Creamy Baked Seafood Pasta Recipe

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. (See my easy Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole or Baked Frozen Ravioli Lasagna for other super easy casserole recipes.

Key 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. 

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. 

How To Make This Creamy Seafood Tetrazzini With Shrimp

While this recipe does have a few steps, they're easy to follow and shouldn't take much time. Expert tip: Make sure to have all your ingredients ready to go when you start, as the sauce will come together fairly quickly. 

1. Preheat and prepare. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F and spray a casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Cook the spaghetti. Boil the spaghetti in salted water until al dente (follow the package instructions). Drain and set it aside.
3. Sauté 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. Sauté until the mushrooms are tender and the onion is translucent.

4. 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.
5. Add seafood. Stir in the shrimp and drained chopped clams. Cook until the shrimp turn pink and are fully cooked.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.
10. Garnish and serve. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and thyme. Serve your seafood tetrazzini hot and enjoy!