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    Ask Chef Dennis » Recipes » Seafood Marinara with Pasta – Restaurant-Style Recipe

    Seafood Marinara with Pasta – Restaurant-Style Recipe

    Published: Sep 7, 2020 · Modified: Feb 21, 2022 by Chef Dennis Littley · 37 Comments·This post includes affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    4.97 from 29 votes
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    Cooking like a chef isn’t difficult and my Seafood Marinara served over pasta will show you just how easy it is to make delicious restaurant-style dishes in your own kitchen at a fraction of the cost of dining out.

    seafood in a marinara sauce served over pasta in a white bowl

    Wouldn’t your family love to sit down to a bowlful of my Seafood Marinara? Can you imagine the expressions on their faces when you serve up this restaurant-style dinner?

    And the truth is, it couldn’t be easier to make. It’s all about having the ingredients on hand to cook up dishes like this in your own kitchen.

    What ingredients do I need to make Seafood Marinara?

    overhead view of ingredients in bowls to make seafood marinara

    Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make my Seafood Marinara. 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 Kind of Seafood can I use in Seafood Marinara?

    I have a nice assortment of seafood in my recipe but you can use any type of seafood that you like eating. Think of my recipe as a place to start.

    My seafood marinara recipe is really flexible. Using seafood that you enjoy eating or have on hand is the key to making delicious restaurant-style dishes in your own kitchen. If you don’t have the assortment that I used, use what you have on hand or available at your grocer or seafood store.

    Many people love calamari and that would be a nice addition to this dish. I’ve never been a fan, but I’ve cooked more than my share of calamari (squid) during my career as a chef.

    I’ve also used chopped clams when I couldn’t get fresh clams. You’ll also find New Zealand mussels at many grocers and they can be used instead of fresh mussels.

    Adding scallops, lobster, or chunks of your favorite fish to my seafood marinara is also an option. See how easy it is to adapt this recipe? Use the seafood you like to eat or have on hand to make this delicious dish.

    How do I make Seafood Marinara?

    garlic and spices with olive oil in a large saute pan

    The first step in making this dish is lightly sauteing the garlic, basil and crushed red pepper flakes in olive oil.

    mussels, clams and shrimp added to the large pot

    Next add in the mussels, clams and shrimp. Cover the pot allowing the mussels and clams to steam open. The shrimp will also cook during this time. The clams and mussels will provide an excellent broth that will help flavor the marinara sauce.

    **Start cooking your pasta close to the time you start to cook the seafood. You’ve got 10-12 minutes to go at this point in the dish.

    marinara sauce and crabmeat added to the cooked seafood in the pot

    Next, add the marinara sauce and crabmeat. Mix gently and reseason to your tastes. Here is my recipe for Marinara Sauce.

    **In my restaurant days, making this dish one at a time for my guests, I would reseason it with granulated garlic, granulated onion and black pepper.

    Can I make this dish in a white sauce (aglio olio)?

    You certainly can. Eliminate the marinara sauce and add enough broth to build out the sauce (12-16 ounces). Clam broth or chicken broth can be used to supplement the natural juices from the clams and mussels.

    **If you’re going to make a white sauce, you might want to add a little more garlic when you start the dish.

    finished seafood marinara in a large saute pan

    Add chopped parsley or basil and the Seafood Marinara is ready to be served over the pasta of your choice.

    What types of pasta should I serve with Seafood?

    My favorite pasta shape for this type of dish is a long strand, with linguine being my first choice.

    Other choices include:

    • Spaghetti
    • Bucatini
    • Perciatelli
    • Thin cut Fettuccine

    Angel hair is too fine for the heaviness of the seafood and wider noodles like Tagliatelle or shapes won’t hold the sauce.

    That being said, this is your dinner so feel free to serve it over the pasta of your choice.

    seafood marinara in a white bowl

    Serve up this amazingly delicious pasta dish in your favorite pasta bowl or plate. I love sprinkling grated Romano cheese on my seafood marinara and having crusty bread to sop up the sauce is something you may want to consider.

