Three weeks ago, Oliver announced that regular meat lasagna was "fine but not special enough for company." That got me thinking about how to change up this comfort food classic without making it too complicated for a weeknight. This seafood lasagna happened when I had leftover shrimp and crab from a weekend seafood boil. Instead of the usual tomato sauce, I went with a creamy alfredo base that lets the seafood flavors shine. The combination of tender shrimp, sweet crab meat, and rich white sauce creates layers that taste like something from an upscale restaurant but come together in your own kitchen.
Why You'll Love This Seafood Lasagna Recipe
This changes everything about lasagna night. The white sauce lets you taste the seafood instead of drowning it in tomato like most recipes do. Shrimp and crab have delicate flavors that get lost when you dump them in marinara, but with alfredo sauce, every bite tastes like the ocean. The ricotta mixed with spinach keeps it from being too heavy, and you get different textures in each layer instead of just mushy pasta and sauce.
The timing works better than regular lasagna too. You don't need to brown meat or simmer sauce for hours - the seafood cooks fast, and the white sauce comes together in about ten minutes. Oliver likes this version because it feels fancy enough for when his grandparents visit, but it's not weird or scary like some seafood dishes can be for kids. The shrimp pieces are big enough that he can see what he's eating, and the crab adds sweetness without being too fishy. When you serve this at dinner parties, people think you spent way more time and money than you did.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Seafood Lasagna Recipe
- Ingredients For Seafood Lasagna Recipe
- Step by Step Method
- Equipment For Seafood Lasagna
- Creative Twists on Seafood Lasagna
- Substitutions
- Storage Tips For Seafood Lasagna
- Why This Seafood Lasagna Works
- Top Tip
- My American Friend's Secret
- FAQ
- Time for Seafood Success!
- Related
- Pairing
- Seafood Lasagna
Ingredients For Seafood Lasagna Recipe
The Seafood Stars:
- Large shrimp
- Lump crab meat
- Bay scallops
- Fresh or frozen seafood works fine
The Creamy Base:
- Heavy cream
- Butter
- Garlic cloves
- All-purpose flour
- Parmesan cheese
- White wine
The Layers:
- Lasagna noodles
- Ricotta cheese
- Fresh spinach
- Mozzarella cheese
- Fresh herbs
Basic Seasonings:
- Salt and white pepper
- Nutmeg
- Lemon juice
- Old Bay seasoning
See recipe card for quantities.
Step by Step Method
Prep the Seafood Base:
- Pat shrimp and crab dry with paper towels to prevent watery sauce
- Cut large shrimp into bite-sized pieces for even cooking
- Pick through crab meat carefully to remove shell pieces without breaking up chunks
- Season everything lightly with salt and Old Bay seasoning
Create the Creamy Alfredo Sauce:
- Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat until foaming
- Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute
- Sprinkle in flour and whisk constantly for 2 minutes to eliminate raw flour taste
- Slowly pour in cream while whisking, then add white wine and simmer until thickened
Cook Seafood in the Sauce:
- Add seasoned shrimp to cream sauce and cook just until pink, about 3-4 minutes
- Gently fold in crab meat and cook 1 minute more to heat through
- Remove from heat and stir in half the parmesan cheese
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and lemon juice
Layer and Bake the Masterpiece:
- Spread thin layer of seafood mixture in greased 9x13 baking dish
- Add pasta sheets, then ricotta-spinach mixture, then more seafood sauce
- Repeat layers ending with pasta and remaining sauce on top
- Cover with mozzarella and remaining parmesan, bake covered at 375°F for 45 minutes, then uncovered 15 minutes until golden
Equipment For Seafood Lasagna
- Large skillet or saucepan
- 9x13 inch baking dish
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Whisk
- Large mixing bowl
Creative Twists on Seafood Lasagna
When you want to change things up from the basic version, these variations work well:
Salmon and Dill Version:
- Replace shrimp and crab with flaked cooked salmon
- Add fresh dill and capers to the ricotta mixture
- Use lemon zest in the alfredo sauce for brightness
- Top with extra dill and lemon slices before serving
Lobster Luxury Style:
- Use cooked lobster meat instead of crab for special occasions
- Add a splash of brandy to the cream sauce
- Mix in some gruyere cheese along with the mozzarella
- Costs more but tastes like restaurant quality
Veggie-Packed Ocean Version:
- Layer in sautéed mushrooms and zucchini with the seafood
- Add roasted red peppers for color and sweetness
- Use a mix of spinach and arugula for more flavor
- Makes the dish go further and adds nutrition
Spicy Cajun Twist:
- Season the seafood with cajun spices instead of Old Bay
- Add diced jalapeños to the alfredo sauce
- Use pepper jack cheese instead of plain mozzarella
- Finish with hot sauce drizzled on top
Substitutions
Seafood Switches:
- Expensive crab → Imitation crab (cheaper but still tasty)
- Fresh shrimp → Frozen shrimp (thaw and pat dry first)
