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4.9 from 87 votes

Creamy Seafood Pasta Bake

Pasta baked with mixed seafood in a creamy white béchamel sauce. It's like a gratin made with pasta - which is why I describe this as French-ish! The key to getting gorgeous flavour in the sauce is searing the seafood in the skillet first, then making the sauce in the same skillet to soak up all those seafood flavours!

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 514 kcal
Course: Dinner

Ingredients

  • 7 oz / 200 g macaroni or other pasta of choice
  • 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil , separated
  • 1 lb / 500 g mixed raw seafood (Marinara seafood mix) (Note 1)
  • 2 leeks , white and pale green part only finely sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves , minced
White Sauce
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 2 1/2 cups milk
  • 1 chicken bouillon cube (or 1 1/2 tsp chicken stock powder) OR 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Topping
  • 3/4 cup panko
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (high recommended)
  • finely chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
  2. Cook pasta according to packet directions. Drain and pour into baking dish.
  3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet over very high heat. Add seafood and sear for 30 seconds, turn then sear the other side for 30 seconds (should still be raw inside). Remove into baking dish.
  4. Return pan to stove, add remaining 1/2 tbsp oil and turn down to medium. Cook leeks and garlic for 3 minutes or until soft. Add to baking dish.
  5. Mix pasta, seafood and leeks together in the baking dish.
  6. Melt butter in the skillet. Add flour and mix into the butter. Cook for 1 minute,
  7. Add 1 cup of milk and use a whisk to combine - it will thicken quickly. Add remaining milk and bouillon cube (crumbled) and whisk to combine. Cook, whisking occasionally at first then constantly as it thickens, for around 5 minutes or until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon (see photo in post). Season with salt and pepper.
  8. Pour into the baking dish. Top with panko and parmesan.
  9. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, or until the top is golden.
  10. Rest for 5 minutes before serving, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.
  11. I served this with garlic spinach (Note 2).

Notes

  • I use a store bought mixed seafood Marinara because my seafood store makes a great one with pieces of fish, calamari, shrimp/prawns and mussels. Marinara is really great value because it's made with offcuts. It also means that sometimes, they are a bit dodgy! Look for plump cubes of fish and fresh looking prawns. Otherwise, make this using whatever seafood you want.
  • Garlic Spinach I served on the side: 2 small English spinach bunches, washed and leaves torn off stems. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil and 2 garlic cloves minced in a large skillet, THEN put it on the stove. As the oil heats, it will infuse with garlic favour. When the garlic starts to turn golden, add spinach and start tossing immediately (to avoid garlic browning too much) until spinach just wilts. Remove immediately - remember it will wilt more while being served.
  • Seafood broth - I mention in the post that proper restaurants make seafood gratin using a homemade seafood broth. I am totally happy to use store-bought chicken, veg and beef broth but I just feel that store bought seafood broth (stock) is not up to scratch. So when I go all out, I make this with a homemade seafood broth. Here's how:
  • * Reduce milking recipe to 1 1/2 cups, add 1/4 cup cream and 1 1/2 cups seafood broth. The sauce will need to cook for longer to reduce to thickness per photo in post.* Seafood broth - Place in large pot: 1.5kg/3lb fish heads & bones (no gills, not oily fish like salmon) + 1.5L/1.5qt water + 1/2 brown onion + 1 each chopped celery & carrot + 1 tsp black peppercorns + 1 bay leaf. Bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until reduced by about 2/3. Strain (squish out juice from fish and veggies) and use per above instructions (should end up with about 2 1/2 cups).
  • Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 servings.

Nutrition Information

Serving 339g Calories 514cal (26%) Carbohydrates 56.9g (19%) Protein 33.2g (66%) Fat 17.5g (27%) Saturated Fat 8.1g (41%) Cholesterol 81mg (27%) Sodium 448mg (19%) Potassium 270mg (8%) Fiber 2.8g (11%) Sugar 9.1g (18%) Vitamin A 900IU (18%) Vitamin C 6.6mg (7%) Calcium 280mg (28%) Iron 4.1mg (23%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 514

% Daily Value*

Serving 339g
Calories 514cal 26%
Carbohydrates 56.9g 19%
Protein 33.2g 66%
Fat 17.5g 27%
Saturated Fat 8.1g 41%
Cholesterol 81mg 27%
Sodium 448mg 19%
Potassium 270mg 6%
Fiber 2.8g 11%
Sugar 9.1g 18%
Vitamin A 900IU 18%
Vitamin C 6.6mg 7%
Calcium 280mg 28%
Iron 4.1mg 23%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.