Jumbo pasta shells with shrimp and lump crab comin at ya! They are extra tasty and we are lookin out for ourselves today by making a yummy yet healthier cauliflower sauce to pour over the shells!
Jumbo pasta shells stuffed with a couple scoops of this goodness is enough to leave me in awe. The shrimp and lump crab combo is a total win-win situation in my neck of the woods. It’s super easy too! But guys there’s more, we are going to go for gold with this one and make ourselves a “too good to be true” cauliflower sauce to seal the deal because let’s face it we should all be adding in a few more plant-based foods to our diet. And this cauliflower sauce isn’t fooling around. You will be like Alfred-who sauce?
You may be scared and very skeptical of this new sauce and that’s okay. There are days when you just need that jar of Alfredo because it’s quick, it’s familiar, and that’s important some days. However, right now I need this amazing and nourishing cauliflower sauce to pour over my stuffed shells. Does my body need some balance with the recent overload of peanut butter clusters, cookies, chips n dip, the real Christmas crack which was a combo of fritos, chocolate, peanut butter, + more amazing deliciousness all due to the recent Christmas cookie exchange party at my parent’s cabin? Yes, yes it does.
My body is demanding some nourishing food right now!
This meal is a date night cooked at home kind of meal. Fancy, yet easy to prepare. It is a bit on the pricey side with the shrimp and the lump crab meat but many times you can find them on sale this time of year so good luck! This recipe is definitely worth it!
All of my food dreams are coming true today!
Our kids are in full force about all things Christmas right now and I’m trying to be a good mom and remind them of the true meaning of Christmas at least once a day. Our kids are 3, 4, and 5 and I don’t think I have ever been so excited for Christmas either because it is just so much fun seeing the excitement on their faces. I have to say I have been “a little” more ready this year because every day this month has felt like a marathon race. I am not even joking. I wake up at 6am, then it’s go time. Coffee ✔︎ and the rest is history. Half the time I can’t remember what I did the previous day but I count on the hopeful fact that I was productive and I took a shower. Anyone relate??
I NEED meals like this Shrimp and Crab Stuffed Jumbo Shells with a Cauliflower Sauce to regroup and keep my Christmas spirit alive!! It really is a lifesaver.
Now on to my new favorite food…the CAULIFLOWER SAUCE! You guys this stuff is absolutely my new favorite thing in the world. It’s delicious, it’s creamy, and a bit extraordinary because this sauce is creamy and yet soft like mashed potatoes that just works with these jumbo pasta shells. Cauliflower sauce, meet the Davidson household because you will be sticking around here for awhile!
I really and completely love how cauliflower is becoming more popular in dishes because it deserves that. You should totally check out this filet oscar with cauliflower mashed potatoes. It’s 100% unreal!! But right now I am stuck on these jumbo pasta shells stuffed with the best seafood filling ever!
Shrimp and Lump Crab Stuffed Jumbo Shells with Cauliflower Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons yellow onion chopped
- 2 tablespoons green pepper minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
- 24 jumbo pasta shells
- 12 oz lump crab meat
- 1 1/2 cups frozen cooked shrimp thawed and coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese grated
- 1/2 teaspoon creole seasoning
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 10 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 cups cauliflower florets about 1 med head cauliflower
- 32 oz vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup milk
Instructions
Saute Peppers & Onions
- In a medium pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add green pepper and onion and sauté 3-4 minutes or until onion is soft. Remove from heat and set aside.
Cook Pasta
- Meanwhile boil a large pot of salted water. Cook jumbo pasta shells according to package directions. Drain and rinse shells.
Make Filling
- In a large bowl, add the shrimp, crab, mozzarella cheese, creole seasoning, egg, mayo, and milk. Stir until well combined.
- Spray a 9x13 baking dish with olive oil spray or nonstick cooking spray. Arrange cooked pasta shells in dish. Using a small cookie dough scoop, scoop 1-2 scoops in to each shells. Scoop additional filling into shells evenly so they are stuffed with filling cause honestly the more filling the better! Stuff those shells and it's okay if the filling falls out a bit.
Make Cauliflower Sauce
- Preheat oven to 350℉. In a large skillet, heat the butter over low heat. Add garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. I highly recommend using a garlic press with this amount of garlic otherwise ok to use the jarred minced garlic but know the garlic flavor might not be the same.
- In a large pot, bring the vegetable broth and water to a boil. Add cauliflower florets and boil for 8 minutes or until a fork can easily pierce cauliflower.
- In a large food processor or high-powered blender, use a slotted spoon to transfer the cauliflower florets, plus add 1 cup of broth/water mix, sautéed garlic and butter, salt, pepper, and milk. Process until consistency is smooth. If consistency is too thick for your liking you can add a little more milk.
- Spoon sauce over stuffed pasta shells.
- Bake at 350℉ for 30 minutes.
- Serve.
Notes
More Awesome Dinners
Filet Oscar with Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
New England Clam Chowder
