Easy Seafood Pasta Recipes

Indulge in the classics, such as lobster mac and cheese or lemony tuna casserole, or switch it up with unexpected toppings like rich, buttery uni or velvety Italian tonnato. Time to make every night pasta night.

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Spaghetti with Clams, Bonito Butter, and Herbs

Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Mary Claire Britton

Consider butter sauce yawn-inducing? Not when it's infused with bonito flakes, the delicate shavings of sashimi quality tuna that’s been steamed, air-dried, and aged. Punch up the oceanic flavor with a smattering of briny littleneck clams for an anything-but-boring bite.

Recipe: Spaghetti with Clams, Bonito Butter, and Herbs

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Shrimp Scampi Linguine

Photo: Luca Trovato, Recipe: David Bonom and Marge Perry

A dash of red pepper adds a bit of heat for an exciting version of this classic recipe.

Recipe: Shrimp Scampi Linguine

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Tagliatelle with Shrimp, Tomato-Anchovy Sauce, and Chiles

Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Mary Claire Britton

Garlicky tomato sauce gets an umami boost courtesy of flavor-packed anchovy fillets. Garnish with fresh basil, some sliced Fresno chile, and copious amounts of Parm for a simple yet satisfying dish.

Recipe: Tagliatelle with Shrimp, Tomato-Anchovy Sauce, and Chiles

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Smoky Uni Carbonara

Photo: Greg DuPree

Spaghetti night just got an upgrade. When tossed with pasta and savory stock, uni melts into a creamy carbonara sauce with a texture as velvety as custard. Bucatini has a hollow center—think of it like a straw made of spaghetti—whch captures sauce for more uni goodness in each bite.

What is uni? The foie gras of the sea: rich, buttery, and meltingly smooth.

Recipe: Smoky Uni Carbonara

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Bucatini with White Beans, Tonnato, and Olive Oil Breadcrumbs

Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Mary Claire Britton

Elevate humble mayo via a quick ride through the blender with high-quality canned tuna and anchovies (think Ortiz or Genova brands). The velvety result? Tonnato, an Italian condiment-turned-pasta-sauce to coat every bit of bucatini. Reserve a spoonful or two of the sauce for future sandwich spreads or a dip for roasted veggies.

Recipe: Bucatini with White Beans, Tonnato, and Olive Oil Breadcrumbs

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Seared Scallop Gemelli with Asparagus, Snap Peas, and Pecorino

Photo: Luca Trovato, Recipe: David Bonom and Marge Perry

The twisted shape of the gemelli makes it the perfect pairing for the chunky vegetables and scallops.

Recipe: Seared Scallop Gemelli with Asparagus, Snap Peas, and Pecorino

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Paccheri with Seared Swordfish, Agliata, and Citrus Breadcrumbs

Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Mary Claire Britton

Rigatoni’s thinner-walled cousin (paccheri) easily sticks to agliata, the ancient predecessor of pesto from Italy’s Liguria region. Use day-old crusty bread for the garlic-and-herb sauce, then sprinkle the swordfish-laden pasta dish with citrus breadcrumbs for a bright and buttery finish.

Recipe: Paccheri with Seared Swordfish, Agliata, and Citrus Breadcrumbs

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Italian Tuna with Bow Ties, Black Pepper, and Olive Oil

Photo: Luca Trovato, Recipe: David Bonom and Marge Perry

Farfalle comes from an Italian word meaning "butterfly," but we know (and love) this popular shape as bow tie.

Recipe: Italian Tuna with Bow Ties, Black Pepper, and Olive Oil

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Strozzapreti with Grilled Calamari, Roasted Tomato Sauce, and Crispy Chickpeas

Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Mary Claire Britton

Roasting fresh plum tomatoes (such as Roma or San Marzano) intensifies the flavor and gives this sauce a caramelized robustness lacking from tomatoes straight from the can.

Recipe: Strozzapreti with Grilled Calamari, Roasted Tomato Sauce, and Crispy Chickpeas

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Reginetti with Guanciale, Garlic Sauce, and Greens

Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Mary Claire Britton

Never dump your pasta water! That starchy leftover liquid helps marry sauce to noodle, such as on this ruffled reginetti dish flecked with greens and guanciale—a crucial ingredient in carbonara, as well.

Recipe: Reginetti with Guanciale, Garlic Sauce, and Greens

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Pad Thai

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Linda Hirst

Pad Thai has never been easier to prepare at home. And our recipe for Pad Thai leaves you craving for more.

Recipe: Pad Thai

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Pappardelle with Salmon and Peas in Pesto Cream Sauce

Photo: Luca Trovato, Recipe: David Bonom and Marge Perry

Using your favorite prepared pesto makes cooking this luscious cream sauce easy.

Recipe: Pappardelle with Salmon and Peas in Pesto Cream Sauce

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Fresh Pasta and Zucchini with Ricotta Salata

Photo: Jennifer Davick, Recipe: Jackie Mills, R.D.

Fresh pasta cooks in less than half the time as dried pasta. Look for unflavored varieties or the spinach version in the deli section of your market. Ricotta salata is a variation of ricotta cheese that is salted, pressed, and dried. It can be sliced or grated. If it's unavailable, try feta cheese but be sure to decrease the added salt.

Recipe: Fresh Pasta and Zucchini with Ricotta Salata

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Lobster Mac and Cheese

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Rachael Burrow; Recipe: Darcy Lenz

With briny chunks of fresh lobster and nutty Gruyere cheese, this childhood favorite is all grown up.

