Seafood Marinara Pasta (Print)

Italian-inspired pasta with a medley of fresh shrimp, mussels, squid, and scallops in tomato sauce.

# Components:

→ Seafood

01 - 7 oz large shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 7 oz mussels, cleaned and debearded
03 - 5 oz squid rings
04 - 5 oz sea scallops

→ Pasta

05 - 12 oz spaghetti or linguine

→ Marinara Sauce

06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
08 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
09 - 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
10 - 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
11 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
12 - 1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp dry white wine
13 - 1 tsp dried oregano
14 - 1 tsp dried basil
15 - 1/2 tsp sugar
16 - Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

17 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
18 - Lemon wedges, to serve

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti or linguine according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Sauté the finely chopped onion for 2 to 3 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for an additional minute.
03 - Pour in dry white wine and allow to simmer for 2 minutes until slightly reduced.
04 - Incorporate crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Stir thoroughly and let the sauce simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Add squid rings and scallops to the simmering sauce and cook for 2 minutes. Then add shrimp and mussels, cover, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until shrimp turn pink and mussels open. Discard any unopened mussels.
06 - Add the drained pasta into the sauce, tossing gently to combine evenly. Use reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce to desired consistency.
07 - Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped fresh parsley and lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but your actual hands-on time is closer to thirty minutes.
  • Each seafood cooks perfectly without overshooting into rubber—the timing is forgiving once you know the rhythm.
  • It's elegant enough for impressing someone, but casual enough to make on a Tuesday when you just want something good.
02 -
  • Don't add the mussels more than a minute before the shrimp; they'll start drying out while you wait for the shrimp to catch up.
  • Discard any mussels that don't open—they're telling you something's wrong, and it's not worth the risk.
  • Overcooking shrimp by even a minute ruins the dish; they go from perfect to rubbery fast.
03 -
  • Make your sauce first and let it simmer while you cook the pasta; timing is everything when seafood is involved.
  • Buy your mussels from a trusted source and check them the moment you get home; discard any that are cracked or already open.
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