    I recently got these White Porcelain Bowls on Amazon and absolutely love them. They’re perfect for pasta or a dinner salad. This is the 45-ounce bowl. I also got the 30-ounce bowl which is great for dishes requiring less room.

    Recipe FAQ’s

    What is marinara sauce?

    Marinara sauce is traditionally made with tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic. The name comes from the Italian word for sailor (Mariner) but does not contain any seafood. It’s a sauce that was made on board ships quickly, usually in 30 minutes or less and it became known as Marinara sauce.

    What seafood goes into a seafood marinara?

    Any seafood that you enjoy eating can find its way into this classic Italian dish. Calamari, shrimp, scallops, crabmeat, lobster, clams, mussels and your favorite fish are all candidates to make this delicious dish. The key is using what you like to eat and what is available.

    Is seafood marinara spicy?

    Generally no, seafood marinara is not spicy. But you can add crushed red pepper or pepperoncini to spice it up if you like.

    More Seafood Recipes You’ll Love!

    • Frutti di Mare Recipe an Italian Classic
    • Shrimp & Scallops in a Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
    • Restaurant Style Seafood Riviera over Linguine
    • Cioppino Recipe (San Francisco Fishermans Stew)

    Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

    Please SUBSCRIBE and FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST!

    partial view of seafood marinara in a white bowl
    Print Recipe Save Saved!
    4.97 from 29 votes

    Seafood Marinara

    Treat yourself to my restaurant-style Seafood Marinara. Why go out to dinner when you can cook like a chef in your own kitchen with my easy to make recipes and Chef Tips and Tricks.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time15 mins
    Total Time30 mins
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: Italian, Italian – American
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 863kcal
    Author: Chef Dennis Littley

    Ingredients

    • 12 mussels thoroughly rinsed and cleaned
    • 12 littleneck clams thoroughly rinsed
    • 8 large shrimp peeled and deveined ( I used 16-20 count)
    • 8 ounces crabmeat lump or claw
    • 16 ounces marinara see my recipe for homemade sauce
    • 2 cloves garlic fine chop
    • 1 tablespoon basil fine chop
    • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • 1 teaspoon parsley fine chop for garnish
    • 12 ounces ligunine or your choice of pasta
    US Customary – Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Wash the clams and mussels removing any that are open and won't close when you tap them. I usually rinse the clams and mussels in cold running water, changing the water 3 – 4 times.
      **Open mussels and clams are dead and should never be eaten.
    • Add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil to a large saute pan over high heat. You need a lid for the pan or pot. Next add the chopped garlic, basil and crushed red pepper flakes.
      Saute the seasonings for 1 minute or until garlic is fragrant. Don't burn the garlic!
    • Add the mussels, clams and shrimp to the pan. Cover and steam the seafood for 8-10 minutes or until the clams and mussels have opened.
    • **Start cooking your pasta close to the time you start to cook the seafood. You've got 10-12 minutes to go at this point in the dish.
    • Add the marinara sauce, and crabmeat to the steamed seafood and mix gently. Reseason the dish to your tastes.
      **In my restaurant days, making this dish one at a time for my guests, I would reseason it with granulated garlic, granulated onion and black pepper.
    • Add chopped parsley or basil and the Seafood Marinara is ready to be served over the pasta of your choice.
    • Place a portion of pasta in a bowl and divide the seafood among them. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and enjoy!
      Serve with grated Romano cheese and crusty bread.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Calories: 863kcal | Carbohydrates: 143g | Protein: 59g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 2554mg | Potassium: 1537mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 1252IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 170mg | Iron: 8mg
    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 is a semi-retired Chef, writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis aka Ask Chef Dennis®. Chef Dennis worked professionally in White Table Cloth Restaurants for 40 years and has been developing easy to make, restaurant-style recipes since 2009. The second phase of his reinvention from chef to blogger has earned him a place at the Worlds Dinner Table. Join him on his Culinary Journey enjoying his easy to make Restaurant Style recipes and travel adventures. For more details, check out his About page.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jenn @ EngineerMommy

      September 08, 2020 at 1:41 pm

      This pasta recipe sounds amazing to me. Totally want to try your recipe this weekend.

