Spaghettini with seafood sauce is a light Italian pasta of thin spaghetti, mixed shellfish and squid, garlic and white wine, ready in about 30 minutes. It feeds 4 and comes together fast enough for a weeknight.
Why This Recipe Works
Start the garlic in cold oil over gentle heat. It turns lightly golden and sweet without burning, and the oil carries that flavor into everything that goes in after it. Burnt garlic turns bitter and you can’t hide it in a sauce this simple.
Once the seafood goes in, raise the heat and keep stirring. Mixed seafood cooks at different speeds, and constant stirring keeps the pieces moving so none sits too long on the hot pan. Squid and shrimp stay tender instead of turning rubbery.
A small splash of white wine does a lot here. It lifts the browned bits off the pan and adds a little acid that cuts the richness of the olive oil. One minute is enough to cook off the harsh alcohol taste.
Spaghettini with Seafood Sauce Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 chili pepper, finely chopped (optional)
- 12 ounces mixed seafood, cleaned (small octopus, squid, mussels, clams, oysters, small shrimp, or scallops)
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine
- 13 ounces spaghettini, fresh or dried
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
How To Make Spaghettini with Seafood Sauce
Cook the seafood
- Flavor the oil: Pour the 6 tablespoons of olive oil into a large skillet over low heat. Add the garlic, plus the chili if you want heat, and cook gently until the garlic turns lightly golden.
- Cook the seafood: Add the 12 ounces of seafood and turn the heat up. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly, so every piece cooks evenly.
- Check the shells: Look at the clams and mussels before you go on. Throw out any that stayed closed, because they are not safe to eat.
Finish the sauce and pasta
- Add the wine: Pour in the 2 tablespoons of white wine and let it bubble for 1 minute. Turn the heat to low to keep the sauce warm, then season with salt and pepper.
- Boil the spaghettini: While the seafood cooks, boil the 13 ounces of spaghettini following the package directions, until al dente. Drain it well.
- Toss and serve: Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss until every strand is coated. Sprinkle the parsley over the top and serve right away.
Recipe Tips
- Buy a mixed bag: Many fish counters sell a ready-cleaned seafood mix. It saves prep and gives you a good variety in every bite.
- Save some pasta water: Scoop out a small cup before you drain the pasta. If the dish looks dry after tossing, a splash loosens it without more oil.
- Watch the garlic: Keep the heat low and pull the pan off the burner if the garlic browns too fast. Bitter garlic spoils the whole sauce.
- Skip the cheese: Seafood pasta is usually served without grated cheese, which can cover up the delicate taste of the shellfish.
What To Serve With Spaghettini with Seafood Sauce
Serve the pasta straight from the skillet in warm bowls, with extra lemon wedges if you like. A simple arugula salad and a crisp white wine such as Pinot Grigio go well with it.
How To Store
- Fridge: Keep leftovers in a covered container for up to 1 day. Seafood is best eaten fresh, so don’t push it past that.
- Freezer: This dish doesn’t freeze well, since the seafood turns tough when thawed and reheated.
- Reheat: Warm it gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water, just until hot all the way through.
FAQs
Can I use frozen seafood?
Yes. Thaw it fully in the fridge overnight and pat it dry before cooking. Wet seafood steams instead of searing and waters down the sauce.
What can I use instead of white wine?
A splash of seafood or vegetable broth works, with a few drops of lemon juice for acidity. Add it the same way and cook it for about a minute.
Is spaghettini the same as spaghetti?
Spaghettini is a thinner version of spaghetti. It cooks a little faster and suits light sauces like this one. Regular spaghetti or angel hair both work if you can’t find it.
Why is my seafood rubbery?
It cooked too long or sat over too much heat without stirring. Keep the pan moving and stop at 10 minutes, and small pieces of squid and shrimp stay tender.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving (1 of 4), worked out from the ingredients.
- Calories: about 650 kcal
- Total Fat: 27g
- Total Carbohydrate: 68g
- Dietary Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
Spaghettini with Seafood Sauce
4
servings10
minutes20
minutes30
minutesThin spaghettini tossed with garlicky mixed seafood and a splash of white wine, finished with fresh parsley. A quick dinner for 4 that is ready in half an hour.
Ingredients
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
1 chili pepper, finely chopped (optional)
12 ounces mixed seafood, cleaned (small octopus, squid, mussels, clams, oysters, small shrimp, or scallops)
2 tablespoons dry white wine
13 ounces spaghettini, fresh or dried
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Flavor the oil: Pour the 6 tablespoons of olive oil into a large skillet over low heat. Add the garlic, plus the chili if you want heat, and cook gently until the garlic turns lightly golden.
- Cook the seafood: Add the 12 ounces of seafood and turn the heat up. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly, so every piece cooks evenly.
- Check the shells: Look at the clams and mussels before you go on. Throw out any that stayed closed, because they are not safe to eat.
- Add the wine: Pour in the 2 tablespoons of white wine and let it bubble for 1 minute. Turn the heat to low to keep the sauce warm, then season with salt and pepper.
- Boil the spaghettini: While the seafood cooks, boil the 13 ounces of spaghettini following the package directions, until al dente. Drain it well.
- Toss and serve: Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss until every strand is coated. Sprinkle the parsley over the top and serve right away.
