Like most of us, I grew up eating lasagna the OG way but every now and then, you need to mix it up. This seafood lasagna just hits so different when you need a change of pace. It’s layered with a ricotta and spinach filling, a creamy béchamel, and packed with shrimp and crab seasoned with Old Bay. I topped this seafood lasagna with three kinds of cheese, and it tastes bomb. Not your classic lasagna, but a serious crowd-pleaser. Get into it.
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How to Make Seafood Lasagna
These step-by-step photos show how to make seafood lasagna, but be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and detailed instructions. Skip to the → Seafood Lasagna Recipe
1. Sauté the veggies
Melt the butter, soften the shallots with a little salt, then stir in the garlic just until aromatic.
2. Cook the shrimp with the seasonings
Stir until they just start to turn pink without fully cooking.
3. Combine the shrimp and crab
Transfer the shrimp to a bowl and gently fold in the crab meat.
4. Mix the ricotta and spinach filling
Stir together the ricotta, drained spinach, lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, and salt.
5. Make the roux for the seafood lasagna
Melt butter in the same pan and whisk in flour, cooking briefly to remove the raw taste.
6. Build the béchamel
Slowly whisk in the wine, half-and-half, clam juice, nutmeg, hot sauce, and salt, simmering until thickened.
7. Mix the cheese topping
Combine all the shredded cheeses in a bowl and mix well.
8. Start layering the seafood lasagna
Add a thin layer of the béchamel to coat the bottom of your prepared dish. Then, top the béchamel with lasagna noodles arranged in an even layer.
PRO TIP: Italian blend cheese typically has 4-5 shredded cheeses mixed together. However, if you don’t have it, you can use mozzarella instead.
9. Spread on the ricotta mixture
Add one-third of the ricotta filling over the noodles.
10. Add the seafood béchamel
Fold the seafood and the herbs into the béchamel and spread one-third of the mixture over the ricotta.
11. Finish the layering
Sprinkle one-third of the cheese mixture evenly over the filling. Repeat the layers of noodles, ricotta, béchamel, and cheese, ending with noodles, ricotta, and the last layer of cheese.
12. Bake your seafood lasagna
Cover with foil to bake, uncover to brown the top, and garnish with parsley. Rest your creamy seafood lasagna briefly, and serve warm.
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Full Seafood Lasagna Recipe
Seafood Lasagna Recipe
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I’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Equipment
- 9×13 Baking Dish
Ingredients
For the Shrimp
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium shallot minced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 pound large shrimp peeled, deveined, and cut into ¼ inch chunks
- 8 ounces lump crab drained (and picked through for shells)
- Kosher salt divided
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
For the Ricotta Filling
- 2 ½ cups whole milk ricotta
- 1 cup frozen spinach thawed and drained
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley minced
For the Bechamel
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 3 ½ cups half and half
- ¼ cup clam juice
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon minced
For the Cheese Mixture
- 2 ½ cups gouda shredded
- 2 ½ cups Italian blend cheese shredded
- 1 cup Parmesan shredded
- 9- ounce box no-boil lasagna noodles
- 1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley minced, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and place the racks in the bottom third and top third positions. Prepare a 13×9 inch baking dish by spraying the bottom and sides with nonstick cooking spray.
- For the shrimp, add butter to a large, nonstick pan and melt over medium heat. Add the shallots and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook until translucent, for 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant. Add in the pieces of shrimp, Old Bay, and ½ teaspoon salt and cook for 1 minute, stirring. (You do not want to cook completely at this step, as they will continue to cook in the oven.)
- Remove the shrimp from the heat and add to a medium bowl and stir in the crab.
- For the ricotta filling, stir together the ricotta, drained spinach, lemon juice, zest, parsley, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- For the bechamel, in the same pan used for the shrimp, set over medium heat and melt the butter. Once melted, sprinkle the flour over the butter and whisk until a paste forms and cook for about 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Slowly stir in the white wine, whisking vigorously, followed by the half and half. Stir in the clam juice, nutmeg, hot sauce, and 1 ½ teaspoons salt and let it come to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Do not boil. The sauce is ready when it has thickened and can coat the back of the spoon without being too runny. Remove from the heat and taste for seasoning and adjust to your taste.
- For the shredded cheese mixture, combine all cheeses into a medium bowl and toss together.
- To assemble, spoon ½ cup of the bechamel sauce into the prepared baking dish. Stir the shrimp mixture and the herbs into the remaining bechamel sauce. In the dish, top the bechamel sauce with sheets of lasagna. Next, spread on one-third of the ricotta mixture, followed by one-third of the bechamel, then top with a third of the shredded cheese. Again, top with lasagna noodles, ricotta, bechamel, then cheese. For the last layer, add noodles, ricotta, then sprinkle the final third of shredded cheese covering the top.
- Cover with foil, place on a baking sheet, then place on the bottom third rack and bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove the foil, then move the pan to the top third rack and continue baking for an additional 10-15 minutes, until the top is bubbly and brown.
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the remaining parsley, and let sit for 15 minutes. Then serve and enjoy immediately.
Notes
How to Store
- Fridge: Cover the lasagna with foil or plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavors only get better the next day, so leftovers are a win here boos!
- Freezer: Wrap the whole pan or individual slices in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat, let it thaw overnight in the fridge so it bakes up nice and even.
- Reheating: Pop it in a 350°F oven, covered with foil, for about 20-25 minutes until it’s bubbly and hot. For a quick fix, heat slices in the microwave in short bursts.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Make sure your shrimp and crab are thawed and drained. You don’t want extra water messing up your lasagna.
- Pick through the lump crab meat for shells before you start. Spread it on a small baking sheet and pop it in a 450°F oven for about 45 seconds. The shell bits will turn white so they’re easier to see and remove.
- Have all your ingredients measured and ready to go. It will reduce mistakes and confusion while cooking this seafood lasagna recipe.
- Use fresh ground nutmeg if you can. It really makes a difference in the béchamel. The jarred stuff will still work fine, though.
- Don’t overcook your shrimp! You just want them partially cooked since they’ll finish in the oven with the lasagna.
Serving Suggestions
- Bread: You can’t go wrong with garlic bread, buttery dinner rolls, or a warm no-knead bread to scoop up every bit of that cheesy sauce.
- Salads: A crisp Caesar salad, a harvest fall salad, or a cucumber and onion salad all balance the richness of the béchamel.
- Veggies: Roasted Brussels sprouts, garlic or tomato green beans, or asparagus make perfect sides for this seafood lasagna with spinach.
Recipe Help
Let the lasagna rest for 15 to 20 minutes before cutting. It will set up as it cools.
Yup! Assemble it, wrap the pan up nice and tight, and store it in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before baking so it heats evenly.
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Everything making it for New years
The lasagna looks very good and I am going to try it for my dinner. Thank you for the recipe.