Seafood Marinara Pasta (Print view)

Fresh seafood simmered in tomato sauce served over perfectly cooked pasta with fragrant herbs.

# List of Ingredients:

→ 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

# Step-by-Step Directions:

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

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Four kinds of seafood in one bowl means every bite surprises you with something different.
  • The sauce is silky and deep without feeling heavy, perfect for soaking into pasta on a weeknight.
  • It looks restaurant-quality but takes less time than ordering delivery.
02 -
  • Don't crowd the pan when adding seafood all at once—it steams instead of sears, and you lose the gentle texture that makes this dish sing.
  • Mussels that don't open in the 3–4 minute window were dead before cooking; throw them away and don't second-guess yourself.
  • Pasta water is not an afterthought—that starchy liquid is what transforms a wet sauce into something that clings to every strand.
03 -
  • Add a splash of seafood stock instead of some of the tomato liquid for an ocean-deep richness that makes people ask what your secret ingredient is.
  • Keep the heat at medium-high when cooking seafood—too low and it toughens; too high and it overcooks before the pan catches up with the temperature.
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