Bring Luxury To Stuffed Shell Pasta By Ditching The Cheese Filling For Seafood - Tasting Table

"Jumbo conchiglie cradling a melty cheese filling, all blanketed by the oven's hearty warmth and a lusciously rich sauce - what could be better? As it turns out, the answer is creamy seafood-stuffed shells. Take a temporary step away from the usual melted cheese and toward your favorite seafood, and who knows, your weeknight dinner rotation might just get another showstopper."

"That means mixing crab meat and cooked shrimp with cream cheese, lemon juice, fresh herbs, and Old Bay seasoning for the filling. The remaining steps remain the same, with a simmer of a cream-based tomato sauce (or just use store-bought vodka sauces for a shortcut) and 20 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit."

"Lurking underneath that familiar tangy richness is the crab's briny sweetness and the shrimp's fresh taste. Not only that, they're wrapped in the cream cheese's own creamy waves, punctuated by zesty, herby, and garlicky nuances. The textures are another revelation. Those soft and succulent pieces of seafood only add to the dish's overall lusciousness, with a slight chewiness that brings yet another unexpected dimension."

"When crab and shrimp get too repetitive, throw in other shellfish like lobster, scallops, mussels, or abalone. Maybe even borrow inspiration from different stuffed dishes, like pairing clams with bacon, breadcrumbs, and bell peppers for a pasta take on the classic clam casinos. Or since you've already got a tomato sauce and seafood, try a frutti di mare twist."

Jumbo conchiglie shells can be filled with a creamy seafood mixture instead of only melted cheese. The filling can combine crab meat and cooked shrimp with cream cheese, lemon juice, fresh herbs, and Old Bay seasoning. The shells are then baked at 350°F for about 20 minutes in a simmered cream-based tomato sauce, or a store-bought vodka sauce can be used for convenience. Flavor comes from tangy tomato richness layered with briny sweetness from crab and fresh taste from shrimp, all supported by creamy waves from the cream cheese and punctuated by zesty, herby, and garlicky notes. Soft, succulent seafood pieces add lusciousness and a slight chew for extra texture. The approach is flexible, allowing other shellfish or different stuffed-dish flavor combinations.

Read at Tasting Table