Alfredo Crab Stuffed Shells

I'm really not that big on seafood, but I know it's healthy so I try to work it into our diet as often as I can. Generally that ends up being with some sort of crab dish since I do like the taste of crab!

I found a rough recipe similar to this online that married crab and pasta - pasta being my absolute favorite so I was sold! It turned out pretty well and was easy to make earlier in the day and just stick in the oven when it came time for dinner.

Alfredo Crab Stuffed Shells

1 can of crab meat, drained very well
1 C ricotta cheese (you can be generous here)
1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
2 T finely chopped onion
1 egg
1/3 C Italian seasoned Panko bread crumbs
1 t Italian seasoning
8 oz Alfredo sauce plus a little more (you can make homemade, or use a jar sauce)
mozzarella cheese
14 Jumbo shells


Boil the shells according to the package.

Drain your crab in a small colander making sure to remove as much water as possible. Flake the crab meat with a fork to remove any small bone flakes. In a small bowl, mix all of the ingredients except for the Alfredo sauce and mozzarella cheese. For the bread crumbs, you could use regular bread crumbs, but I like the crunch of the Panko kind, and they seem to be a little more versatile. Feel free to add additional Italian seasoning or others like basil, oregano and parsley for more flavor. Spoon a small amount of Alfredo sauce into the mix.

Drain the shells and rinse them in cool water to cool them off.

Prepare an 8" x 8" baking dish by coating it with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350°.

Spoon a generous portion of the mixture into each shells. Spread open the shell by holding it lengthwise to create a larger opening. Once you have placed the filling inside, gently squeeze the sides shut around the filling to hold the shape a little better.

Place the shells in the baking dish. Drizzle or spoon Alfredo sauce over the shells. Top with a small amount of mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes.

I love the texture of baked noodles topped with browned cheese!

This meal went great with a salad on the side and was surprisingly filling. I ate three shells for a serving and my husband ate four, so we got dinner and leftovers out of this for the two of us.