      Reply
    2. Lois

      September 08, 2020 at 12:51 pm

      This is as good as it gets, thank you for sharing this recipe.

      Reply
    3. Debra

      September 08, 2020 at 12:22 pm

      5 stars
      Awesome recipe….I just love an excuse to make your delicious marinara sauce!

      Reply
    4. Lynndee

      September 08, 2020 at 10:37 am

      That absolutely looks delicious. I would love to have that for dinner today. Now if only I could find clams around here.

      Reply
    5. Catalina

      September 08, 2020 at 9:34 am

      5 stars
      Seafood is always welcome in our house! My family will thank you for this recipe!

      Reply
    6. Nyxie

      September 08, 2020 at 9:19 am

      Gorgeous! This is exactly the sort of thing I would go for when out for dinner. I don’t know about making it myself though, osters can be dodgy.

      Reply
    7. Jennifer Van Haitsma

      September 08, 2020 at 7:07 am

      This is one of my favorite types of seafood dishes. We don’t make it a lot because my husband is sensitive to shellfish, but I love ordering it when we go somewhere! Looks delicious!

      Reply
    8. sara lafountain

      September 08, 2020 at 6:22 am

      This seafood marinara looks like a great dish to serve for an upcoming family birthday! Any dish with pasta is popular around here.

      Reply
    9. Amanda Marie Boyle

      September 08, 2020 at 5:31 am

      5 stars
      Looks so good and easy. My husband keeps asking me to make clams or mussels, now I have a recipe to try.

      Reply
    10. Angela

      September 08, 2020 at 4:38 am

      5 stars
      I love all your recipe Chef Dennis! This pasta is my favorite!

      Reply
    11. Amy

      September 07, 2020 at 11:23 pm

      5 stars
      Wanted something special for Father’s Day and this was a treat!

      Reply
    12. Terri A Steffes

      September 07, 2020 at 9:40 pm

      I love flexible recipes that allow you to use what is on hand, or whatever is in season. This looks delicious, Chef.

      Reply
    13. Pam Wattenbarger

      September 07, 2020 at 8:20 pm

      I love any type of seafood marinara so I can’t wait to try this. It looks like a perfect meal for any time of year.

      Reply
    14. Ashley

      September 07, 2020 at 7:40 pm

      5 stars
      I love seafood and this recipe was so easy to follow. Absolutely delicious!!!

      Reply
    15. Taleen | Just As Tasty

      September 07, 2020 at 6:53 pm

      5 stars
      I love seafood pasta! I can’t wait to try this delicious recipe!

      Reply
    16. Emily Flint

      September 07, 2020 at 6:44 pm

      5 stars
      You always make seafood dishes seem easier to make in your recipes. I can’t wait to try this one and impress my friends!

      Reply
    17. Gloria

      September 07, 2020 at 4:44 pm

      5 stars
      WOW….no need to pay the high prices to go out to dinner. This is perfect for date night. Add some wine and enjoy!

      Reply
    18. Sarah Bailey

      September 07, 2020 at 3:11 pm

      Now I can’t remember the last time I have seafood but now I really want some. This sounds absolutely delicious and definitely something I would love to try for myself.

      Reply
    19. Sarah James

      September 07, 2020 at 1:29 pm

      5 stars
      What a tasty recipe, looking forward to trying your Seafood Marinara soon.

      Reply
    20. Sue

      September 07, 2020 at 11:01 am

      5 stars
      I love this combination of seafood and marinara sauce. Irresistible!

      Reply
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