Seafood Tetrazzini is an easy-to-make casserole that combines the richness of seafood with a luscious cream sauce and pasta, making it an ultra-comforting, creamy dish perfect for any occasion. Give this easy, baked seafood pasta a try!
This Seafood Tetrazzini is quickly becoming one of my family's favorite pasta dishes due to its delicious mushroom-y sauce, surprising seafood addition, and buttery crumb topping. We love a good turkey tetrazzini or chicken tetrazzini, but if you want to level those up a notch, this recipe is the way to go. It's an easy recipe to riff on based on your preferences or what you have on hand, plus, it's a great choice for making ahead and serving when you need a convenient meal.
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Why You’ll Love This Easy Seafood Pasta
This recipe works for so many reasons:
- Ultra creamy. The creamy sauce in this dish is indulgently rich and velvety - trust me, you'll want to lick this stuff out of the bowl.
- Comforting. Nothing beats the comfort of a hearty pasta dish, especially when it's loaded with seafood, and veggies and topped with a buttery crumb and sharp Parmesan cheese.
- Easy. This recipe is surprisingly easy to make. You'll have a gourmet meal on the table without much fuss.
- Can be made ahead. Planning a special dinner or event? You can prepare this Seafood tetrazzini ahead of time and bake it when you're ready.
Ingredients
Before we dive into the step-by-step instructions for this creamy seafood tetrazzini, here are the key ingredients you'll need:
- Seafood. The star of the show, whether it's shrimp, clams, or other seafood, are a nice alternative to the traditional chicken or turkey, adding a savory and briny note to the dish and making it a bit lighter.
- Fresh mushrooms. Sliced and sautéed mushrooms contribute a deep, earthy flavor and a satisfying texture that complements the seafood perfectly. Use pre-sliced mushrooms for a bit of a time-saver.
- Onion and garlic. These two bulbs add so much delicious flavor to the dish.
- Heavy cream and half and half. You could use an all-cream sauce, but I've found that to be a bit too heavy here. Cut the cream with half and half, or even milk, and you'll still have a velvety creamy sauce without all the calories. (Feel free to play with the ratios here a bit to get a consistency you like.
- Parmesan cheese. Shredded Parmesan cheese delivers a salty, nutty complexity, enhancing the overall depth of flavor and providing a satisfyingly gooey element.
- Lemon juice. Lemon juice brightens the dish a bit and adds a zesty citrusy note that is a nice balance to the richness of the sauce.
- Paprika. You guys know how I like a bit of spice! Paprika adds a gentle warmth and subtle smokiness, elevating the overall flavor profile of the Tetrazzini.
- Panko breadcrumbs: The buttered panko breadcrumbs create a crispy, golden-brown topping offering a satisfying buttery crunch in every bite.
- Fresh herbs: Fresh thyme and parsley make this dish taste fresh and add some complexity to the creamy sauce.
How To Make This Creamy Seafood Tetrazzini With Shrimp
While this recipe does have a few steps, they're fairly easy to follow and shouldn't take much time. Make sure to have all your ingredients ready to go when you start as the sauce will come together fairly quickly.
- Preheat and prepare. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F and spray a casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Cook the spaghetti. Boil the spaghetti in salted water until al dente (follow the package instructions). Drain and set it aside.
- Saute the vegetables. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, melt a little butter and olive oil together. Add the mushrooms, onion, garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Saute until the mushrooms are tender and the onion is translucent.
- Add the white wine. Pour in the white wine and let it simmer for a few minutes over medium-high heat to infuse the flavors.
- Add seafood. Stir in the shrimp and drained chopped clams. Cook until the shrimp turns pink and is fully cooked.
- Create the sauce. Add butter, then sprinkle flour and stir until combined. Pour in the heavy cream and half and half (or milk). Add lemon juice and paprika. Simmer until the sauce thickens.
- Combine and transfer. Add the cooked spaghetti and shredded Parmesan cheese to the creamy seafood mixture. Toss until well coated and transfer to a large baking dish.
- Prepare the topping. Melt butter in a small saucepan, stir in panko breadcrumbs, and add a pinch of salt. Add the buttery panko mixture to the top of the pasta dish.
- Bake to perfection. Transfer the mixture to a casserole dish and sprinkle the breadcrumb topping evenly. Bake until the sauce bubbles and the topping turns golden brown.
- Garnish and serve. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and thyme. Serve your seafood tetrazzini hot and enjoy!
Variations & Substitutions
Variations
- Turkey tetrazzini. Replace the seafood with leftover turkey for a delightful turkey tetrazzini variation.
- Chicken tetrazzini. Swap the seafood for cooked chicken pieces and the mushrooms for some sweet peas for a classic chicken tetrazzini (this is a perfect dish for leftover chicken!).
