Pansy's Kitchen

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Pansy’s Creamy Garlic Butter Seafood Pasta

This Creamy Garlic Butter Seafood Pasta is rich, flavorful, and loaded with tender seafood in a smooth, buttery garlic cream sauce. Tossed with pasta and seasoned to perfection, it’s an easy but delicious meal that’s perfect for a family dinner, special occasion, or anytime you’re craving comforting seafood.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound linguine or fettuccine pasta
  • ½ pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • ½ pound salmon, skin removed and cut into bite-sized pieces
  • ½ pound sea scallops
  • 1 lobster tail, meat removed and cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 8 ounces lump crab meat, carefully picked over for shells
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1½ cups heavy cream
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ cup reserved pasta water, as needed
  • 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • Extra Parmesan cheese and parsley, for garnish

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
  2. Pat the shrimp, scallops, salmon, and lobster meat dry with paper towels. Lightly season with Old Bay, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
  3. Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the scallops and sear for about 2–3 minutes per side until golden and just cooked through. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
  4. Add the salmon pieces to the skillet and cook for about 2–3 minutes per side, until lightly browned and nearly cooked through. Remove carefully and set aside.
  5. Add the shrimp and lobster to the skillet. Cook for about 2–3 minutes, turning as needed, until the shrimp are pink and the lobster meat is opaque. Remove and set aside with the other seafood.
  6. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining butter and minced garlic to the skillet. Cook for about 30–60 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
  7. Pour in the heavy cream and stir gently. Add the Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes if using, and a little additional Old Bay if desired. Simmer gently for 3–4 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken.
  8. Add the fresh spinach and stir until it wilts into the sauce. Stir in the lemon juice. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a small amount of the reserved pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency.
  9. Add the drained pasta to the skillet and gently toss until evenly coated in the creamy garlic butter sauce.
  10. Gently fold the cooked shrimp, scallops, salmon, lobster, and lump crab meat into the pasta. Cook over low heat for another 1–2 minutes, just until everything is heated through. Avoid stirring too aggressively so the crab and salmon remain in nice pieces.
  11. Remove from the heat. Garnish with chopped parsley and additional Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately while warm and creamy.

Recipe Information

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25–30 minutes
Total Time: About 55 minutes
Servings: 6–8

Pansy’s Tips

For the best results, pat the seafood dry before seasoning and cooking it. This helps the shrimp, scallops, salmon, and lobster develop a nice color instead of steaming in the skillet.

Be careful not to overcook the seafood. Cook each type just until tender, then remove it from the skillet while you prepare the sauce. Add everything back near the end so the seafood stays tender and juicy.

Use freshly grated Parmesan when possible because it melts more smoothly into the cream sauce. If your sauce becomes too thick, add a little reserved pasta water until it reaches the creamy consistency you like.

Add the lump crab meat last and fold it in gently so you keep those nice pieces of crab throughout the pasta. For extra flavor, finish the dish with a squeeze of fresh lemon, parsley, and a little Parmesan just before serving.

Serving & Storage

Serve Pansy’s Creamy Garlic Butter Seafood Pasta warm with garlic bread, a fresh garden salad, or roasted vegetables. Garnish with fresh parsley, Parmesan cheese, and a squeeze of lemon just before serving.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat on the stove top or in short intervals in the microwave. Add a small splash of milk or cream while reheating to help loosen the sauce and bring back its creamy texture. Avoid overheating so the seafood stays tender.