Crab Stuffed Shells
Crab Stuffed Shells have a cheesy crab filling with apple and bacon in jumbo pasta shells with creamy alfredo sauce. This inspired combination of ingredients celebrates the salty sweet nature of crab in a homey pasta dinner.
Ingredients
For the crab filling
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup finely diced Granny Smith apple
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup thinly sliced green onion
- 1 Tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped
- ¼ tsp prepared horseradish
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup shredded Vermont sharp white cheddar cheese
- 4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled divided
- 1 tsp Old Bay seafood seasoning
- 8 oz cooked lump crab meat
For the pasta
- 1 batch prepared alfredo sauce
- ½ tsp Old Bay seafood seasoning
- 24 jumbo pasta shells
- garnish: crumbled bacon and green onion
Instructions
Make the crab filling
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Add the apple to a medium mixing bowl. Toss in the lemon juice.
- Add half the bacon to the apple. Set aside the rest of the bacon for garnish.
- Add the remaining ingredients for the crab filling to the apple and bacon, and toss gently lightly with a fork to combine, taking care to minimize breaking up chunks of crab.
Make the pasta and sauce
- Make the alfredo sauce. Add the 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning to the sauce.
- While the sauce is cooking, cook the pasta shells to al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water until cool enough to handle. (*see Notes)
Assemble and bake
- Fill each pasta shell with ~1 tablespoon of crab filling and place in a 13x9 bake dish. Spoon roughly half of the alfredo sauce over the shells.
- Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes until filling is heated through.
- Serve shells topped with additional alfredo, the rest of the bacon, and green onion.
Notes
Pasta shells tend to fall to the bottom of the pot and stick while they cook which, if allowed to happen, leaves them ruined. To avoid this, simply give them a stir every couple minutes as they cook.
Nutrition
Calories: 643kcal (32%) | Carbohydrates: 31g (10%) | Protein: 23g (46%) | Fat: 44g (68%) | Saturated Fat: 29g (181%) | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 167mg (56%) | Sodium: 863mg (38%) | Potassium: 209mg (6%) | Fiber: 2g (8%) | Sugar: 2g (2%)
Calorie count is purely an estimate calculated using an online application to serve as a guide and not to be taken as accurate nutritional information. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below and let me know!