Easy Seafood Pasta Recipe for Dinner
The first time I tried to make this easy seafood pasta recipe for dinner, it was a total disaster. I invited my friend Sarah over and was trying to be all fancy. I threw the shrimp in way too early and ended up with these tiny, rubbery little pucks. The sauce was watery, and I was so embarrassed. But you know what? We laughed about it, ate it anyway with a ton of garlic bread, and now it’s our favorite meal to make together. It’s a dish that’s seen a lot of my kitchen fails, but that’s what makes it special.
Recipe Card
| Recipe Title | Easy Seafood Pasta Recipe for Dinner |
|---|---|
| Servings | 4 people |
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 20 minutes |
| Calories | Approx. 650 per serving |
Ingredients
- 12 oz linguine or spaghetti
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 8 oz scallops
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (like Pinot Grigio)
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Don’t skip the white wine, seriously. I tried it once with chicken broth because I didn’t have any wine, and it just wasn’t the same. It lacked that little tangy kick. The wine adds a depth of flavor that you just can’t get from anything else. And for the love of pasta, get your seafood from a decent counter. I bought some bargain shrimp once and let’s just say the “fishy” smell lingered in my kitchen for two days.
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about a cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, pat the shrimp and scallops completely dry with paper towels. Season them lightly with salt and pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for about 1-2 minutes per side, just until they turn pink and opaque. Remove them from the skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the scallops. Sear them for about 1-2 minutes per side until they have a golden-brown crust. Remove them and set aside with the shrimp.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes until it reduces by about half.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Let it cook for about 5 minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream.
- Add the cooked pasta, shrimp, and scallops back to the skillet. Toss everything together to coat in the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it up.
- Stir in most of the parsley, saving some for garnish. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately, garnished with the remaining parsley and lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over.
The biggest lesson I learned the hard way was with the scallops. You HAVE to pat them dry. I didn’t once, and instead of getting a beautiful sear, they just steamed in their own liquid and turned into mushy little blobs. It was so disappointing. Taking that extra minute with the paper towels makes all the difference between a restaurant-quality sear and a sad, steamed mess.
Another time, I got distracted talking to my neighbor and let the garlic burn. Burnt garlic is the worst—it makes the whole sauce taste bitter. I had to start the entire sauce base over again. Now I’m super paranoid and keep the heat at a steady medium when I’m cooking the aromatics. It’s a small step, but it saves the whole dish.
And don’t be like me and forget to reserve the pasta water! I drained it all straight down the sink one night. My sauce was way too thick and just kind of sat on top of the noodles instead of clinging to them. That starchy water is like magic glue for your sauce. It’s the secret to making everything come together perfectly.
Nutrition Info (per serving)
| Calories | Carbs | Fat | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| 650 | 75g | 20g | 40g |
I know the calories seem a bit high, but it’s pretty balanced with all that protein from the seafood. If I’m trying to be a little healthier, I swap the heavy cream for half-and-half or even just a big splash of whole milk. It still gives it a little creaminess without being too rich. You could also use whole wheat pasta for extra fiber, but honestly, I just love the regular stuff too much to change it.
Ingredient Swaps
| Ingredient | Substitution |
|---|---|
| Heavy Cream | Half-and-half or whole milk |
| Shrimp/Scallops | Imitation crab, clams, or a firm white fish |
| White Wine | Extra chicken broth with a squeeze of lemon |
| Crushed Tomatoes | Diced tomatoes or a good marinara sauce |
I’ve tried a lot of these swaps out of necessity. The imitation crab works surprisingly well if you’re on a budget, just stir it in at the very end so it doesn’t get weird. Using a pre-made marinara sauce is a huge time-saver on a crazy weeknight, but taste it first—some are really sweet and can throw off the flavor. The broth-and-lemon swap for wine is okay in a pinch, but it’s definitely my last resort.
Tips
- Don’t crowd the pan when searing your seafood. Cook it in batches if you have to.
- Always, always taste your sauce before you serve it. It might need more salt, pepper, or a pinch of sugar if your tomatoes are too acidic.
- Get everything prepped and ready to go before you start cooking (mise en place). This cooks fast once you start, and there’s no time to chop garlic while your scallops are burning.
- Use the lemon wedges! A fresh squeeze of lemon juice right at the end brightens up the whole dish and makes the flavors pop.
The “don’t crowd the pan” tip is one I learned the messy way. I was impatient and dumped all the shrimp in at once. The temperature of the pan plummeted, and they didn’t sear, they just boiled and leaked water into the pan. I ended up with a soupy mess and pale, limp shrimp. Now I take the extra three minutes to do two batches, and it’s a total game-changer for texture.
FAQ
Can I use frozen seafood?
Absolutely! I do it all the time. Just make sure it’s fully thawed in the fridge overnight. If you try to cook it from frozen, it’ll release a ton of water and you’ll end up steaming everything instead of searing it. And please, pat it dry really well with paper towels.
What if I don’t have white wine?
Like I said, it’s best with wine. But if you really don’t have any, use an equal amount of chicken broth and add a big squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end to make up for the acidity. It won’t be exactly the same, but it’ll still be delicious.
How are the leftovers?
They’re okay, not gonna lie, the seafood can get a little chewy when reheated. If I know I’m gonna have leftovers, I’ll set aside a little plain pasta and some sauce before I mix in all the seafood. Then I just cook a fresh batch of shrimp the next day to toss in. It’s a little extra work but so worth it.
That’s everything I know about making this easy seafood pasta recipe for dinner! Hope you give it a try. And if you mess it up, you’re in good company—I still do it sometimes.
Easy Seafood Pasta Recipe for Dinner
A restaurant-quality seafood pasta with shrimp and scallops in a creamy tomato wine sauce that comes together in under 40 minutes.
Ingredients
- 12 oz linguine or spaghetti
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 8 oz scallops
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1\/2 cup dry white wine (like Pinot Grigio)
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1\/4 cup heavy cream
- 1\/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining.
- Pat shrimp and scallops completely dry with paper towels. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook 1-2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add scallops and sear 1-2 minutes per side until golden-brown crust forms. Remove and set aside with shrimp.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil to skillet. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in white wine, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan. Simmer 2-3 minutes until reduced by half.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes and bring to gentle simmer. Cook for 5 minutes to let flavors meld.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream.
- Add cooked pasta, shrimp, and scallops back to skillet. Toss everything to coat in sauce. If sauce is too thick, add splash of reserved pasta water.
- Stir in most of the parsley, saving some for garnish. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately, garnished with remaining parsley and lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over.