- Scallops → More shrimp or crab
- Mixed seafood → Just shrimp (easiest to find)
Sauce Alternatives:
- Heavy cream → Half and half (thinner but still works)
- White wine → Chicken broth or seafood stock
- Fresh garlic → Garlic powder (use less)
- Alfredo base → Bechamel sauce made with milk
Cheese Options:
- Ricotta → Cottage cheese (drain well)
- Fresh mozzarella → Regular shredded mozzarella
- Parmesan → Romano cheese
- Full-fat cheeses → Part-skim versions
Pasta and Vegetables:
- Lasagna sheets → Wide egg noodles layered flat
- Fresh spinach → Frozen spinach (squeeze out water)
- No-boil noodles → Regular lasagna noodles (cook first)
Storage Tips For Seafood Lasagna
Fridge Storage (3-4 days):
Cool the lasagna completely before covering it - hot lasagna creates condensation that makes it soggy when reheated. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil. When reheating, add a splash of milk or cream to prevent the sauce from breaking. Reheat at 325°F covered until heated through, about 20-25 minutes.
Freezer Storage (2-3 months):
Cut into individual portions before freezing - it thaws faster and you can take out just what you need. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap, then put them in freezer bags with the date. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. The texture changes slightly after freezing but still tastes good.
Make-Ahead Tips:
You can assemble the whole lasagna up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Add an extra 10-15 minutes to the baking time since it's starting cold. You can also make the seafood sauce ahead and store it separately, then assemble when ready to bake.
Why This Seafood Lasagna Works
This seafood lasagna solves the main problems that ruin most seafood pasta dishes. The white sauce base keeps delicate shrimp and crab flavors from getting lost under heavy tomato sauce like most lasagna recipes do. Alfredo sauce works with seafood instead of fighting with it, and the cream base stays smooth when reheated instead of separating like some tomato-based sauces can.
The layering technique matters here - cooking the seafood gently in the sauce first prevents it from getting rubbery during the long baking time. Raw seafood thrown into lasagna layers often turns tough and chewy by the time the pasta is done. The ricotta and spinach mixture adds moisture and keeps the dish from being too rich, while the mozzarella on top creates that golden, bubbly finish people expect from lasagna. Each layer serves a purpose instead of just piling on ingredients.
Top Tip
- When you make this for big family dinners, leftovers are bound to happen, so here's how to handle them right. For fridge storage, cool the Seafood Lasagna completely before covering it - hot lasagna creates condensation that makes it soggy when reheated. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil and it'll keep for 3-4 days.
- For longer storage, the freezer works up to 2-3 months but requires some prep work. Cut into individual portions before freezing - it thaws faster and you can take out just what you need. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap, then put them in freezer bags with the date. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. The texture changes slightly when frozen but still tastes good.
- The make-ahead approach saves time during busy weeks or when entertaining. You can assemble the whole lasagna up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge, then just add an extra 10-15 minutes to the baking time since it's starting cold. You can also make the seafood sauce ahead and store it separately, then assemble when ready to bake.
My American Friend's Secret
My friend Maria moved here from Italy five years ago and always complained about American seafood dishes being "too heavy with cheese." She'd roll her eyes whenever we ordered seafood alfredo at restaurants, muttering about how it wasn't proper Italian cooking. Then one night at a dinner party, she brought this seafood lasagna that had everyone asking for seconds. When I cornered her in the kitchen later, she laughed and admitted she'd been secretly working on this recipe for months. "Don't tell my nonna," she said, "but sometimes the American way isn't so bad."
Her trick was using just enough cheese to make it comforting without covering up the seafood - a mix of ricotta and a light hand with the mozzarella. She also added a splash of white wine to the sauce and let the seafood cook gently so it stayed tender. Now Maria brings this dish to every potluck, and she's stopped complaining about American-Italian fusion food. Oliver loves hearing about her "secret rebellion" against traditional Italian rules, and he always asks if we're making "Maria's cheesy fish Seafood Lasagna" when we have company coming over.
FAQ
What is in seafood lasagna?
Seafood lasagna typically contains layers of pasta with a mixture of shrimp, crab, and sometimes scallops in a creamy white sauce. Most versions use ricotta cheese, spinach, and mozzarella between the layers. The sauce is usually alfredo-based rather than tomato to let the seafood flavors show through.
