Creamy Seafood Pasta Bake
A comforting and delicious dish that blends seafood with a creamy sauce over pasta, perfect for family dinners or gatherings.
Ingredients
Pasta and Seafood
- 7 oz macaroni or other pasta of choice
- 1 lb mixed raw seafood (Marinara seafood mix)
Vegetables
- 2 leeks (white and pale green part only, finely sliced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
Sauce Ingredients
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 2.5 cups milk
- 1 cube chicken bouillon (or equivalent chicken stock powder, or grated parmesan) 1 chicken bouillon cube or 1 1/2 tsp chicken stock powder; OR 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Toppings
- ¾ cup panko
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese highly recommended
- Finely chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Oil
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil Separated into 1 tsp for cooking seafood and 1/2 tbsp for leeks
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and pour it into a baking dish.
- Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Add seafood and sear for 30 seconds. Turn and sear the other side for another 30 seconds (the seafood should still be raw inside). Remove seafood and place it into the baking dish.
Cooking
- Return the pan to the stove, add the remaining 1/2 tbsp of oil, and turn it down to medium. Cook leeks and garlic for 3 minutes or until soft. Add this mix to the baking dish.
- Gently mix pasta, seafood, and leeks together in the baking dish.
- Melt butter in the skillet. Add flour and mix it into the butter. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add 1 cup of milk and whisk to combine—it will thicken quickly. Then, add the remaining milk and crumbled bouillon cube, whisking well. Cook and whisk for about 5 minutes until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper.
- Pour the sauce into the baking dish. Top with panko and grated parmesan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden.
- Rest for 5 minutes before serving, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
Creamy Seafood Pasta Bake pairs wonderfully with garlic spinach. Leftovers can be cooled completely, placed in an airtight container, and kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at a low temperature.