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Home » Recipes » Seafood & Lake Fish Pasta Recipes

Published: Dec 13, 2018 · Modified: Dec 14, 2020 by Jacqui

10 Seafood Pasta Recipes from Italy for Christmas.


10 Italian seafood pasta recipes for Christmas

Here in Italy, Christmas food traditions don’t include a particular meal that every family eats! However, fish and seafood are traditional in many parts of the country, especially on Christmas Eve. But, also on Christmas day and New Year’s day. Here are some special fish and seafood pasta recipes that you can include on your holiday menu to give it a bit of an Italian flavour.

10 seafood pasta recipes

Pasta will appear on almost every family table in Italy at Christmas. Very often Italians eat more than one pasta dish or a pasta and/or a risotto followed by a main course! For dinner on Christmas Eve, most Italians eat fish and seafood. This is a religious custom as 24th December is considered a day of fasting or abstinence, which Italians call ‘giorni di magro’ (meaning lean days).  However, seafood pasta is popular even on Christmas Day and New Year’s day.

(Just click the title to go to the recipe posts)

Seafood pasta recipes - linguine pasta alle vongole - linguine with clams

Linguine alle vongole.

Linguine with clams one of the most popular seafood pasta recipes  both in Italy and abroad! So it’s not surprising that this iconic Neapolitan dish is traditional at Christmas in Campania! This linguine pasta alle vongole recipe is my Sicilian hubby’s. He’s pretty generous with the garlic and peperoncino but you can reduce the quantities if you prefer!

Seafood pasta recipes poached salmon and asparagus lasagne al forno one portion on white plate

Lasagna with poached salmon and asparagus.

Lasagne al forno is a must for many Italians at Christmas. This version with poached salmon and asparagus is a perfect seafood pasta recipe for meatless days and special occasions. It’s much lighter than traditional Lasagna with Bolognese.

Seafood pasta recipes spaghetti with Baccalà (salt cod)

Spaghetti with Baccalà (salt cod).

Baccalà is very traditional  at Christmas both here in Veneto and in the South, although it’s prepared in different ways. This is a Sicilian recipe which can be served as two courses. The sauce with pasta and the salt cod separately with potatoes.

(Just click the title to go to the recipe posts)

seafood pasta recipes spaghetti with smoked trout carbonara

Smoked trout carbonara.

Based on a recipe from a Michelin star restaurant by Lake Garda, this contemporary carbonara recipe is one that I actually served last New Year. My guests loved it and yours will too!

seafood pasta recipes spaghetti with mussels alla Tarantina

Spaghetti with mussels alla Tarantina

The Southern Italian region of Puglia is famous for its mussels, particularly those from Taranto. If you like mussels you will love this recipe which can also be served without pasta and chunks of bread instead!

seafood pasta recipes spaghetti with scallops and citrus fruit; Italian recipe

Pasta with scallops and citrus fruit

This is a seafood pasta recipe I posted here on The Pasta  Project just a few days ago. Scallops are a favourite seafood in Italy at Christmas and New Year. This is a divinely delicious recipe that’s very easy to make.

(Just click the title to go to the recipe posts)

seafood pasta recipes baked conchiglioni pasta shells with tuna and ricotta

Conchiglioni pasta shells with tuna and ricotta.

Baked pasta shells is another traditional pasta holiday dish, especially on days of fasting or abstinence. However, normally the shells are filled with spinach and ricotta and baked in a tomato sauce. This version is one I served at my Christmas party last year. Because the pasta isn’t cooked in a lot of sauce these conchiglioni can even be eaten as finger food!

seafood pasta recipes farfalle pasta with smoked salmon & zucchini

Farfalle with smoked salmon and zucchini.

I’ve included this recipe because it’s one of the most popular here on The Pasta Project.  Although smoked salmon is not a traditional Italian ingredient, lots of Italians like to eat it on special occasions and their favourite way to eat it is with pasta!

Seafood pasta recipes Busiate pasta with almonds bottarga and prawns

Busiate with bottarga, prawns and almonds.

There are so many wonderful Sicilian seafood pasta recipes but this one is special. Made with Sicilian Busiate pasta, bottarga (tuna roe), red prawns and almonds. This recipe is a real taste of Sicily!

Seafood pasta recipes La Calamarata pasta recipe

La Calamarata from Campania.

Another traditional Neapolitan seafood pasta recipe that is perfect for the holidays is La Calamarata. This dish is made with calamari (squid) and a type of pasta also called calamarata. This pasta actually looks like calamari rings, hence the name.  Another pretty simple recipe that looks and tastes fantastic.

Pin for later.

10 Italian seafood pasta recipes for Christmas

Tell me what you think!

If you make any of these seafood pasta recipes, I’d love to hear how it turns out. Did your guests like it?Please write a comment here on the blog or post a comment on the Pasta Project Facebook page.

Your feedback means a lot to me!

Buon Appetito and Merry Christmas!

Pin for Later!
10 Italian seafood pasta recipes for Christmas

More Seafood & Lake Fish Pasta Recipes

  • Smoked Salmon Pasta Rosettes (rolls)
  • Pasta with Breadcrumbs Recipe from Basilicata.
  • Anchovy Pasta Recipe from Naples
  • Italian Cold Spaghetti Salad with Shrimp

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Nha hang Van Chai Vinh says

    June 13, 2019 at 2:09 pm

    I love seafood pasta, try to do it. thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  2. Poonam says

    December 21, 2018 at 4:06 pm

    Am totally confused which one to select for Christmas. All of these pasta recipes seems yummy. Need your help which one will you suggest for Indian taste buds as am from India.

    Reply
    • Jacqui says

      December 28, 2018 at 10:37 am

      Thank you Poonam! I’m not sure what seafood is popular in India, but I can imagine you would like the spaghetti with scallops and citrus fruit or perhaps the calamarata with calamari (squid). Do let me know if you try one!

      Reply
  3. Renu says

    December 17, 2018 at 3:38 pm

    Each and every pasta dish is so so tempting. I specially loved the lasagna and the farfale. Yum.

    Reply
  4. Krista Price says

    December 17, 2018 at 3:10 pm

    Holy moly. That smoked trout carbornara is really calling my name, but I wouldn’t turn down any of these dishes! I can tell you put a lot of love into creating all of these recipes! I’m sending this to my boyfriend’s mother -she LOVES seafood and pasta, so this round up is totally for her.

    Reply
  5. Kelly Anthony says

    December 17, 2018 at 4:13 am

    What a great collection of pasta recipes. They all look amazing but the spaghetti with mussels alla Tarantin caught my eye and I’m going to be making this dish very soon.

    Reply
  6. April says

    December 17, 2018 at 1:12 am

    If I were to choose my TOP-3 from this list, it would be pasta with scallops and citrus fruit, linguine alle vongole and smoked trout carbonara. The last one must be magical! I just love the idea of having fish and seafood for Christmas!

    Reply
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Buon giorno and welcome to my pasta project! My name is Jacqui. I’m originally a Londoner but in 2003 life’s journey brought me to the beautiful Veneto region of Italy where…

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