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    Home » Recipes » Seafood Recipes

    Easy Frutti di Mare Recipe

    Published: Aug 2, 2020 · Modified: Sep 1, 2023 by Chef Dennis Littley. This post includes affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    4.97 from 131 votes
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    pinterest image for Frutti di Mare

    This is the best homemade frutti di mare you’ll ever taste! You won’t believe how easy it is to make and how incredibly delicious this classic Italian seafood dish is.

    Frutti di mare translates to “fruits of the sea,” and it’s certainly an accurate name. This seafood pasta dish is made with fresh clams, mussels, scallops, and sweet, succulent shrimp that are all tossed in a garlic wine sauce and served over perfectly al dente pasta — this is a meal you won’t soon forget.

    frutti di mare served over spaghetti with a sprig of basil in a white bowl

    One of the best parts of this impressive dish is how easy it is. It doesn’t require a lot of prep time and you only need two pans on the stovetop — one large skillet (or saute pan) to cook the seafood and one large pot to make the pasta.

    There are as many different recipes as there are Italian grandmothers for Frutti di Mare. And every family has a favorite ingredient that makes it their own special version of this Italian classic.

    And if you’re a seafood lover who likes the sounds of this delicious pasta dish, you’ll want to check out this Cioppino Recipe, which is a San Francisco-style version.

    Table of Contents:
    • Ingredients to make Frutti di Mare
    • What type of pasta do you serve frutti de mare with?
    • How to make Frutti di Mare
    • What other seafood can I add to Frutti de Mare?
    • Recipe FAQ’s:
    • More Seafood Recipes You’ll Love!
    • Recipe: The Best Frutti di Mare Recipe

    Ingredients to make Frutti di Mare

    ingredients to make recipe.

    Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make a Frutti di Mare. In Chef Speak this is called the Mise en Place which translates into Everything in its Place.

    Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

    What I have available and who I am serving often dictates what goes into my interpretation of this wonderful dish.

    My wife enjoys white sauces more than red sauces, so when I prepared this dish for her, I kept it in more of an aioli-type sauce. Of course, if you prefer a red sauce or a touch of red wine, feel free to adjust the recipe.

    This dish also makes a wonderful Fra Diavolo if you’re in the mood for a seafood-based pasta dish in a spicy tomato sauce.

    What type of pasta do you serve frutti de mare with?

    Typically, frutti de mare is served over long pasta varieties like linguine, spaghetti, or bucatini. Angel hair is too fine to support the pasta, and wider noodles or shapes will not complement the sauce and seafood.

    How to make Frutti di Mare

    large saute pan with olive oil, garlic and chopped basil

    The first step is adding the olive oil, garlic, basil and red pepper flakes to a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Let the garlic cook for about 30 seconds to release the flavor into the oil.

    uncooked seafood in large saute pan

    Then, add the seafood to the hot pan and cover the pan. This will steam the mussels and clams open as well as cook the shrimp and scallops.

    It’s important to note the cooking time will vary depending on the seafood you’ve chosen and its size, so you’ll need to let the mussels and clams give you the cue to let you know they’re finished cooking.

    Chef Tips

    ** I thought searing the shrimp and scallops first might help, but it really wasn’t necessary and caused them to be just a little overcooked. My advice would be to par-cook the shrimp and scallops, then remove them from the pan before adding the mussels and clams to steam open. Then add them back to the pan to finish cooking once the mussels and clams have steamed open.

    ** When you drain pasta, always reserve some of the pasta water to ladle over the near-finished sauce if the consistency needs to be adjusted.

    **Make sure to choose the freshest seafood for this dish. The quality of the seafood directly correlates to exactly how delicious this recipe turns out.

    cooked seafood in large saute pan

    I had a nice variety of seafood, but again feel free to add in what you have on hand.

    What other seafood can I add to Frutti de Mare?

    Some of my favorite additions to this dish are:

    • Calamari
    • Salmon, snapper, mahi-mahi or any thick cut fish you enjoy.
    • Crabmeat
    • Lobster

    Serve your frutti di mare over linguine, and pour a little of the best olive oil you have on top for added flavor. If you want to spice it up a bit, you can also try a drizzle of chili oil.

    And I know Italians don’t like cheese with seafood, but I always add some grated Romano cheese to my pasta dishes — even seafood.

    Frutta di mare served over spaghetti with a sprig of basil in a white bowl

    While you can plate the dish separately, it’s best served in a very large serving bowl, family-style — especially for a dinner party. Then, store any leftover frutti di mare in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

    I do hope you give this dish a try, it’s really very easy to make, and you’ll have a restaurant-quality dinner for less than half the price of dining out at your favorite restaurant.

    Recipe FAQ’s:

    What is frutti di mare made of?

    Frutti di mare is a combination of a variety of different types of seafood cooked to perfection in a sauce made with dry white wine and minced garlic cloves, as well as herbs (like fresh basil leaves and fresh parsley) and spices. The succulent seafood is then served over a bed of pasta.

    What is it called frutti di mare?

    Frutti de Mare literally translates into “fruit of the sea.” It refers to all of the delicious types of seafood found in the oceans and seas, from large shrimp, fish, and any other type of shellfish to bay scallops, anchovy fillets, baby clams, or squid tentacles..

    Do you use marinara sauce to make fruiti de mare?

