Food and Recipes Pasta 29 Seafood Pasta Recipes That Are Surprisingly Simple By Jenna Sims Jenna Sims Jenna is a Digital Editor for Southern Living and joined the team in 2014. She writes, produces, and assigns content with a focus on email growth and commerce content. She covers a range of topics in the lifestyle space from holiday gift guides to new product launches to tips for cooking with your air fryer. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on March 21, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis When we're looking for a super-quick, still-impressive supper, we turn to seafood. Not only do fish and shellfish cook quickly (we're talking a matter of minutes), but they have the potential to make any meal feel fancy. Plus, seafood provides a great, light option to get your protein in. Upgrade pasta night with these easy-peasy seafood dishes that are designed to impress in a flash—most of which are ready in 30 minutes or less. Shrimp, crab, tuna, and scallops will be a welcome change from the usual chicken or ground beef pasta recipes that you rely on for busy weeknights. Once you realize how delicious and easy these dishes are, we know they'll end up with a permanent place in your dinner rotation. From Creamy Pesto-and-Shrimp Penne with Peas to New Tuna Casserole, these seafood pasta recipes have all earned five stars from us, and we bet your family will feel the same way. 01 of 29 Cajun Shrimp Boil Pasta Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay. E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox This family-style dish is tossed in a flavorful sauce that's made with Old Bay seasoning, scallions, lemon, and thyme. You will transport yourself and everyone at the dinner table to the shore. Be sure to make this as often as possible for the beach vibe you need. 02 of 29 Pasta With Shrimp And Tomato Cream Sauce Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Anna Hampton The best part about shrimp is it takes so little time to get it right. For the best flavor in this easy recipe, use fresh shrimp, not frozen. Prep time and cooking have this restaurant-worthy meal on the table in 25-minutes. 03 of 29 Shrimp And Peas With Farfalle Alison Miksch Don't forget to reserve one cup of pasta water before draining the farfalle. Making a creamy sauce often stems from using some of the pasta water. In this case, you can't go wrong by setting aside some of that water in order to make this dish sing, 04 of 29 Pasta Primavera With Shrimp Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox This easy recipe allows you to cook pasta, plenty of veggies, and shrimp all in one pot. Cooking in stages will ensure each ingredient is cooked just right. You'll want that not just for the right doneness, but for the brightly colored result of the veggies. 05 of 29 New Tuna Casserole Greg Dupree Crushed potato chips help make a crunchy topping for this creamy, cheesy casserole that will become a new suppertime favorite. We love the different textures here, and the hearty satisfaction of comfort food from a casserole dish. 06 of 29 Tuna Pasta Salad Caitlin Bensel This light and bright dish is a far cry from your typical tuna salad. Using tuna packed in oil will help create more flavor than a water-packed variety would. Don't forget having canned tuna in your pantry can truly help problem solve your last minute meal planning' 07 of 29 Crab And Bacon Linguine Recipe Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox This is absolutely gorgeous when plated, and you will feel like you just pulled off a private chef experience. Choose an easy wine pairing like a Pinot Noir, and this will taste fully rounded and satisfying. Serve with crusty bread for a special occasion worthy meal that you can still enjoy on busy nights. 08 of 29 Creamy Pesto And Shrimp Penne With Peas Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Torie Cox Convenience items like pre-peeled shrimp, frozen peas, and store-bought pesto help this dish come together in just 25 minutes. The colors are vivid and the flavors are fresh. No one will every guess that you used a couple of smart shortcuts. 09 of 29 Shrimp Destin Linguine Jennifer Davick This quick and easy dish will become a dinnertime staple for shrimp lovers. Just as the white shores of Destin, Florida beckon with the allure of beachy dreams, this dish will conjure visions of your most memorable shoreside experience. You will be asked to make this more than once. 10 of 29 Chicken Caprese Pasta Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox This lovely dish is lightly flavored with a bright pesto made from fresh basil, parsley, and chives. Tender fresh linguine works perfectly with this sauce, but of course any dry version will do. 11 of 29 Easy Shrimp Scampi With Basil Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer A light sauce lets the flavor of the fresh basil and shrimp shine. Remember that pasta does not require heavy sauce and meat to make it delicious. This option is one of many pasta dishes that will convince you that light can be just as tasty, and even more nutritious. 12 of 29 Seared Scallops With Fresh Tomato Basil Sauce And Orzo Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Anna Hampton Don't forget that orzo is also a pasta offering. It is often mistaken for a grain, but like couscous, is truly a pasta. This recipe is ready in just 30 minutes—proving that impressive dinners can still be made on busy weeknights. 