Pasta with seafood

One day I wanted to cook something quick with pasta and seafood, without complicating things too much. I had some tuna, a few shrimp, cleaned mussels, and some leftover fish stock from a previous recipe in the fridge. This recipe for fideuà with seafood seems straightforward and clear, especially since it involves simple steps and you don’t need any special techniques or utensils. If you have the ingredients on hand and organize yourself a bit, everything goes quickly.

Quick Info

Total time: Approximately 35-40 minutes
Preparation time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time: 25-30 minutes
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Recipe type: Main dish with seafood

Ingredients

400 g fideuà pasta (short and thin pasta)
1 l fish stock
200 g tuna (cut into pieces, fresh or frozen)
150-200 g peeled shrimp
150-200 g mussels (cleaned)
1 medium onion
1 tomato
2-3 cloves of garlic

Preparation steps

1. Finely chop the garlic. Sauté it in a pan with a little oil over low heat, just enough to release its aroma.

2. Add the pieces of tuna to the pan. Sear them briefly, just until browned on the outside. Remove them to a plate.

3. In the same pan, add the shrimp and sauté them quickly, turning them to cook on both sides. Once done, remove them to the plate as well.

4. Grate the onion. Add it to the pan with the fat left over from the fish and shrimp. Sauté the onion until it starts to soften, without burning it.

5. Grate the tomato and add it over the onion when it’s half sautéed. Let everything sauté together for another 2-3 minutes to reduce a bit.

6. Add the cleaned mussels to the pan. Cover with a lid and let them steam for a few minutes until they open. As they open, remove them (discard any that do not open).

7. Transfer the sautéed onion and tomato to a wide paella pan or any large skillet.

8. Add the fideuà pasta to the pan. Stir and sauté lightly for 1-2 minutes to absorb the flavors.

9. Pour the fish stock over the pasta and vegetables. Let everything simmer over medium heat.

10. Halfway through the cooking time for the pasta (check the package instructions), add the pieces of tuna, shrimp, and the mussels prepared earlier on top.

11. Continue to simmer without stirring too much until the pasta absorbs the stock and the liquid almost disappears. Generally, the pasta should be well cooked but not too dry.

Why I make this recipe often

I like that it doesn’t involve complicated steps and uses seafood that is easily found. I can adapt it based on what I have in the freezer. It’s good for when I want to cook quickly for several people without having to supervise everything every minute. The flavor is rich, even though the ingredients are few.

Tips and variations

Tips

1. Use fideuà or thicker fidea pasta, not broken spaghetti.
2. Homemade fish stock adds flavor, but store-bought works too, or even water with salt if you don’t have any.
3. Don’t stir the pasta excessively to avoid it becoming sticky.
4. If the fish is delicate, don’t fry it too long at the beginning.

Substitutions

1. You can use any other seafood: squid, octopus, various clams, depending on what you find.
2. Tuna can be replaced with any firm fish that doesn’t break easily.
3. If you don’t have fish stock, use vegetable stock and adjust the salt at the end.

Variations

1. You can add some bell pepper if you want more color.
2. For a more intense flavor, you can sprinkle some sweet paprika when sautéing the vegetables.
3. If you have it on hand, you can add a sprig of parsley at the end.

Serving ideas

It’s eaten immediately after cooking, straight from the pan or divided into wide plates. You can sprinkle a little chopped fresh parsley on top if you like.

Frequently asked questions

1. Can I use regular pasta instead of fideuà?
You can, but the texture will be different. Fideuà is thinner and absorbs liquid faster.

2. If I have frozen seafood, do I put it in directly?
It’s better to thaw it first to avoid too much water in the pan.

3. How long does it keep if I have leftovers?
Ideally, you should eat it fresh, but you can keep it in the fridge for a day, at most two.

4. Can I add white wine during cooking?
You can add a little, but it’s not necessary in the basic recipe.

5. I only have mussels with shells, can I use them?
Yes, you can use them, but make sure to clean them well and discard them after they open.

Nutritional values

Estimation for one serving (out of four):

Approximately 400-450 kcal
Carbohydrates: 55-60 g
Protein: 20-25 g
Fats: 7-10 g
Values are estimates and depend on the type of pasta, how much oil is used, and the fat content of the fish.

Storage and reheating

Best consumed immediately. If you have leftovers, you can store them in the fridge in a covered container for a maximum of 1-2 days. Reheating in the microwave or over low heat works, but the pasta may become softer and the seafood may change texture. I prefer to cook only what will be consumed at once.

 Ingredients: 400 g fideuà pasta, 1 l fish broth, 200 g tuna, 150 - 200 g shrimp, 150 - 200 g mussels, 1 medium onion, 1 tomato, 2-3 cloves of garlic

 Tags:  pasta with seafood noodle