Seafood Pasta
Seafood Pasta
Rotini with baby clams and mixed seafood in a light white wine, fish stock and tarragon sauce — with an easy red-sauce variation.
Prep: 10 minutes · Cook: 30 minutes
What Is Seafood Pasta?
A light seafood pasta where baby clams and mixed seafood simmer in white wine and fish stock with tarragon, served over rotini — easily turned into a red clam sauce with a few spoonfuls of passata.
Why Make Seafood Pasta?
- Lighter than a tomato-based seafood pasta
- Tarragon gives it a fresh, French-Italian twist
- Canned clams and frozen seafood keep it easy
- Two sauces in one recipe — white or red
- On the table in 40 minutes
Unico Products Used in This Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 oz baby clams (canned, drained)
- 14 oz mixed seafood (shrimp, squid and mussels, thawed if frozen)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 2/3 cup white wine
- 2/3 cup fish stock
- 2 tbsp tarragon (chopped)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 340 g rotini
- fresh parsley (chopped, to garnish)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet; add the garlic and clams and cook for 2 minutes, shaking the pan so the clams are coated in oil.
- Add the mixed seafood, pour over the wine and stock and bring to a boil.
- Cover the pan, reduce the heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salted water for 8-10 minutes, until al dente; drain thoroughly.
- Stir the tarragon into the sauce and season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the pasta to a serving plate, pour over the sauce and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
Cooking Tips
- Shake the pan so the clams coat evenly in the garlic oil
- Simmer covered so the seafood steams gently
- Use the red variation: stir in 8 tbsp of passata with the stock
- Don't overcook the mussels and squid
- Twists like rotini trap the brothy sauce
Frequently Asked Questions About Seafood Pasta
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1. Can I make this a red sauce?
Yes — stir about 8 tablespoons of sieved tomatoes (passata) in with the stock and cook the same way.
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2. What is in mixed seafood?
Typically shrimp, squid and mussels; frozen seafood medleys work perfectly — thaw first.
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3. Can I substitute the fish stock?
Clam juice or a light chicken broth both work.
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4. Why tarragon with seafood?
Its gentle anise note flatters shellfish without overwhelming the brine.
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5. How do I store leftovers?
Refrigerate up to 1 day; seafood pasta is best enjoyed fresh.
Cooking Guides & Tips
Seafood Pasta Made Simple
Seafood Pasta is a light, briny dinner that flexes white or red depending on your mood. Unico baby clams and rotini keep it a pantry-friendly affair.