and freshly ground black pepper to the cream sauce. Stir well to combine the seasonings. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing it to thicken slightly and the flavors to meld together beautifully.
Prepare the Seafood Filling: In the same skillet with the cream sauce, gently add the shrimp and scallops. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, or until the shrimp turns pink and opaque and the scallops are cooked through and no longer translucent. Be careful not to overcook the seafood, as it will become rubbery.
Incorporate Crab Meat and Parmesan: Remove the skillet from the heat. Gently stir in the crab meat and grated Parmesan cheese. The residual heat from the sauce will warm the crab meat and melt the cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted and the filling is well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Dish: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a large baking dish (9×13 inch or similar) with butter or cooking spray.
Stuff the Shells: Using a spoon, carefully stuff each jumbo shell with a generous amount of the creamy seafood filling. Don’t overstuff them so they can sit nicely in the baking dish.
Arrange and Top with Cheese: Arrange the stuffed shells in the prepared baking dish, nestled closely together. Pour any remaining cream sauce from the skillet over the stuffed shells, ensuring they are nicely coated. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top of the stuffed shells.
Bake to Golden Perfection: Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden brown, and the sauce is heated through and bubbling around the edges.
Garnish and Serve: Remove the baking dish from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley for a pop of color and freshness. Serve hot and enjoy the creamy, seafood-filled deliciousness!

Nutrition

Serving Size: one normal portion
Calories: 580
Fat: 35g
Protein: 40g