Seafood Marinara Pasta (Print Version)

Italian pasta with a medley of fresh seafood in a rich tomato sauce, garnished with parsley and lemon.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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, to taste
17 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

18 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
19 - Lemon wedges, to serve

# How to Make It:

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

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It feels fancy enough for guests but honest enough for a Tuesday night.
  • The sauce builds such a deep flavor that you'll find yourself tearing bread to capture every drop.
  • There's something deeply satisfying about the tender shrimp and briny mussels mingling with the tomatoes.
02 -
  • Don't let the seafood sit in the sauce too long before serving—it will keep cooking from the residual heat and turn tough and rubbery before you know it.
  • Those mussels that don't open aren't being stubborn; they're telling you they weren't fresh enough, and it's better to listen to them and throw them away.
03 -
  • If you find really fresh seafood stock at your market, add a splash with the tomatoes for a deeper, more complex flavor that's absolutely worth it.
  • The lemon is not just a garnish—it's essential; it wakes up the entire dish and cuts through the richness of the oil and seafood in the best possible way.
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