Why don't Italians put cheese on pasta with seafood?
Traditional Italian cooking keeps cheese away from seafood pasta because the strong flavors compete with each other. Italians believe cheese overpowers delicate fish and shellfish flavors. However, Italian-American cooking changed this rule, and many seafood lasagna recipes do include cheese, especially ricotta and mozzarella.
Does Olive Garden have seafood lasagna?
Olive Garden doesn't regularly offer seafood lasagna on their standard menu. They sometimes feature seafood pasta dishes as limited-time specials, but their regular lasagna options are typically meat, cheese, or vegetable-based. You'd need to check their current menu or ask about seasonal offerings.
What not to do when making lasagna?
Don't skip the resting time after baking - hot lasagna falls apart when you cut it. Don't overcook the seafood or it gets rubbery. Avoid watery vegetables like wet spinach that make the dish soggy. Don't use pre-cooked shrimp as it gets tough when baked again.
Time for Seafood Success!
What makes this Seafood Lasagna work for busy families is how it scales up easily for entertaining but doesn't require expensive ingredients or fancy techniques. The white sauce lets the seafood shine instead of hiding it under heavy tomato flavors, and the layers create different textures in every bite. You can prep most of it ahead of time, which saves your sanity when you're trying to impress guests or feed a crowd. The combination of shrimp and crab gives you restaurant-quality results without the restaurant prices, especially if you buy frozen seafood when it's on sale.
Craving more crowd-pleasing recipes that look fancy but aren't complicated? Try our Easy Bang Bang Chicken Sliders: in 20 Minutes for sweet and spicy handheld meals that disappear faster than you can make them. Need party appetizers that look good without the stress? Our Easy Jalapeño Poppers Recipe: in 25 Minutes delivers restaurant-quality heat and flavor. For another special occasion seafood dish, our Easy Garlic Butter Lobster Tails Recipe turns any dinner into a celebration without requiring chef skills or breaking the bank.
Share your Seafood Lasagna success! We love seeing your layered creations and hearing about which seafood combinations your family prefers.
Rate this Seafood Lasagna and join our cooking community! We share tips, answer questions, and celebrate kitchen victories together. There's always someone around to help when your sauce won't thicken or your seafood gets overcooked.
Related
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Seafood Lasagna
Seafood Lasagna
Equipment
- 1 Large skillet or saucepan (For making the alfredo and cooking seafood)
- 1 9x13 inch baking dish (To assemble and bake the lasagna)
- 1 Sharp knife (For prepping shrimp, crab, and veggies)
- 1 Cutting board (For seafood and spinach prep)
- 1 Whisk (To make smooth alfredo sauce)
- 1 Large mixing bowl (For ricotta-spinach mixture)
Ingredients
Seafood Base
- 1 lb Large shrimp - Peeled, deveined, cut bite-sized
- 8 oz Lump crab meat - Picked over for shells
- 6 oz Bay scallops - Fresh or frozen
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning - Or cajun spice for variation
- ½ teaspoon Salt - To taste
Creamy Alfredo Sauce
- 4 tablespoon Butter - Unsalted preferred
- 4 cloves Garlic - Minced
- 3 tablespoon All-purpose flour - For thickening
- 2 cups Heavy cream - Or half-and-half
- ½ cup White wine - Or chicken/seafood stock
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese - Grated, divided
- ½ teaspoon White pepper - Black pepper works too
- ⅛ teaspoon Nutmeg - Freshly grated if possible
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice - Fresh squeezed
Lasagna Layers
- 12 Lasagna noodles - No-boil or cooked
- 2 cups Ricotta cheese - Or cottage cheese, drained
- 2 cups Fresh spinach - Chopped (or 1 cup frozen, drained)
- 2 cups Mozzarella cheese - Shredded
- 2 tablespoon Fresh herbs - Parsley or basil, chopped
Instructions
- Pat shrimp and crab dry, cut shrimp into bite-sized pieces, and check crab for shells. Season all seafood with Old Bay and salt.
- Melt butter, sauté garlic 1 min, whisk in flour 2 min. Gradually add cream and wine; simmer until thickened. Add shrimp until pink, then fold in crab and scallops. Stir in half the parmesan, lemon juice, nutmeg, and white pepper.
- In a bowl, combine ricotta, chopped spinach, and fresh herbs.
- Grease 9x13 dish. Layer: seafood sauce → noodles → ricotta mixture → seafood sauce. Repeat. Finish with noodles and remaining sauce.
- Top with mozzarella and remaining parmesan. Cover and bake at 375°F for 45 min, uncover for 15 min until golden.
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