Save There's something about the smell of seafood and tomato mingling with melting cheese that stops me mid-sentence every time. My sister called on a rainy Tuesday asking if I could make something special for her partner's birthday dinner, and this bake just appeared in my mind—not from any recipe book, but from those moments of watching steam rise off a skillet, knowing that briny sweetness was coming. I'd never made it before, but something about the combination felt inevitable, like it had been waiting for the right evening to exist in my kitchen.
That birthday dinner turned into one of those nights where everyone went quiet for a moment after the first bite, and suddenly the table felt warmer. Watching my sister's face when she tasted the creamy sauce with the crispy cheese edges—that's when I realized this wasn't just a weeknight dinner solution, it was something I'd be making again and again.
Ingredients
- Penne or rigatoni, 300g: Tube shapes trap sauce better than delicate pasta, and cooking them just shy of package instructions means they won't turn to mush when baked.
- Mixed seafood, 300g: Shrimp, mussels, squid, and scallops create different textures; let frozen seafood thaw completely so it cooks evenly.
- Olive oil, 2 tbsp: Use your better oil here—it carries the flavor of garlic and aromatics into the base of everything else.
- Small onion, finely chopped: Dice it small so it disappears into the sauce rather than competing with each bite.
- Garlic cloves, 2 minced: Fresh matters; the heat mellows it just enough while the sauce simmers.
- Canned chopped tomatoes, 400g: These are more reliable than fresh because they're already at their peak ripeness, suspended in time.
- Heavy cream, 150ml: This transforms tomato sauce into something velvet-soft without making it taste overly rich.
- Tomato paste, 2 tbsp: It deepens the tomato flavor so the sauce tastes like it's been cooking all afternoon.
- Dried oregano, 1 tsp: Oregano and seafood understand each other in a way that feels Mediterranean and right.
- Chili flakes, 1/2 tsp optional: A whisper of heat keeps your palate interested with every spoonful.
- Salt and pepper to taste: Don't skip tasting and adjusting; it's the difference between good and luminous.
- Mozzarella, 100g grated: It browns beautifully and adds stretch and mild flavor without overpowering the seafood.
- Parmesan, 40g grated: This is your crispy, salty anchor—don't substitute with pre-grated if you can help it.
- Fresh parsley, 2 tbsp chopped: A green finish that reminds everyone this came from the sea and the earth.
Instructions
- Get your oven ready and prep your stage:
- Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and grease your baking dish with a light hand. Having everything within reach before you start cooking makes the next steps feel less frantic.
- Cook the pasta until it's almost there:
- Boil salted water and add pasta, but pull it out 2 minutes before the package says it's done. It'll finish cooking when it bakes, and you want it to stay slightly al dente so the texture doesn't turn soft.
- Build the aromatics and sauce base:
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add your finely chopped onion, and let it soften for about 3 minutes until it's translucent and sweet. The kitchen will smell suddenly alive.
- Wake up the garlic and add depth:
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the canned tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, chili flakes if you're using them, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Let the sauce develop:
- Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, letting the flavors marry and the sauce thicken slightly. Taste it partway through and adjust the seasoning.
- Soften with cream:
- Pour in the heavy cream and simmer for 2 more minutes, watching as the sauce goes from bright red to coral-pink and silken. This is the moment it stops being tomato sauce and becomes something luxurious.
- Introduce the seafood gently:
- Fold in your mixed seafood and cook for only 2–3 minutes until it's just opaque. Overcooking seafood even slightly turns it from tender to rubber, so err on the side of caution and let the oven finish the job.
- Marry everything together:
- Toss the drained pasta with the sauce and seafood, then transfer the whole mixture to your prepared baking dish. Stir gently so nothing breaks.
- Top with cheese and gold:
- Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan evenly across the top. This is your golden ticket; the cheese will bubble and brown and create a crust that keeps everything underneath steaming and soft.
- Bake until golden and bubbling:
- Slide the dish into the oven for 18–20 minutes until the top is golden brown and you can see sauce bubbling up at the edges. Your kitchen will smell like a coastal Italian restaurant.
- Rest and finish:
- Let it sit for 5 minutes—this isn't wasted time, it's when the sauce sets and the cheese firms up just enough. Scatter fresh parsley over the top, and suddenly it looks like someone cared deeply about every detail.
Save I've learned that the best dishes are the ones that happen between people rather than in isolation, and this bake somehow brings that out. It's the kind of meal that sits in the middle of the table and gives everyone permission to linger a little longer.
Why Seafood and Cream Were Always Meant for Each Other
The moment cream touches tomato sauce, the acid softens and the whole thing becomes approachable and velvety. With seafood, this matters because briny and sweet need that silky middle ground to feel harmonious. I've made versions with just tomato sauce and versions without the cream, and neither landed the same way—it's the marriage of the three that makes the magic happen.
The Art of Not Overcooking Seafood
Seafood is unforgiving in the way that makes you a better cook—it teaches you to pay attention, to look and smell and taste rather than blindly follow time. Here, the seafood gets a head start in the warm sauce, then another 18–20 minutes nestled under melting cheese in a warm oven, which means it's cooked through without ever being aggressively hot. It's the gentlest possible cooking method for something this delicate.
Making It Yours
Every kitchen has different preferences, and this bake is forgiving enough to bend with them. If you love white wine, add a splash before the tomatoes—let it bubble down so the alcohol cooks off and leaves only the savor behind. If cream feels too heavy, swap it for crème fraîche or even a lighter cream, though you'll lose a tiny bit of richness. The seafood mix is yours to play with too; use what you find, what you trust, what makes you happy.
- A pinch of saffron added to the sauce creates a golden note that feels almost luxurious.
- Keep the cheese quantities flexible—more if you love a crispy top, less if you want the seafood to shine.
- Pair it with a chilled Pinot Grigio or a crisp white wine that echoes the brine of the sea.
Save This dish has become my answer when I want to feel like I'm cooking with intention, without spending my entire evening at the stove. It's proof that the simplest ingredients, treated with respect and a little tenderness, become something worth remembering.
Questions & Answers
- → What types of seafood work best for this bake?
Mixed seafood such as shrimp, mussels, squid, and scallops provide a balanced texture and flavor. Use fresh or thaw frozen seafood carefully.
- → Can I substitute the pasta used in this dish?
Penne or rigatoni are ideal as they hold the sauce well, but other medium-short pasta shapes work fine.
- → How do I avoid overcooking the seafood?
Cook the seafood gently with the sauce for just a few minutes until opaque, then finish baking briefly to avoid toughness.
- → Are there alternatives to heavy cream in the sauce?
Crème fraîche or lighter cream options can be used for a less rich but still creamy sauce.
- → What wine pairs well with this seafood pasta bake?
A crisp white wine such as Pinot Grigio complements the creamy sauce and delicate seafood flavors well.