These easy, homemade Crab Stuffed Shells are light, fresh, and super citrusy. They're reminiscent of crab cakes wrapped in a pasta hug. The orange-infused tomato sauce is refreshing and delicate. It's the perfect complement to these seafood stuffed shells.

Four crab stuffed shells topped with orange-infused tomato sauce and chopped basil

(This recipe for Crab Stuffed Pasta Shells was originally published in July 2015, but was updated with new photos and content in 2020).

Next to casseroles like lasagna, macaroni and cheese, and baked ziti, stuffed shells sometimes get overlooked. Personally, I love them!

They're easy to make, easy to portion, and beautiful too. Although I typically make ricotta or meat-stuffed shells, one of my favorite recipes features a light and fresh-tasting crab meat filling.

These crab stuffed shells are a lot lighter than seafood stuffed shells with a creamy sauce and loads of cheese. In fact, these shells are stuffed with a mixture similar to crab cakes.

Four crab stuffed shells on fine china. One shell is cut to show the filling inside.

Fresh crab meat is combined with bread crumbs, seasonings, and eggs to bind. I liken this dish to crab cakes meet pasta, slathered with a light and delicate tomato sauce that really compliments the crab perfectly.

I'm really impressed not only by how the crab still shines even when it's not the dominant ingredient in the filling, but also by the freshness of the citrus. The orange and lemon really lighten up the dish and give it a summery feel, even though these seafood stuffed shells can easily be made year round because they utilize canned tomatoes in the sauce.

Ingredient notes

Crab Meat: You'll need 8 ounces of fresh crab meat for the filling. Good quality canned crab is totally fine if you aren't able to get fresh crab. Crab meat can be quite expensive, so be on the look out for sales. Lump crab features larger pieces of crab than claw meat. Although there are a lot of different types of crab meat, buy whatever you can afford. It will taste delicious regardless.
Fresh Bread Crumbs: These are easy enough to make in your food processor. I recommend sourdough or ciabatta, but any basic artisan style bread will yield good fresh bread crumbs. I would avoid using sliced sandwich bread. It's a lot softer and won't provide nearly as much flavor or texture as the other varieties. Just cube up some preferably stale bread and toss in in the food processor. Blitz until you have fine crumbs. Simple.
Jumbo Pasta Shells: There are a variety of brands, and although they are similar in size, they are shaped slightly differently. For example, Barilla is a popular pasta brand which sells jumbo shells. Their shells are squared off at the ends, and wrap around the filling a bit more. Pastene is another brand I have used for this recipe, and their shells have pointy ends, and don't wrap quite as much around the filling. Both styles of jumbo shells will work beautifully for this recipe. Get whichever you can find.

four stuffed pasta shells on white plate with folk on one side — These shells are the more squared-off version from Barilla

A close up of crab stuffed pasta shells in a casserole dish — These are made with the pointy-ended Pastene brand of jumbo shells

How to make the orange-scented tomato sauce

Let's start with the sauce. This basic tomato sauce that begins with onions and carrots sauteed in olive oil until somewhat softened. Next we add basil, garlic, salt, and chile flakes.

Finally, add drained, canned diced tomatoes, chicken broth, orange zest, and a touch of sugar. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender.

Step by step photo of cooking carrot and onions in a saute pan, then then after the addition of canned tomatoes and chicken broth.

After simmering, puree until smooth to yield a bright and light tomato sauce with a bit of warmth from chili flakes, and an unexpected freshness and zing from the orange zest. Set the sauce aside while you work on your shells.

Pureed orange-hued tomato sauce in a saucepan

How to make the crab stuffed shells

The pasta shells themselves are stuffed with a mixture reminiscent of crab cakes. Begin by melting butter in a saute pan, and then add finely chopped celery and scallions. Cook until the vegetables are softened. Stir in fresh breadcrumbs, and then remove from the heat.

Step by step photos of cooking scallions and chopped celery in a saute pan, adding fresh bread crumbs

Next, add lemon zest and juice, orange zest, fresh basil, crab, and eggs to bind.

step by step photos of making filling for crab stuffed pasta shells

Meanwhile, boil your jumbo pasta shells until tender. I definitely suggest boiling a few extra shells in case any of them fall apart on you. Drain, and pat them dry with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel.

You're ready to assemble your shells! Use a spoon to scoop filling into your shells. You can stuff them quite generously.

Crab stuffed shells arranged in a rectangular casserole dish

Pour about half the prepared sauce into a casserole dish, and arrange the stuffed shells over the sauce. Spoon more sauce over the top of each shell.

Crab stuffed shells arranged in a rectangular casserole dish topped with tomato sauce

Bake for about 30 minutes at 375 degrees F until heated through. Serve the crab stuffed shells with additional heated sauce at the table.

Crab stuffed shells arranged in a rectangular casserole dish, after baking.

I like to spread a bit of sauce onto my plate and then top with the shells. Garnish with additional chopped fresh basil. Bon appetit!

Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe (in a printable recipe card) including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.

stuffed shells with tomato sauce and basil on fine china plate

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