I have made this recipe for stuffed pasta with shellfish several times, especially when I feel the need for something simple but with a taste different from my daily routine. I use frozen shellfish and a mix of ricotta tortellini and spinach sachetini. It's the recipe I turn to when I find fresh seasonal vegetables or want to quickly add something special to my pasta. It’s ready quite quickly and doesn’t require complicated ingredients. Most of the time, I serve it straight from the pan, without complicating myself with plating.
Quick Info
Total time: about 30 minutes
Preparation time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time: 10-15 minutes
Servings: 4
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: main dish, for regular meals or when you crave seafood
Ingredients
500 g shelled frozen shellfish
250 g ricotta tortellini (store-bought)
250 g spinach sachetini (store-bought)
1 red bell pepper
1 stalk of celery
1 small leek
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
zest and juice of 1 lemon (or optionally, 50 ml dry white wine)
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1/2 teaspoon 'olio e aglio' mix
1/2 teaspoon garlic flakes
salt to taste
Preparation method
1. Let the frozen shellfish thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature while you prepare the other ingredients. If there is water left, drain them well.
2. Bring salted water to a boil for the pasta. Cook the tortellini and sachetini according to the package instructions, about 3 minutes if they are fresh. Drain them and set aside.
3. Clean the bell pepper, celery, and leek. Wash them and cut them all into thin strips, not too long.
4. In a large skillet, add the olive oil and butter. Heat over medium heat until the butter melts and the mixture is slightly warmed.
5. Add all the chopped vegetables. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, just enough to soften them slightly, but keep them crunchy.
6. Add the lemon zest, garlic flakes, and drained shellfish. Stir gently to avoid breaking the shellfish.
7. Sprinkle salt to taste. Let everything cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, just enough for the shellfish to cook through. Do not cook them longer, or they will become tough.
8. Add turmeric, teriyaki sauce, and the 'olio e aglio' mix. Stir and let it cook for another minute.
9. Turn off the heat. Squeeze lemon juice over the dish (or, if you prefer, you can use 50 ml dry white wine instead of lemon juice - add the wine at the same time as the shellfish, then cook for 2 minutes to evaporate the alcohol).
10. Serve the shellfish and vegetables over the stuffed pasta, straight from the pan. You don’t need anything extra.
Why I make this recipe often
I make it because it doesn’t take much time, the ingredients are easy to find, and the combination of stuffed pasta with shellfish and vegetables remains tasty and interesting. It’s a quick solution when I crave something with seafood but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen.
Tips and variations
Tips
Do not cook the shellfish too long; they lose their texture and become rubbery.
If using fresh store-bought pasta, check the cooking time to avoid overcooking.
Taste the sauce before adding more salt – teriyaki sauce is already salty.
Gently stir in the skillet to avoid breaking the shellfish or stuffed pasta if you add them directly to the sauce.
Substitutions
You can use just one type of stuffed pasta if you don’t have both varieties on hand.
Instead of frozen shellfish, you can use fresh shelled shellfish if you find them.
If you don’t have 'olio e aglio', you can just use garlic flakes and a little pepper.
Lemon can be replaced with dry white wine, as indicated in the recipe.
Variations
You can try other stuffed pasta (with cheese, mushrooms, meat) – the taste changes, but the base remains.
The vegetables can vary depending on what you have: you can add finely sliced zucchini or carrot.
If you want it spicier, add a little chili pepper while sautéing.
Serving ideas
It’s best eaten immediately, straight from the skillet, warm.
It works as a main dish for a quick dinner or as a weekend dish when you want something uncomplicated.
If you have guests, you can serve it in individual bowls, with a little fresh parsley on top (optional).
Frequently asked questions
Can I use dried pasta instead of stuffed?
I do not recommend it here, as the recipe is designed to balance the texture of the shellfish with the filling of the pasta. Plain pasta does not provide the same consistency and taste.
If I only have shellfish with shells, what do I do?
Boil them separately until they open, remove the shellfish and use them in the step with the vegetables, but be careful not to have any sand left.
Can the recipe be made without teriyaki sauce?
Yes, you can omit the sauce or replace it with a little soy sauce and a teaspoon of brown sugar for a sweet-salty note.
How spicy is the recipe?
The recipe is not spicy; it has only a slight garlic and spice flavor. You can adjust to your taste by adding chili pepper if you wish.
Can I keep it in the fridge for the next day?
It can be kept, but the texture of the stuffed pasta suffers. It’s best eaten fresh.
Nutritional values (estimates)
For one serving out of four, approximately:
calories: 450-500 kcal
protein: 20-25 g
fat: 18-20 g (from butter and oil)
carbohydrates: 50-60 g (from pasta and vegetables)
Indicative values. The teriyaki sauce, type of pasta, or butter used can change the values.
