Tomato Seafood Pasta with Calamari, Prawns & Mussels
A bold, restaurant-quality tomato seafood pasta with calamari, prawns, and mussels. It uses a layered tomato base — cherry tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and passata — to build real depth without needing hours on the stove, making it an easy win for any night you want something that feels a bit special.
Serves
4
Prep time
15
Cooking time
30
Looking for more seafood pasta recipes? Try my Sardine Pasta with Crispy Breadcrumbs or my Crab, Garlic & Chilli Pasta.
Helpful Tips
Storage
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Mussels are best eaten fresh — they can become rubbery when reheated. If meal prepping, consider making the sauce and pasta ahead and cooking fresh mussels to order.
- Not recommended for freezing once assembled.
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Substitutions
- No mussels? Replace with extra prawns, clams, or scallops. Cooking time remains roughly the same.
- Calamari swap: Squid tubes or baby squid work just as well. Pre-cut squid rings from the freezer section are a good shortcut.
- No passata? Use an extra 200ml of crushed tomatoes and a tablespoon of tomato paste for similar depth.
- Add wine: Deglaze the pan with 60ml dry white wine after softening the onion and garlic, before the tomatoes go in. Let it reduce for 1 minute — it adds a nice layer of depth.
- Spice it up: Double the chilli flakes or add a finely sliced fresh chilli with the garlic.
Serving Suggestions
This is a complete meal on its own, but a simple side salad or some crusty bread to mop up the sauce is always a good idea. A wedge of lemon on the side lets people brighten each bowl to taste. If you want to add more vegetables, a handful of baby spinach stirred through at the end wilts nicely into the sauce.
Helpful Tips
Storage
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Mussels are best eaten fresh — they can become rubbery when reheated. If meal prepping, consider making the sauce and pasta ahead and cooking fresh mussels to order.
- Not recommended for freezing once assembled.
Substitutions
- No mussels? Replace with extra prawns, clams, or scallops. Cooking time remains roughly the same.
- Calamari swap: Squid tubes or baby squid work just as well. Pre-cut squid rings from the freezer section are a good shortcut.
- No passata? Use an extra 200ml of crushed tomatoes and a tablespoon of tomato paste for similar depth.
- Add wine: Deglaze the pan with 60ml dry white wine after softening the onion and garlic, before the tomatoes go in. Let it reduce for 1 minute — it adds a nice layer of depth.
- Spice it up: Double the chilli flakes or add a finely sliced fresh chilli with the garlic.
Serving Suggestions
This is a complete meal on its own, but a simple side salad or some crusty bread to mop up the sauce is always a good idea. A wedge of lemon on the side lets people brighten each bowl to taste. If you want to add more vegetables, a handful of baby spinach stirred through at the end wilts nicely into the sauce.
Ingredients
For the seafood:
- 300g calamari tubes, sliced into rings (or strips)
- 300g raw prawns, peeled (tails on or off)
- 500g mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- Salt and black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
For the tomato base:
- 1 red onion, finely diced (divided — half for seafood, half for sauce)
- 4 garlic cloves, finely sliced (divided — half for seafood, half for sauce)
- 250g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 can crushed tomatoes (400g)
- 350ml tomato passata
- 1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper
For the pasta:
- 500g spaghetti
- 120ml pasta water (reserved before draining)
To finish:
- Large handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (divided)
Nutritional Information
(
per serving, based on
4
)
Nutrient
Amount
Calories
580
kcal
Protein
42
g
Carbohydrates
68
g
Fat
10
g
Fibre
6
g
Nutritional information is approximate and provided as a general reference only. Actual values may vary. This is not a substitute for professional dietary advice.
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil for the pasta.
- Pat the calamari dry and season well with salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large, wide pan over high heat. Add the calamari and cook for 1–2 minutes, tossing once or twice, until just opaque and lightly golden. Do not overcook — it toughens quickly. Remove and set aside.
- Add the prawns to the same pan with another small drizzle of oil if needed. Season with salt and pepper and cook 1–2 minutes per side until pink. Remove and set aside with the calamari.
- Lower the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, then add half the diced red onion and half the garlic. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until softened and fragrant.
- Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for 2–3 minutes until they begin to soften and collapse. Add the crushed tomatoes and passata, stir to combine, and season with salt, pepper, and chilli flakes if using. Simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.
- While the sauce simmers, cook the spaghetti in the boiling salted water according to packet directions until al dente. Before draining, scoop out 120ml of pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta.
- Add the mussels to the sauce, stir gently to coat, and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 3–4 minutes until all mussels have opened. Discard any that remain closed.
- Return the prawns and calamari to the pan. Add half the chopped parsley and toss gently to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Add the drained spaghetti to the pan and toss everything together, adding splashes of reserved pasta water as needed to help the sauce coat the pasta evenly.
- Divide between bowls and finish with the remaining parsley. Serve immediately.
Ingredients
For the seafood:
- 300g calamari tubes, sliced into rings (or strips)
- 300g raw prawns, peeled (tails on or off)
- 500g mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- Salt and black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
For the tomato base:
- 1 red onion, finely diced (divided — half for seafood, half for sauce)
- 4 garlic cloves, finely sliced (divided — half for seafood, half for sauce)
- 250g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 can crushed tomatoes (400g)
- 350ml tomato passata
- 1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper
For the pasta:
- 500g spaghetti
- 120ml pasta water (reserved before draining)
To finish:
- Large handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (divided)
Nutritional Information
(
per serving, based on
4 servings
)
Nutrient
Amount
Calories
580
kcal
Protein
42
g
Carbohydrates
68
g
Fat
10
g
Fibre
6
g
Nutritional information is approximate and provided as a general reference only. Actual values may vary. This is not a substitute for professional dietary advice.
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil for the pasta.
- Pat the calamari dry and season well with salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large, wide pan over high heat. Add the calamari and cook for 1–2 minutes, tossing once or twice, until just opaque and lightly golden. Do not overcook — it toughens quickly. Remove and set aside.
- Add the prawns to the same pan with another small drizzle of oil if needed. Season with salt and pepper and cook 1–2 minutes per side until pink. Remove and set aside with the calamari.
- Lower the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, then add half the diced red onion and half the garlic. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until softened and fragrant.
- Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for 2–3 minutes until they begin to soften and collapse. Add the crushed tomatoes and passata, stir to combine, and season with salt, pepper, and chilli flakes if using. Simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.
- While the sauce simmers, cook the spaghetti in the boiling salted water according to packet directions until al dente. Before draining, scoop out 120ml of pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta.
- Add the mussels to the sauce, stir gently to coat, and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 3–4 minutes until all mussels have opened. Discard any that remain closed.
- Return the prawns and calamari to the pan. Add half the chopped parsley and toss gently to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Add the drained spaghetti to the pan and toss everything together, adding splashes of reserved pasta water as needed to help the sauce coat the pasta evenly.
- Divide between bowls and finish with the remaining parsley. Serve immediately.
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