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A spoonful of Creamy Seafood Stuffed Shells overflowing with melted cheese, garnished with parsley.

Creamy Seafood Stuffed Shells

These creamy seafood stuffed shells are rich, cheesy, and packed with tender shrimp, crab meat, creamy ricotta filling, and silky garlic parmesan sauce. Perfect for family dinners, date nights, and comforting baked pasta meals, this seafood recipe feels elegant while staying easy enough for weeknight cooking.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Resting Time 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Shells and Filling
  • 20 jumbo pasta shells Jumbo pasta shells
  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil
  • 1/2 pound Raw shrimp peeled, deveined, and chopped
  • 1 cup Lump crab meat
  • 3 cloves Garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon Salt divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper divided
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 cup Ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup Shredded mozzarella cheese divided
  • 1/2 cup Grated parmesan cheese divided
  • 1 large Egg
  • 2 tablespoons Chopped parsley
For the Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Butter
  • 2 tablespoons All-purpose flour
  • 2 cups Whole milk
  • 1/2 cup Heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon Onion powder

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Large pot
  • Skillet
  • Bowl
  • Saucepan
  • Baking dish
  • Foil

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook jumbo pasta shells according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
  2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped shrimp, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until shrimp turns pink and reaches 145°F. Remove skillet from heat and gently stir in crab meat.
  3. In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, egg, parsley, seafood mixture, remaining salt, and remaining black pepper.
  4. Stuff each pasta shell with the seafood filling.
  5. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk and heavy cream until smooth. Stir in onion powder and remaining parmesan cheese. Simmer until thickened.
  6. Spread a layer of sauce into a baking dish. Arrange stuffed shells in the dish and pour remaining sauce over the top. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese evenly over shells.
  7. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes until bubbly and lightly golden. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Freshly grated parmesan creates the smoothest creamy sauce and helps prevent clumping. Serve these seafood stuffed shells with garlic bread or a crisp green salad for a complete comfort meal.