13 of 29 Shrimp Scampi Linguine Luca Trovato This is one of those dishes that we crave, and the faster we can execute at the stove, the better. Ready in just 15 minutes, this Shrimp Scampi is as easy as they come. You won't get away with making this a "sometimes" meal. 14 of 29 Shrimp Alfredo Micah A. Leal Homemade Alfredo sauce is shockingly simple to make, and this recipe proves it. Once you've got the skills, you will want to perfect them. Nobody is going to refuse your experimentation, in this case. 15 of 29 Seafood Pasta Salad Photographer and props: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall This cold pasta salad features shrimp and Cajun seasoning. 16 of 29 One-Pan Garlic-Butter Shrimp With Orzo Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Orzo is one of the smaller pastas, but it is versatile in its use. Think of it as an option to use instead of rice, or the go-to pasta you need for a soup dish. In this particular case, it's part of a one pan wonder completed in 30 minutes. Now that's a winning dinner formula. 17 of 29 Mediterranean Shrimp And Couscous Salad Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist Christine Keely Don't forget that couscous is not a grain, but rather a very small pasta. This dish maximizes flavor and texture with the choice of couscous, shrimp, and other ingredients. Tons of fresh parsley and dill pack in the flavor, while the crumbled feta adds tang. 18 of 29 Shrimp And Burst Cherry Tomato Pasta Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist Christine Keely When cherry tomatoes are cooked to bursting, they bring a sweet tang into a dish. In this case, they are perfectly paired with shrimp and fresh basil, helping to present a meal that is a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. You'll want to offer this easy approach to pasta time and time again. 19 of 29 Israeli Couscous And Shrimp Recipe Antonis Achilleo; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox If you're struggling to find "Israeli" couscous, just know that it is simply a larger version of regular couscous. A great solution also is choose orzo if you are coming up empty handed, or to simply go with regular couscous. Either way, you are going to get great satisfaction out of this easy pasta recipe. 20 of 29 Pasta With Shrimp And Tomato Cream Sauce Recipe Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Anna Hampton This recipe calls for penne pasta, and it is definitely just the right shape to trap this dreamy tomato cream sauce while you are trying to nail down the perfect bite. This is almost restaurant worthy, and you'll be so happy to be able to go for seconds if you make this meal for two. 21 of 29 Vietnamese Style Shrimp Noodle Bowls Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis We like the bright flavors and colors in this noodle bowl that features rice noodles for an especially hearty and satisfying seafood main. 22 of 29 Orzo Salad With Shrimp And Lemon Dressing Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Sugar snap peas, English peas and asparagus make this brilliant green salad a smash. When tossed together with the lemon dressing and shrimp, it definitely merits a do-over just so you can enjoy it again. The key here is to let the dish come to room temperatures so that all of the flavors are on point. 23 of 29 Chicken And Broccoli Pasta Bake Photography and Styling: Caitlin Bensel What could be easier than an all-in-one pasta dish made to please many? That's what you're getting with this to assemble feat of dinner mastery. And trust us, it's already in your regular rotation. 24 of 29 Baked Tortellini Alfredo With Mushrooms Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Tortellini can be a great, hearty addition to any pasta dish, as you've got the added bonus of a pasta that is filled. With this grocery store refrigerated three-cheese tortellini, the result is a taste triumph. If you want to give the final result a little lift, add fresh basil in with the fresh parsley. 25 of 29 Beefy Baked Ravioli With Spinach And Cheese Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox The best thing to serve after this dish is a good night's sleep! As with lasagna, serving a ravioli dinner is a rich and satisfying experience. This may not be the best date night dish, but for a personal birthday dinner or other celebration, this has your family's name written all over it. 26 of 29 Pasta With Pancetta, Artichokes, And Roasted Red Peppers Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Your friends may think you cheated with takeout, but instead you are simply blowing their minds with your ability to make just the right pasta dinner for happy hour night. Mark our words, you need a dry Sangiovese for this taste experience, or any of the other wines sourced from the Italian region of Tuscany. 27 of 29 One-Pot Cajun Chicken Alfredo Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Don't get trapped thinking that fettuccini is the only appropriate pasta for Alfredo. You can go with linguine or bucatini, penne, or bowtie pasta. Change it up for a new meal presentation, and don't forget that certain pasta holds sauce in different ways, and can make the meal more enticing. 28 of 29 One Pot Pasta Primavera With Bacon and Feta Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch What's that you say? This has bacon and feta cheese in it? Count us in! This flavor combination, along with tomatoes in this recipe, is a perfect balance of salt and sweet. You and your dinner guests will not get enough. Be sure to make extra or accept that you are simply going to have to commit to dessert. 29 of 29 Pasta With Heirloom Tomatoes, Goat Cheese, And Basil Hector Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham Embrace the flavors of summer no matter which season you happen to be enjoying with this tasty pasta salad, You can certainly use heirloom tomatoes when in season, but the charm of tomatoes in general, and basil, are that both can be found year-round in most groceries. Don't be afraid to use grape tomatoes, cherry or roma. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit