Seafood Fettuccine Made the Italian Way
Seafood Fettuccine Marinara is all about the freshest combination of your favourite seafood with sweet tomato sugo. Fresh clams, prawns and calamari come together with sweet cherry tomatoes, garlic, parsley and a squeeze of lemon, all wrapped around silky ribbons of fresh egg pasta.
What I love most about this recipe is that it tastes like something you would order at a seaside restaurant in Italy, yet there is nothing complicated about it. There is no cream, no long list of ingredients and no fancy technique, just good seafood treated with respect.
Seafood pasta means different things in different places. In Australia you will hear this dish called seafood marinara, in America people often picture the creamy alfredo version, and in Italy we simply cook whatever came off the boat that morning with tomatoes and good olive oil. This version keeps the sauce light so the seafood stays the star of the plate.
The real secret here is the clam juice, and it costs you nothing. Instead of tipping away the liquid the clams release as they open, you strain it and pour it back into the sauce at the end. That single step is what gives this dish the taste of the sea in every bite.
Watch: Make This Seafood Pasta Once And You’ll Be Making It Forever
How To Make Seafood Pasta Marinara Like an Italian
Vincenzo’s Top Tips
Prawn Your Way
For this seafood marinara recipe, I used prawns that were already cleaned and cooked because they make dinner even faster. If you prefer raw prawns, go right ahead, just add them to the pan and cook until they turn pink and opaque. They only need a few minutes, so keep an eye on them because overcooked prawns can become rubbery faster than you can say mamma mia.
Frozen Clams vs Fresh Clams
The clams I use come from New Zealand and are sold frozen. They have already been cleaned and steamed, which means they only need about 3-5 minutes to heat through. If you’re lucky enough to have fresh clams, use them. Just cook them covered until the shells open naturally, which usually takes around 8-10 minutes. Any clams that stay stubbornly shut should be discarded because they were not alive before cooking.
Put a Lid On It
Covering the seafood while it cooks helps trap all those incredible aromas and natural juices inside the pan where they belong. If you do not have a lid, do not panic. A sheet of foil works beautifully, or you can place another pan on top.
Less Shells, More Pasta
Be careful when handling the clams because they stay hot for quite a while after cooking. I like to let them cool slightly, then use one shell to gently scoop the meat from the other. Personally, I prefer eating seafood pasta without constantly digging through shells, so I remove most of them and leave just a few in the dish for presentation. You still get all the flavour without having to work for every bite.
For an Even Smoother Sauce
If you want to take the sauce to another level, roast the cherry tomatoes first. Roasting brings out their natural sweetness and creates a deeper flavour. Once roasted, blend them for just a few seconds to create a smoother sauce. For this recipe, I keep things simple and cook the tomatoes directly in the pan with the skins on because I love how quick and rustic it feels.
Why I Love Fresh Pasta
You can absolutely make this recipe using dried fettuccine, tagliatelle, or another long pasta shape. The sauce will still be delicious. That said, I prefer fresh egg pasta when making seafood pasta because its silky texture pairs beautifully with delicate seafood. Once the sauce coats those ribbons of fresh pasta, it can be very hard to go back.
Prefer a Richer Sauce?
Prefer a deeper, richer sauce? Swap the cherry tomatoes for a bottle of good tomato passata, exactly as I did in my original version of this recipe. You can watch that method in the video further down this page.
Want Mussels in There Too?
Mussels are beautiful in this dish and they were in my original version, so add them if you love them.
Clean around 500 g of mussels and put them in the pan together with the clams, then cover and let them steam open in the same few minutes. Their juice becomes part of the broth you strain and save for the sauce. Any mussel that stays shut after cooking should be thrown away.
How to Serve Seafood Fettuccine
Twirl the seafood fettuccine into a generous mound on a flat plate, making sure every serving gets its fair share of clams, prawns and calamari. Spoon over any sauce left in the pan, because that liquid gold is far too good to leave behind.
Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of fresh parsley. Then do what every Italiandoes, grab a piece of crusty bread and make sure not a single drop of sauce goes to waste.
Seafood Fettuccine Marinara
Print Recipe
Equipment
- bowl
- Strainer
- Large Frying pan
- Garlic crusher, optional
- knife
- Cutting board
- wooden spoon
- large pot for boiling the pasta
- Tongs
- Colander lined with kitchen paper to drain/transfer the pasta
- Small plate
Ingredients
- 1 kg /35.2oz clams, 18 oz. clams
- 200 g /7oz calamari (sliced), 7 oz
- 200 g /7oz prawns (cleaned and cooked)
- 400 g /14.1oz fresh egg fettuccine, 13 oz
- 400 g /14.1oz cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 to 2 lemons
- A fresh bunch of parsley (finely chopped), Chopped
- Extra virgin olive oil, EVOO
- Salt & Pepper
- Chili flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Place a large frying pan over medium heat. Add a generous drizzle of EVOO, 1 whole garlic clove, and a small handful of parsley.
- Add the clams to the pan. Cut 1 lemon in half and, using a strainer to catch the seeds, squeeze the juice directly over the clams. Stir, cover with a lid, and cook for 7 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow the clams to cool slightly. Remove the clams from their shells, keeping a few shells aside for garnish if you wish. Discard the remaining shells.
- Place a colander lined with kitchen paper over a bowl. Pour the cooking liquid from the clam pan through the colander to remove any grit or impurities. Once strained, gently squeeze the kitchen paper to release any trapped liquid. Set the filtered clam juice aside.
- Clean the pan and return it to medium heat. Add another generous drizzle of EVOO, then crush in 1-2 garlic cloves. Add a handful of parsley and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
- Add the cherry tomatoes and stir. Cook for 5 minutes, then add a small splash of water to help the tomatoes soften and release their juices. Cover with lid and cook for a further 10 minutes.
- Cut another lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the pan using a strainer to catch any seeds. (optional)
- Add the prawns, shelled clams, and the reserved clam juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add a little more parsley, stir everything together, then set aside while you cook the pasta.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt, then cook the fresh egg fettuccine for 2 minutes. Reserve 1 mug of pasta water before draining.
- Return the seafood sauce pan to medium-high heat. Add the cooked fettuccine directly to the pan and toss using tongs until the pasta is evenly coated.
- Turn off the heat. Continue tossing the pasta while gradually adding a splash of reserved pasta water as needed. This will help emulsify the sauce and create a glossy coating that clings beautifully to every strand of fettuccine. Finish with extra parsley, a drizzle of EVOO, and optional chilli if you like a little heat.
- Transfer the fettuccine over to the sauce and mix gently using tongs. Now for the best part, dishing up the seafood pasta!
Video
Frequently Asked Questions
What is seafood fettuccine called in Italy?
In Italy we do not call a seafood pasta ‘marinara’. Marinara in Italy means a simple tomato sauce made with garlic and oregano, with no seafood in it at all. A pasta dish with mixed seafood is usually called pescatora, meaning fisherman style, or frutti di mare, meaning fruits of the sea. The name seafood marinara comes from Australia and New Zealand, where it describes exactly this kind of dish: mixed seafood in a tomato sauce. In America, marinara nearly always means the plain tomato
sauce sold in jars, which is why an American recipe called seafood marinara often turns out to be seafood in a jarred tomato sauce. Whatever name you know it by, this is how we cook it at home.
Can I make Seafood Fettuccine with frozen seafood?
Yes. In fact, the clams used in this recipe are frozen and work beautifully. Just make sure the seafood is properly thawed if required and avoid overcooking it. Seafood cooks quickly and can become rubbery if left on the heat for too long.
What is the difference between Seafood Fettuccine and Seafood Alfredo?
Seafood Fettuccine combines tender pasta ribbons with fresh seafood and pairs beautifully with many different sauces and ingredients. This version uses a light tomato-based sauce with garlic, parsley, and lemon. A seafood pasta made with alfredo sauce is much richer because it contains cream, butter, and often cheese. Both styles have their place, but I prefer this lighter version because it allows the natural flavour of the seafood to take centre stage.
Why should I reserve pasta water?
Pasta water contains starch, which helps emulsify the sauce and create a silky coating around the pasta. Adding a small amount while tossing the pasta and sauce together helps everything bind beautifully rather than separating in the bowl.
What other seafood can I use in seafood pasta?
This recipe works well with prawns, mussels, clams, calamari, scallops, lobster, salmon, crab, or firm white fish. Use the freshest seafood available to you and adjust the cooking time accordingly. If you would rather use a long dried pasta, my seafood spaghetti is made the same way.
Can I use dried fettuccine instead of fresh fettuccine?
Yes. Dried fettuccine works beautifully in this recipe. I prefer fresh egg fettuccine because its silky texture pairs exceptionally well with seafood, but a good quality dried pasta will still produce excellent results.
Can I make Seafood Fettuccine ahead of time?
Seafood pasta is always best enjoyed fresh. Seafood can become overcooked when reheated, so I recommend making the sauce and pasta just before serving. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 1-2 days.
The Original Seafood Marinara with Passata
Plenty of you have been cooking this dish with passata for years, so I have kept the original video right here for you. The method is a little different. The passata gives you a deeper, richer sauce, the mussels bring their own sweetness to the pan, and the raw prawns cook straight in with the rest of the seafood. Both versions are how we cook seafood pasta at home, so use whichever suits what your fishmonger has that day. Just keep one thing in mind: the recipe card above follows my newer method with fresh cherry tomatoes and clam juice, so if you are cooking along today, that is the one to follow.
E ora si mangia, Vincenzo’s Plate….Enjoy!
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If You Enjoyed This Seafood Fettuccine Recipe, Try These Next
- PASTA VONGOLE – Love the sweet flavour of clams in this Seafood Fettuccine? Spaghetti alle Vongole is one of Italy’s most famous seafood pasta dishes, and one of my all-time favourites. Made with fresh clams, garlic, parsley, lemon, and extra virgin olive oil, it creates a sauce that tastes like the Italian coastline.
- EASY ITALIAN STUFFED CALAMARI RECIPE – If calamari is your favourite part of this dish, my Italian Stuffed Calamari recipe deserves a place on your table. Tender squid filled with a flavour-packed stuffing and cooked until beautifully tender, it is one of those recipes that always impresses guests.
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