Description
A comforting Italian-style seafood pasta bake featuring a creamy tomato sauce blended with mixed seafood and pasta, topped with melted mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, then baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 10.5 oz penne or rigatoni
Seafood
- 10.5 oz mixed seafood (shrimp, mussels, squid, scallops), thawed
Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 14 oz canned chopped tomatoes
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes (optional)
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Cheese Topping
- 3.5 oz mozzarella, grated
- 1.5 oz Parmesan, grated
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Dish: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Thoroughly grease a large baking dish to ensure the pasta bake does not stick during cooking.
- Cook Pasta: Boil the penne or rigatoni in salted water until just under al dente, cooking for about 2 minutes less than the package suggests. Drain the pasta and set aside to prevent overcooking in the oven.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté for approximately 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and continue to cook for an extra minute until fragrant.
- Simmer Tomato Sauce: Stir in the canned chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, dried oregano, and chili flakes if using. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Allow the sauce to simmer gently for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to develop flavors.
- Incorporate Cream: Mix the heavy cream into the tomato sauce and let it simmer for an additional 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Cook Seafood Gently: Fold the thawed mixed seafood into the sauce and cook them for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the seafood turns opaque. Take care not to overcook to preserve tenderness and flavor.
- Combine Pasta with Sauce: Thoroughly mix the cooked pasta with the seafood tomato sauce, ensuring the pasta is well coated. Transfer this mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
- Add Cheese Topping: Sprinkle the grated mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the top of the pasta mixture to create a cheesy crust when baked.
- Bake Casserole: Place the baking dish into the preheated oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese topping is golden brown and slightly crisp.
- Rest and Garnish: Remove the seafood pasta bake from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes to set. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving to add freshness and color.
Notes
- For a spicier dish, increase the amount of chili flakes or add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Use fresh seafood if available for enhanced flavor and texture.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheated in the oven to retain the crispy topping.
- To make the dish gluten-free, substitute regular pasta with gluten-free pasta.