Storage and reheating
It can be stored in the fridge for a day, in a container with a lid. When reheating, the textures are not the same – the stuffed pasta may become mushy, and the shellfish become firmer. For the best result, I recommend consuming it fresh, immediately after preparation.
Quick Info
Total time: about 30 minutes
Preparation time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time: 10-15 minutes
Servings: 4
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: main dish, for regular meals or when you crave seafood
Ingredients
500 g shelled frozen shellfish
250 g ricotta tortellini (store-bought)
250 g spinach sachetini (store-bought)
1 red bell pepper
1 stalk of celery
1 small leek
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
zest and juice of 1 lemon (or optionally, 50 ml dry white wine)
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1/2 teaspoon 'olio e aglio' mix
1/2 teaspoon garlic flakes
salt to taste
Preparation method
1. Let the frozen shellfish thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature while you prepare the other ingredients. If there is water left, drain them well.
2. Bring salted water to a boil for the pasta. Cook the tortellini and sachetini according to the package instructions, about 3 minutes if they are fresh. Drain them and set aside.
3. Clean the bell pepper, celery, and leek. Wash them and cut them all into thin strips, not too long.
4. In a large skillet, add the olive oil and butter. Heat over medium heat until the butter melts and the mixture is slightly warmed.
5. Add all the chopped vegetables. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, just enough to soften them slightly, but keep them crunchy.
6. Add the lemon zest, garlic flakes, and drained shellfish. Stir gently to avoid breaking the shellfish.
7. Sprinkle salt to taste. Let everything cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, just enough for the shellfish to cook through. Do not cook them longer, or they will become tough.
8. Add turmeric, teriyaki sauce, and the 'olio e aglio' mix. Stir and let it cook for another minute.
9. Turn off the heat. Squeeze lemon juice over the dish (or, if you prefer, you can use 50 ml dry white wine instead of lemon juice - add the wine at the same time as the shellfish, then cook for 2 minutes to evaporate the alcohol).
10. Serve the shellfish and vegetables over the stuffed pasta, straight from the pan. You don’t need anything extra.
Why I make this recipe often
I make it because it doesn’t take much time, the ingredients are easy to find, and the combination of stuffed pasta with shellfish and vegetables remains tasty and interesting. It’s a quick solution when I crave something with seafood but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen.
Tips and variations
Tips
Do not cook the shellfish too long; they lose their texture and become rubbery.
If using fresh store-bought pasta, check the cooking time to avoid overcooking.
Taste the sauce before adding more salt – teriyaki sauce is already salty.
Gently stir in the skillet to avoid breaking the shellfish or stuffed pasta if you add them directly to the sauce.
Substitutions
You can use just one type of stuffed pasta if you don’t have both varieties on hand.
Instead of frozen shellfish, you can use fresh shelled shellfish if you find them.
If you don’t have 'olio e aglio', you can just use garlic flakes and a little pepper.
Lemon can be replaced with dry white wine, as indicated in the recipe.
Variations
You can try other stuffed pasta (with cheese, mushrooms, meat) – the taste changes, but the base remains.
The vegetables can vary depending on what you have: you can add finely sliced zucchini or carrot.
If you want it spicier, add a little chili pepper while sautéing.
Serving ideas
It’s best eaten immediately, straight from the skillet, warm.
It works as a main dish for a quick dinner or as a weekend dish when you want something uncomplicated.
If you have guests, you can serve it in individual bowls, with a little fresh parsley on top (optional).
Frequently asked questions
Can I use dried pasta instead of stuffed?
I do not recommend it here, as the recipe is designed to balance the texture of the shellfish with the filling of the pasta. Plain pasta does not provide the same consistency and taste.
If I only have shellfish with shells, what do I do?
Boil them separately until they open, remove the shellfish and use them in the step with the vegetables, but be careful not to have any sand left.
Can the recipe be made without teriyaki sauce?
Yes, you can omit the sauce or replace it with a little soy sauce and a teaspoon of brown sugar for a sweet-salty note.
How spicy is the recipe?
The recipe is not spicy; it has only a slight garlic and spice flavor. You can adjust to your taste by adding chili pepper if you wish.
Can I keep it in the fridge for the next day?
It can be kept, but the texture of the stuffed pasta suffers. It’s best eaten fresh.
Nutritional values (estimates)
For one serving out of four, approximately:
calories: 450-500 kcal
protein: 20-25 g
fat: 18-20 g (from butter and oil)
carbohydrates: 50-60 g (from pasta and vegetables)
Indicative values. The teriyaki sauce, type of pasta, or butter used can change the values.
Storage and reheating
It can be stored in the fridge for a day, in a container with a lid. When reheating, the textures are not the same – the stuffed pasta may become mushy, and the shellfish become firmer. For the best result, I recommend consuming it fresh, immediately after preparation.