Creamy Seafood Stuffed Shells (Printable)

Tender pasta shells filled with lobster, crab, and creamy cheeses baked in Parmesan sauce.

# What you need:

→ Seafood Filling

01 - 8 oz lobster meat, chopped
02 - 8 oz lump crab meat, picked over for shells
03 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
05 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
06 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
07 - 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
08 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
09 - ½ cup heavy whipping cream
10 - ¾ cup grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese

→ Pasta and Sauce

11 - 18-20 jumbo pasta shells
12 - ½ cup heavy whipping cream for sauce
13 - ¾ cup grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese for sauce

→ For Baking

14 - Aluminum foil
15 - Fresh herbs or extra Parmesan for garnish, optional

# How to make it:

01 - In a large skillet over medium heat, melt ½ tablespoon butter. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in lobster and crab meat, cooking for 2-3 minutes until just heated through. Remove from heat and set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, combine the cooked seafood, softened cream cheese, ½ cup mozzarella, salt, and pepper. Mix until fully combined and creamy.
03 - Boil jumbo shells in salted water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
04 - In the same skillet, melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in ½ cup heavy cream. Add grated Parmesan and remaining ½ cup mozzarella, stirring until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
05 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread a thin layer of cheese sauce on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Stuff each shell generously with seafood filling and arrange in the baking dish. Pour remaining cheese sauce evenly over the shells.
06 - Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 10 minutes more, or until sauce is bubbly and top is golden.
07 - Let cool slightly. Garnish with extra Parmesan or fresh herbs. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Lobster and crab transform ordinary pasta into something that tastes like a restaurant splurge, except you're in your own kitchen.
  • The creamy Parmesan sauce is so luxurious it makes everyone forget they're eating shellfish pasta and just surrender to the moment.
  • It looks impressive enough for guests but comes together in under an hour, which means less stress and more time enjoying the actual cooking.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of softening the cream cheese beforehand; cold cream cheese will create lumps in your filling no matter how much you stir, and that changes the entire texture.
  • The foil covering for the first part of baking keeps the sauce from becoming too dark on top while the centers come to temperature, so don't be tempted to skip it.
03 -
  • Picking through crab meat slowly under good light takes an extra five minutes but prevents the disappointing crunch of shell fragments in someone's bite.
  • Using a slotted spoon to remove the cooked seafood keeps excess liquid out of your filling, which means less watery, more concentrated flavor.
Return