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Christmas Eve Seafood Lasagna

Seafood lasagna layers shrimp, bay scallops, and crab with ricotta-spinach filling and a creamy béchamel sauce. Baked until bubbling at the edges and 165°F in the center, it rests into rich, neatly sliceable portions.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
resting 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 850
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the béchamel
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 6 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 6 cup whole milk
  • 1.5 tsp kosher salt divided
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper divided
  • 0.125 tsp ground nutmeg
For the seafood filling
  • 1 tbsp olive oil divided
  • 12 oz shrimp raw, large, peeled, deveined, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 12 oz bay scallops raw, patted dry
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 8 oz crabmeat lump, picked over for shells
  • 15 oz ricotta whole-milk
  • 10 oz spinach frozen, chopped, thawed and squeezed very dry
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese finely grated, divided
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 tsp lemon zest finely grated
For assembly
  • 12 lasagna noodles regular, from a 1-pound box
  • 3 cup mozzarella cheese shredded, low-moisture

Equipment

  • 1 9x13-inch baking dish
  • 1 12-inch skillet
  • 1 baking sheet

Method
 

Make the béchamel
  1. Heat the oven to 375°F.
  2. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil.
  3. Melt the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, then whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
  4. Gradually whisk in the milk and bring to a gentle simmer, whisking often; cook for 5–7 minutes, until thick enough to coat a spoon.
  5. Stir in 1 teaspoon of the salt, 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper, and the nutmeg.
  6. Keep the béchamel warm over the lowest heat, stirring occasionally.
Prepare the seafood filling
  1. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Cook the shrimp and scallops in two batches, stirring gently, for 2–3 minutes per batch, until opaque and the largest shrimp pieces reach 145°F; transfer to a bowl.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the garlic to the skillet, and cook for 30 seconds.
  4. Stir the garlic into the seafood, then gently fold in the crabmeat.
  5. In a large bowl, mix the ricotta, spinach, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, parsley, lemon zest, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; gently fold in the seafood mixture.
Assemble and bake
  1. Cook the lasagna noodles in an 8-quart pot of boiling water according to the package directions until al dente; drain and lay flat on a baking sheet.
  2. Spread 1 cup of béchamel in the baking dish and arrange 3 noodles on top.
  3. Spread one-third of the seafood filling over the noodles, spoon 1 cup of béchamel over the filling, and sprinkle with 3/4 cup mozzarella; repeat this noodle, filling, sauce, and mozzarella layer twice.
  4. Top with the remaining 3 noodles, all remaining béchamel, the remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella, and the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan.
  5. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for 10–15 minutes, until bubbling at the edges and 165°F in the center.
  6. Let the lasagna rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Squeeze the thawed spinach very dry to help the filling hold together. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days; freeze portions for up to 2 months. For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free lasagna noodles and a gluten-free flour blend.