• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Chef Dennis
  • Recipe Index
  • On the Road
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • About
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Pasta Recipes

    Seafood Riviera – Restaurant Style Dish

    Published: Jun 1, 2020 · Modified: May 26, 2021 by Chef Dennis Littley

    487 shares
    • Facebook86
    • Yummly
    5 from 32 votes
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    pinterest image for seafood riviera

    If you love seafood and pasta, you’re going to love my Seafood Riviera.

    During my career as a restaurant chef, this was one of my more popular seafood and pasta dishes.

    overhead shot of Seafood Riviera consisting of shrimp, scallops mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and sliced artichoke hearts in a pesto sauce served over linguine

    The sweet sundried tomatoes, earthy mushrooms and tangy artichokes blended together with the pesto and seafood to build a flavorful dish that will bring moans to your dinner table.

    What ingredients are needed to make Seafood Riviera over Linguine

    ingredients to make seafood riviera in glass bowls on a wooden cutting board

    Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Seafood Riviera. 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.

    How do I make Pesto?

    white bowl of basil pesto on a yellow table cloth

    If you’ve never made pesto before, there is really nothing to it. Although you will need a food processor or powerful blender to make pesto.

    All you need is fresh basil, garlic cloves, grated Romano cheese, pine nuts or walnuts and olive oil.

    partial overhead shot of a white ice cube tray filled with pesto

    One of my favorite ways to save pesto is to freeze it in an ice cube tray. I pop out the frozen pesto cubes and save them in a ziplock bag for when I need them.

    ingredients to make seafood riviera including scallops, shrimp and mushrooms in a large saute pan

    Let’s start making the Seafood Riviera. The first step is to saute the scallops and mushrooms in olive oil. Cook the scallops for two minutes then add the shrimp to the pan.

    Continue cooking the ingredients until the shrimp are barely cooked.

    **If you have a bottle of white wine open you can add a splash of wine to deglaze the pan and stop the cooking process.

    saute pan with shrimp, scallops and mushrooms, with heavy cream, stock, pesto and seasonings added

    Add the stock, heavy cream, pesto and seasonings to the pan and mix the sauce together off the heat.

    **This is about the time you should start cooking your pasta

    saute pan with sundried tomatoes, sliced artichoke hearts and Romano cheese added to the sauce

    Add the sun-dried tomatoes, sliced artichoke hearts and grated Romano cheese to the pan and allow to cook for 1 minute.

    Add the butter rolled in flour to thicken the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium and allow the sauce to reduce and thicken slightly.

    Do I have to use Mushrooms, Artichokes and Sun-Dried Tomatoes in my Seafood Riviera?

    No you don’t, that’s the way I make this dish, but it doesn’t mean you can’t adapt it to use ingredients you enjoy eating.

    I do always recommend trying recipes the way they were meant to be made, but if you’ve got an allergy or serious aversion to an ingredient it can be left out. Here are some of my replacement ideas.

    • grape tomatoes cut in half instead of sun-dried tomatoes.
    • zucchini (half circle cut) instead of artichokes
    • small broccoli florets instead of mushrooms

    Other additions or replacement ingredients are roasted red peppers, spinach and sliced kalamata or black olives.

    side view shot of seafood riviera consisting of shrimp and scallops in a pesto sauce with sundried tomatoes, mushrooms and artichoke hearts over linguine in a white bowl

    If you timed the cooking process right the pasta should be done about the time the Seafood Riviera is finished.

    If you haven’t timed things perfectly don’t worry, you can always precook the pasta, or remove the Riviera from the heat until the pasta is finished cooking.

    What other pastas can I use for Seafood Riviera?

    I like wider noodles for this dish but that doesn’t mean you can’t use your favorite pasta shapes. These are some of the types of pasta shapes that I recommend.

    • Pappardelle
    • Tagliatelle
    • Fettuccine
    • Bucatini
    • Penne

    Recipe FAQ’s:

    What is seafood riviera?