Recipe: Lobster Mac and Cheese

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Crab Mac 'n' Cheese

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Linda Hirst

Two types of cheese make this pasta recipe especially delicious.

Recipe: Crab Mac 'n' Cheese

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Orange-Sesame Noodles with Grilled Shrimp

Photographer Jean Allsopp

Besides being an easy and delicious meal you’d be proud to serve company, the best thing about this dish is that it’s so quick―boiling water for the noodles is the most time-consuming part. Leftovers make a tasty cold noodle salad.

Recipe: Orange-Sesame Noodles with Grilled Shrimp

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Shrimp and Brie Linguine

Photo: Howard L. Puckett, Recipe: Julia Rutland

This recipe is easy on the wallet—just $4 per serving—and easy on your kitchen, since it only requires one bowl and one pot.

Recipe: Shrimp and Brie Linguine

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Pasta with Caramelized Onions, Tomatoes, Parsley, and Olives

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner, Recipe: Marge Perry and David Bonom

Flavorful feta cheese, fresh olives, and seasoned tomatoes take ordinary penne pasta to the next level.

Recipe: Pasta with Caramelized Onions, Tomatoes, Parsley, and Olives

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Linguine with Turkey, Basil, and Crème Fraîche

Photo: David Hillegas, Recipe: Caroline Wright

The creamy sauce and the bright flavors of lemon and basil make this recipe delicious and versatile. Try it with rotisserie chicken, too.

Recipe: Linguine with Turkey, Basil, and Crème Fraîche

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Pasta with Arugula Pesto

Photo: Johnny Miller; Styling: Erin Swift

Pasta with Arugula Pesto takes on a peppery flavor as arugula replaces basil in the sauce. This pasta dish is perfect for weeknights as it's ready in less than 25 minutes.

Recipe: Pasta with Arugula Pesto

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Easy Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauce

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Kristen Shelton Fielder

Pour this simple sauce over any pasta for a quick anytime meal. Top with cheese, pine nuts, and black pepper, if desired.

Recipe: Easy Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauce

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Penne with Spicy Vodka Cream Sauce

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Linda Hirst

Simple and delicious, this recipe is perfect with a simple salad and a glass of red.

Recipe: Penne with Spicy Vodka Cream Sauce

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Pasta with Wilted Kale and Caramelized Onions

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Linda Hirst

A tasty way to eat your vegetables, this delicious recipe gets a taste of sweetness from currants.

Recipe: Pasta with Wilted Kale and Caramelized Onions

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Grilled Vegetable Primavera

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Linda Hirst

This healthy recipe calls for carrots, zucchini, squash, and green beans, but you can utilize any veggie that's fresh from the garden.

Recipe: Grilled Vegetable Primavera

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Lobster Mac and Cheese

Photographer: Jennifer Davick

This recipe debunks the myth that seafood and cheese don’t belong together. The richness of the lobster marries well with the zesty Cheddar and mellow Gruyère.

Recipe: Lobster Mac and Cheese

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Lemony Tuna Noodle Casserole

Photo: Jennifer Davick

It all starts with the right canned tuna. Buy sustainable, dolphin-safe tuna, and look for “chunk white” or “chunk light” on the label.

Recipe: Lemony Tuna Noodle Casserole

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Shrimp Lasagna with Creamy Tomato Sauce

Photo: Luca Trovato, Recipe: David Bonom and Marge Perry

Want to make this seafood lover's dream-come-true dish even more spectacular? Substitute chopped fresh lobster for half the shrimp.

Recipe: Shrimp Lasagna with Creamy Tomato Sauce

Replay gallery

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Our Best Pasta Recipes Ever

1 of 28

Spaghetti with Clams, Bonito Butter, and Herbs

2 of 28

Shrimp Scampi Linguine

3 of 28

Tagliatelle with Shrimp, Tomato-Anchovy Sauce, and Chiles

4 of 28

Smoky Uni Carbonara

5 of 28

Bucatini with White Beans, Tonnato, and Olive Oil Breadcrumbs

6 of 28

Seared Scallop Gemelli with Asparagus, Snap Peas, and Pecorino

7 of 28

Paccheri with Seared Swordfish, Agliata, and Citrus Breadcrumbs

8 of 28

Italian Tuna with Bow Ties, Black Pepper, and Olive Oil

9 of 28

Strozzapreti with Grilled Calamari, Roasted Tomato Sauce, and Crispy Chickpeas

10 of 28

Reginetti with Guanciale, Garlic Sauce, and Greens

11 of 28

Pad Thai

12 of 28

Pappardelle with Salmon and Peas in Pesto Cream Sauce

13 of 28

Fresh Pasta and Zucchini with Ricotta Salata

14 of 28

Lobster Mac and Cheese

15 of 28

Crab Mac 'n' Cheese

16 of 28

Orange-Sesame Noodles with Grilled Shrimp

17 of 28

Shrimp and Brie Linguine

18 of 28

Pasta with Caramelized Onions, Tomatoes, Parsley, and Olives

19 of 28

Linguine with Turkey, Basil, and Crème Fraîche

20 of 28

Pasta with Arugula Pesto

21 of 28

Easy Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauce

22 of 28

Penne with Spicy Vodka Cream Sauce

23 of 28

Pasta with Wilted Kale and Caramelized Onions

24 of 28

Grilled Vegetable Primavera

25 of 28

Lobster Mac and Cheese

26 of 28

Lemony Tuna Noodle Casserole

27 of 28

Shrimp Lasagna with Creamy Tomato Sauce

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