If you’re craving something indulgent and impressive, Seafood Stuffed Cannelloni is a perfect choice. This Italian-inspired dish blends tender pasta tubes with a savory seafood filling and a creamy sauce that’s baked to golden perfection.
The magic starts with the filling, a mix of finely chopped shrimp and crabmeat combined with ricotta cheese, garlic, lemon zest, and fresh herbs. The seafood adds a delicate sweetness, while the ricotta keeps everything rich and smooth. You can also add a pinch of chili flakes or a splash of white wine for an extra layer of flavor.
Once the cannelloni tubes are filled, they’re nestled in a baking dish with a light béchamel sauce infused with Parmesan and a touch of nutmeg. The final touch is a generous sprinkle of mozzarella or more Parmesan on top before it goes into the oven. As it bakes, the pasta softens, the filling sets, and the top becomes deliciously golden and bubbly.
This dish is ideal for special dinners or when you want to impress guests. Serve it with a simple green salad and a crisp white wine, like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc, for a restaurant-quality meal at home.
You can make it ahead of time and store it in the fridge before baking—perfect for entertaining or meal prep. Whether you’re a seafood lover or just looking for a twist on classic Italian comfort food, this Seafood Stuffed Cannelloni is a must-try.
Ingredients
- 8 cannelloni tubes
- 200 g mixed seafood mix scallops, squid), prawns
- 150 g ricotta cheese
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup parsley chopped fresh
- 1/4 cup basil chopped fresh
- 1 can crushed tomatoes 400 g
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook cannelloni tubes according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the seafood, ricotta cheese, shallot, garlic, Parmesan cheese, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Spread a thin layer of tomato paste on the bottom of a baking dish.
- Using a piping bag or a spoon, fill each cannelloni tube with the seafood mixture and place them in the baking dish.
- In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the crushed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Pour the tomato sauce over the stuffed cannelloni tubes in the baking dish.
- Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over the top.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden.
- Serve hot and enjoy!
I had issues with the cannelloni breaking while cooking. Any tips?
Filled with seafood? Uhhh, are you sure that’s what most people like? What about just cheese and spinach?
Cheese and spinach is good too, but seafood adds a whole new level of flavor! You should try it before judging! 🍤👍
I totally get where you’re coming from! Not everyone loves seafood, but this combo can be amazing if you give it a try. Maybe add some cheese on top? 😋
Could not find cannelloni tubes anywhere! Used large shells instead. Still tasted good!
This was absolutely delicious! Perfect for a family dinner. I added extra cheese 😍. Will make again!
Great idea! But I used chicken instead. A bit different but still tasty!
My kids loved it! Stuffed shells with fishy stuff? Who woulda thought? 😂
The flavors are on point. Fresh herbs make a difference. I only had dried basil so I used a pinch and it still tasted great.
Yum! 😋
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it! 😍
Made it for my friends and they loved it. But like, it took me ages to fill the tubes!
Tasted amazing! I had to use tuna instead of scallops but it turned out great. Thanks!
Instructions are too complicated. I just dumped everything in a pot. Still tasted ok tho.
But you missed out on the proper way to make it! Did you even cook the seafood first? 🤔
Hey, as long as it tasted good! Cooking is all about having fun, right?
I forgot to buy the basil and parsley. Can I use dried instead?
Too much work for my taste. And do we really need all those fancy cheeses?
Yummy!
I tried this yesterday, and it was sooo good! Even my kids who never eat seafoode liked it.
Yummm! Cannelloni is the best pasta! I added more cheese tho, because cheese is life!
More cheese is always a good idea! Love the extra flavor it brings to the dish. Can’t wait to try this recipe!
I’m skeptical about mixing raw seafood with ricotta—like will it cook through? It actually did, but I reduced the seafood and baked a bit longer for peace of mind.
Who needs fancy food? Just throw some shrimp on anything and it taste great!
Hmmm I’m skeptical about cooking cannelloni tubes then baking only 30 minutes. Could be fine for pre-cooked tubes, but mine didn’t quite soak up the sauce.
I tried this, and honestly, it wasn’t that great. The seafood was a bit too fishy for my taste. Maybe I did something wrong?
Why is there seafood in pasta? This is just wrong! No thanks.
It’s alright but I prefer meat in my pasta. Seafood and pasta… not a good combo in my opinion. Just saying!
Was honestly disappointed. The cannelloni turned mushy and the filling was bland.
I don’t know about this. The seafood part seems too much. Can I just use chicken instead?
I’ve never heard of seafood in cannelloni. Isn’t it too fishy?
I thought the same before trying it! It’s actually really flavorful and not too fishy at all. Give it a shot!
Sounds weird tbh. Seafood and pasta? Never seen that before. What if it tastes gross?
Wow, I never thought to put seafood in cannelloni! This is going to impress my friends at dinner. Thanks!
Seafood mixed with pasta? I aint sure about that. Sounds weird but maybe worth a try…
Seems complicated. Can I just do this with regular pasta? Seems easier.
Too salty for my taste. I would cut down on the salt for sure next time.
Too complicated! Why stuff when you can just cook it separately? 🙁
This dish was a huge hit with my family! The seafood and cheese combo is divine.
Made it twice already!
I didn’t have some ingredients, so I used chicken instead. Still decent!
For anyone wondering: don’t over-salt if your parmesan is salty. I accidentally salted a little too much, but once mixed with ricotta it balanced.
Great tip! Parmesan varies a lot—mixing it into the ricotta definitely helps. I’ve definitely had the “why is this so salty?” moment with Italian cheese before 😅
I’m not sure “don’t over-salt” is enough though—shouldn’t you skip salt entirely until after tasting? Also 180°C for 30 min seems kinda short for cannelloni.
This seems too complicated. Can’t I just use store-bought filling? Plus, what’s with all the herbs?
This is definitely a keeper! The combo of seafood and cheese is fantastic.
Two words: make it.
Not bad at all! I used thawed frozen seafood mix and it worked great. Next time I’ll add a pinch of chili flakes for a little kick, but overall solid.
Yum! My grandma used to make something similar, but I think she used crab. Still, this was good!
That’s awesome! Crab would be such a nice twist! I’m glad you liked it! 🙂
Why didn’t you just use fresh tomatoes instead of canned? Makes no sense!
Fresh tomatoes can be pretty watery though, right? Canned ones give a nice richness to the sauce. I think it’s okay!
I dunno about that. I think canned is easier and tastes fine too. Who’s got time to chop fresh all the time?
I followed it pretty closely, except I squeezed the seafood a bit to avoid extra moisture. The sauce was simple but good—would make again.