    Seafood riviera is a combination of seafood, in a light pesto sauce with mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts and sometimes olives. It’s served over linguine, pappardelle, tagliatelle, fettuccine, or bucatini.

    What kind of seafood can I use to make Seafood Riviera?

    Shrimp, scallops, calamari, clams or mussels (out of the shell) and your favorite fish can be used to make seafood riviera.

    Do you have to use heavy cream to make seafood riviera?

    No, you don’t. You can leave it out altogether or use Greek yogurt, light cream, half and half, or your favorite non-dairy milk as a substitute.

    More Seafood Recipes You’ll Love!

    • Easy Frutti di Mare Recipe
    • Seafood Marinara with Pasta Recipe
    • Spanish Seafood Stew Recipe
    • Shrimp & Scallops in a Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

    Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

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

    partial view of seafood riviera in a white bowl
    Print Recipe Save Saved!
    5 from 32 votes

    Seafood Riviera

    Creating delicious restaurant-style dishes is easier than you think. And my Seafood Rivera is as good if not better than any seafood pasta dish you'll get at your favorite Italian restaurant.
    Prep Time25 mins
    Cook Time15 mins
    Total Time40 mins
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: Italian
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 1232kcal
    Author: Chef Dennis Littley

    Ingredients

    • ½ lb linguine
    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    • ½ lb scallops
    • ½ lb shrimp
    • ½ cup sundried tomatoes 12-16 halves
    • 8 ounces mushrooms sliced
    • ½ cup artichoke hearts 6-8 small hearts
    • 2 tbsp pesto
    • ¼ cup Romano cheese
    • ½ cup heavy cream
    • ¾ cup chicken stock or vegetabke stock
    • 1 tsp granulated garlic
    • 1 tsp granulated onion
    • ¼ tsp black pepper
    • 2 tbsp butter
    • 1 tbsp flour

    Pesto

    • 2 bunches basil use basil leaves only, no large stems
    • ½ bunch Italian parsley  use parsley leaves only, no large stems
    • 2 clove garlic
    • ¼ cup pine nuts or walnuts toasted
    • ¼ cup Romano cheese grated
    • ¼ cup olive oil
    US Customary – Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Pesto

    • Remove the leaves from the basil and parsley, do not use the stems
    • To toast your pine nuts get a pan sauté pan very hot, then turn off the heat, and add the pine nuts. Keep the pine nuts moving around so they toast without burning.
    • Place the basil into your food processor, Pulse it's until it's minced very well.
    • Add garlic, toasted pine nuts, and grated Romano cheese, pulse to combine.
    • Drizzle in the Olive Oil until it has a nice smooth consistency without looking oily

    Seafood Riviera

    • Get pasta water ready. You will cook the pasta once you begin to make the sauce for the seafood riviera.
    • Add olive oil to a large hot saute pan. Place the scallops on one side of the pan and the mushrooms on the other side of the pan. Cook for 2 minutes, moving the mushrooms around as they cook.
    • After two minutes flip the scallops and add the shrimp to the pan. Move the shrimp around and cook until they are almost finished.
    • Add the stock, heavy cream, pesto and seasonings to the pan and mix the sauce together off the heat.
      **This is about the time you should start cooking your pasta
    • Add the sun-dried tomatoes, sliced artichoke hearts and grated Romano cheese to the pan and bring the sauce to a light boil.
      Add the butter rolled in flour to thicken the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium and allow the sauce to reduce and thicken slightly. (about 2 minutes)
    • Serve the finished dish over linguine or the pasta of your choice.
      **Mix a little of the sauce with the pasta before adding the other ingredients. It will make the dish look better when you serve it

    Nutrition

    Calories: 1232kcal | Carbohydrates: 121g | Protein: 69g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 442mg | Sodium: 2141mg | Potassium: 2036mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 2324IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 431mg | Iron: 8mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

    More Pasta Recipes

    • Pastitsio {Greek Pasta Bake}
    • Best Vegetable Lasagna Recipe
    • White Cheddar Truffle Mac and Cheese
    • Easy Pasta with Red Crab Sauce

    About Chef Dennis

    Picture of Chef Dennis

    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. Debbie

      June 07, 2020 at 10:10 pm

      5 stars
      Such a wonderful seafood dish! I loved the flavor the fresh pesto gave this pasta. The combination of scallops, shrimp and mushrooms was the best ever. This made me feel like I was at an elegant restaurant.