    Tomatoes or marinara are not typically used when making Frutti de mare, it’s made with olive oil, garlic and all the delicious juices from the seafood. Since it’s your dinner you can of course use marinara or tomatoes when you make it.

    What region is frutti di mare from?

    Frutti di mare is most often found in the coastal towns of Italy like Venice or Sicily

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    partial view of Frutti di mare in a white bowl
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    4.97 from 131 votes

    The Best Frutti di Mare Recipe

    This classic Italian seafood dish will turn any night into a special occasion.  Perfect for your next date night, this restaurant-style dish is easier to make than you think and the flavors will amaze you.
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Cook Time15 minutes mins
    Total Time20 minutes mins
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: Italian
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 844kcal

    Ingredients

    • 8 shrimp peeled and de-veined
    • 8 scallops
    • 20 mussels
    • 20 littleneck clams
    • 2 cloves garlic chopped
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon Fresh Basil Chopped
    • ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper
    • 2 ounces white wine optional
    • ⅔ lb spaghetti or any other long spaghetti style pasta
    US Customary – Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Run cold water over the mussels and clams to clean them thoroughly. Refrigerate until needed
    • Once your seafood is prepped, get the pasta ready, Linguine or Spaghetti will work the best for this dish, it's a little too heavy for angel hair.  Follow instructions on the box, usually around 10-11 minutes for aldente.
      **When you begin cooking the pasta, start cooking the seafood. (you will need 8-10 minutes for the seafood, so time it so they get done about the same time)
    • In a large saute pan over medium-high heat add the olive oil, chopped garlic, basil and red pepper flakes. Let the garlic saute for about a minute.
    • Add the scallops and shrimp. Cook them till almost done and remove them from the pan. If you would like to add white wine to your sauce, add it now to deglaze the pan before adding the mussels and clams.
      *You can skip this step and add all the seafood at the same time.
    • Next add the mussels and clams, cover the pot and let cook for 5-6 minutes. All the mussels and clams should have opened by then.
      Add the shrimp and scallops back into the pan and reseason as needed.
    • If you have timed this right your linguine will be done just about the time your seafood is ready.  If your pasta still has time to cook remove the seafood from the heat and keep it covered. If needed you can give it a quick reheat as soon as the pasta is done.
    • Serve over pasta and enjoy!

    Video

    Nutrition

    Calories: 844kcal | Carbohydrates: 120g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 793mg | Potassium: 740mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 397IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 107mg | Iron: 6mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

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    About Chef Dennis

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    Chef Dennis Littley is a classically trained chef with over 40 years of experience working in the food service industry. In his second career as a food blogger he has made it his mission to demistify cooking by sharing his time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen. Let Chef Dennis help you bring the joy of cooking into your home. For more details, check out his About page.

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    1. Katie

      April 06, 2023 at 5:44 pm

      What type of white wine do you suggest? Does this elevate the dish?

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        April 06, 2023 at 5:58 pm

        My wife enjoys wine with her meals and she has had pinot grigio and sauvignon blanc with this dish. She tried Prosceso and that did not go at all.

        Reply
    2. sapana

      August 31, 2020 at 11:12 am

      5 stars
      I loved the flavors of garlic and basil with olive oil, there is nothing more amazing than that. This dish was a wonderful treat for sea food lovers like me

      Reply
    3. Gail Montero

      August 31, 2020 at 8:45 am

      5 stars
      Love how loaded with seafood this yummy dish was! Date night or not this frutti di mare dish is now hubby’s favorite

      Reply
    4. Ramona

      August 31, 2020 at 6:10 am

      5 stars
      This pasta frutti di mare was amazing and soo flavourful! This is the perfect dish for me and my family as we love seafood and i love cooking with it. I need to make this recipe again soon. Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
    5. Jacqueline Debono

      August 31, 2020 at 5:19 am

      5 stars
      Your pasta frutti di mare was delicious. We love eating seafood. And it really was much easier to make than many people think!

      Reply
    6. Kushigalu

      August 31, 2020 at 3:54 am

      5 stars
      This dish is something new to me, and was a perfect treat for all seafood lovers. Love the combo here. Thanks for sharing

      Reply
    7. Beth

      August 31, 2020 at 2:08 am

      5 stars
      I’ve always thought that seafood cooked like this gave an unforgettable flavor to pasta too, and your recipe was the best

      Reply
    8. Julie@ Running in a Skirt

      August 30, 2020 at 1:42 pm

      5 stars
      This is one of my favorite dishes out and I love how easy it was to make at home. SUch lovely flavors in this and I loved all the seafood in it.

      Reply
    9. Diana

      August 29, 2020 at 9:23 pm

      5 stars
      This was the first time making this recipe before and you made it so doable! My family loved the seafood!!!

      Reply
    10. Sophia

      August 29, 2020 at 4:26 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve been on a major pasta kick lately and this recipe had all my favorite seafood. It was a total winner! So tasty!

      Reply
    11. Amy Liu Dong

      August 29, 2020 at 5:23 am

      5 stars
      I love seafood and this one looks really delicious but sadly I am not able to eat this because of my allergy.
      But my family definitely loved this dish.

      Reply
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    My name is Dennis Littley or “Chef Dennis” as I’m known both at work and across the blogosphere. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

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