- Cream cheese twist. Add cream cheese to the sauce for extra creaminess and flavor.
Substitutions
- Cream of mushroom soup. If you'd rather not mess with the flour/butter and cream roux, simply swap it out with a mix of cream of mushroom soup and water or chicken broth. Cream of shrimp soup may also work as a sub for the roux.
- Plain bread crumbs. If you don't have panko breadcrumbs, use plain breadcrumbs instead.
- Vary the seafood. Shrimp and clams are classic ingredients for this seafood tetrazzini, but you could easily substitute lobster or any other seafood you may prefer or have on hand.
- Change the pasta. I like this dish with a simple thick or thin spaghetti, but you could sub in any type of pasta with good results. Linguini or fettuccini would both be great alternatives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Prepare the shrimp tetrazzini recipe up to the point of baking, cover it, and refrigerate. When ready to serve, bake as directed.
Leftover Seafood Tetrazzini can be stored in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. To reheat, either cook the leftovers in the microwave on high for about 2-3 minutes or heat in the oven at 380 degrees in a shallow, ovenproof casserole dish covered with foil.
A simple green salad, garlic bread, or steamed vegetables make great accompaniments to this dish.
Of course, there are many things you can serve with this delicious dish. For starters, pair your seafood tetrazzini with a crisp white wine, such as a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, to complement the creamy sauce. Then add a lighter side, such as a side salad (this Chopped Zucchini Salad would be perfect) or Instant Pot Steamed Broccoli to contrast the richness of the dish.
More Easy Pasta Dishes
- Lazy Baked Lasagna With Frozen Cheese Ravioli
- Healthy Spinach Feta & Rice Casserole
- Cajun Shrimp Pasta
- Tuscan Pasta
- Pumpkin Mac And Cheese
- Black Truffle Pasta
- How To Prepare Frozen Ravioli - 5 Easy Dinner Ideas
- Creamy, One-Pot French Onion Soup Pasta
- Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- Crockpot Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
If you try this Creamy Seafood Tetrazzini With Shrimp, let me know what you think of it in the comments below! And don’t forget to tag me @frontrangefed on Instagram so I can see your masterpiece!
Recipe
Easy Creamy Seafood Tetrazzini With Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 lb spaghetti
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb mushrooms sliced
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ¾ teaspoon fresh thyme (plus more for garnish)
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 lb medium shrimp
- 6.5 oz chopped clams
- ¼ cup flour (all purpose)
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup half and half (or milk)
- juice from 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup Pamesan cheese shredded
- ½ cup panko
- ¼ cup parsley chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees and spray a casserole dish with non–stick cooking spray.
- In a large pot of salted water, cook the spaghetti according to package directions.
- In a large Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, onion, and some black pepper and sautee for 5-6 minutes, or until the mushrooms have softened and the onion is translucent.
- Add the garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes, and saute for 1 more minute.
- Add the wine to the sauteed mushrooms and bring the sauce to a boil. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the shrimp and clams and sautee until the shrimp is pink and cooked through.
- Add 2 tablespoons butter and stir until melted, then add the flour and stir until well combined.
- Add the cream and half and half to the sauce and stir to combine. Then add the lemon juice and paprika and simmer for about 5-6 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
- Add the cooked spaghetti and the Parmesan cheese to the shrimp mixture and toss until the pasta is coated. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
- In a small saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Stir the panko and a pinch of salt into the melted butter and then sprinkle the mixture over the top of the seafood tetrazzini.
- Bake for about 10 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly, and the topping is golden brown and crispy.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley and thyme.
Notes
- Adjust the ratio of heavy cream and half and half to thicken or thin out the cream sauce.
- Add extra paprika for extra spice, if desired.
- Sub out shrimp or clams for other types of seafood, like lobster or tuna.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Suzanne hartin says
Can this dish be frozen after cooking??
Suzanne hartin says
How long to bake this casserole prepared day ahead that has been refrigerated and what temp
Do it will not dry out??? Covered or uncovered ?? What temperature please response I am having this for dinner party tonight
Thanks
Kaye says
Curious if anyone has some “prep ahead” tips?
Sarah Jenkins says
Hi Kaye,
You can actually just prep everything up to the point of baking it, then just store in the fridge until you're ready. (I'd store it no longer than 24 hours before baking for food safety.)
Ciera says
Thank you for this recipe! I tweaked a few things, added chicken, shrimp, scallops and lump crab meat and removed the clams. It turned out really good!! My family loved it! Thank you again for this new family favorite!
Sarah Jenkins says
Thank you Ciera! So glad you liked it!
Suzanne Hartin says
How long do you cook dish if it comes out of frig for it to cook thru??? What temperature ??covered or uncovered?!
Sarah Jenkins says
Hi Suzanne,
I'd heat it at 380 degrees, covered, for about 40-45 minutes.