      Reply
    2. Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer

      June 07, 2020 at 7:10 pm

      5 stars
      Such a great summer dish. I love seafood and pasta dishes so much. My mouth is watering over this. I’ve already added some of the ingredients to my grocery list! Thank you for sharing

      Reply
    3. Elaine

      June 07, 2020 at 5:04 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve had a big batch of seafood sitting in my fridge, so I was wondering what to do with it. This riviera looks fantastic, so I am sure my fridge will be empty pretty soon 🙂 Delicious recipe!

      Reply
    4. Barbies Beauty Bits

      June 05, 2020 at 7:25 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my goodness. This looks so yummy. Making me hungry, I’m going to have to make this soon

      Reply
    5. Tammy

      June 05, 2020 at 4:44 pm

      5 stars
      Seafood and pasta is the best kind of comfort food in my opinion. This dish is making me miss being able to eat out right now! Looks terrific, Dennis!

      Reply
    6. Veronika

      June 05, 2020 at 11:09 am

      5 stars
      My husband LOVES mushrooms and seafood! and he will love this recipe. Will save it and make it for him next week.

      Reply
    7. jen

      June 04, 2020 at 8:37 pm

      5 stars
      Chef Dennis does it again. He really makes restaurant-quality meals accessible. Love the sun died tomato, artichoke, and mushrooms combo.

      Reply
    8. Swathi

      June 03, 2020 at 3:09 pm

      5 stars
      This looks delicious meal at comfort of home. Love simple and full of flavor sea food rich pasta dish, creamy addition of sundried tomatoes make is more yummy.

      Reply
    9. Ana

      June 03, 2020 at 6:00 am

      5 stars
      A shrimp and pasta sound like absolute divine! Your seafood Riviera looks incredibly delicious. Thanks for sharing the recipe with us!

      Reply
    10. Bolupe

      June 03, 2020 at 12:51 am

      5 stars
      Absolutely fantastic recipe. We love pasta and having a restaurant styled food at home is just blissful.
      Thanks for the tip on saving pesto in an ice-cube tray. I’ve never thought of that.

      Reply
    11. Leslie

      June 02, 2020 at 3:08 pm

      5 stars
      This looks like a true masterpiece! I love seafood and pasta!

      Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar


    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.

    More about me →

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Fan Favorites

    • Almost No-Knead Artisan Bread Recipe
    • Baked Maryland Crab Cakes Recipe
    • Chicken Parmesan Recipe
    • Best Baked Chicken Legs {Drumsticks}
    • German Bee Sting Cake (Bienenstich) Recipe
    • Best Tiramisu Recipe {step by step}
    • Easy Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs
    • Restaurant Style Veal Parm Recipe

    Featured In

    logos of all the places chef dennis has been featured

    Popular Posts

    • Best Baked Chicken Leg Quarters
    • Authentic Guinness Beef Stew Recipe
    • Maryland Style Jumbo Lump Crab Imperial
    • Best Chicken Salad – Deli Style
    • How to Make Restaurant Style Oysters Rockefeller
    • Easy Oven Baked Beef Brisket Recipe
    • Oven Roasted Rack of Pork {Pork Rib Roast}
    • Best Meatloaf Recipe

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    INFO

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    SUBSCRIBE

    Sign Up Today and start getting my easy-to-make restaurant-style recipes!

    CONTACT

    • About
    • Contact
    © 2009-2023 · Ask Chef Dennis ·

    Proud Member of:
    Mediavine Publisher Network
    487 shares
    • 86