8 Seafood Pasta Recipes for Date Night

There’s something about seafood pasta that turns an ordinary Tuesday into something worth dressing up for. The briny sweetness of fresh shellfish, the silky pull of al dente noodles, the way a garlic-white wine sauce clings to every strand — it’s the kind of dinner that makes your kitchen smell like a coastal trattoria and your dining table feel like a reservation you had to fight for.

The good news? You don’t need culinary school credentials or a fishmonger on speed dial to pull these dishes off. What you do need is a large skillet, a pot of boiling salted water, and a willingness to work with seafood without overthinking it. Shellfish cooks fast — faster than chicken, faster than beef — which means these recipes come together in 30 to 45 minutes while still tasting like you spent the entire afternoon in the kitchen.

Whether you’re planning a proper date night at home or just want to cook something that feels genuinely special on a weeknight, these eight seafood pasta recipes cover the full spectrum: light and citrusy, rich and creamy, boldly spiced, and elegantly simple. Each one is written with enough detail that even if you’ve never cooked a mussel or seared a scallop before, you’ll walk away from the stove with something worth photographing.

A few universal tips before you start: always salt your pasta water until it tastes like mild seawater — this is your only chance to season the pasta itself. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining; the starchy liquid is the secret weapon behind sauces that actually cling instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl. And with shellfish specifically, discard anything that doesn’t open after cooking. No exceptions.

1. Shrimp Scampi Linguine with Garlic and Lemon

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Shrimp scampi is the gateway drug of seafood pasta, and for good reason. It’s the dish that proves you don’t need a cream sauce or an elaborate technique to produce something genuinely restaurant-worthy. What you need is butter, good garlic, white wine, and the confidence to let those four ingredients do exactly what they’re meant to do.

The key to great scampi that most home cooks miss is patting the shrimp completely dry before they hit the pan. Moisture is the enemy of a proper sear. Wet shrimp steam instead of caramelize, and you lose that lightly golden edge that gives the dish textural contrast against the silky sauce. Dry them on paper towels, season right before cooking, and don’t crowd the pan.

For two people, this recipe is dinner in under 30 minutes.

Yield: Serves 2 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 18 minutes | Total Time: 28 minutes | Difficulty: Beginner — no special equipment required and the technique is straightforward even for a first-time cook.

Ingredients

• 8 oz linguine
• 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails off
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ cup dry white wine (Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Instructions

Cook the pasta:

1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add linguine and cook for 9–11 minutes until just al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.

Cook the shrimp:

2. Pat shrimp completely dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
4. Add shrimp in a single layer. Cook for exactly 2 minutes per side until pink and opaque — do not overcook or they’ll turn rubbery. Transfer to a plate.

Build the sauce:

5. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the same skillet.
6. Add sliced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, until the garlic turns golden at the edges but not brown.
7. Pour in white wine and let it simmer for 2–3 minutes until reduced by half, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.
8. Add lemon juice and stir to combine.

Finish the dish:

9. Add drained linguine to the skillet and toss with tongs to coat in the sauce, adding pasta water 2 tablespoons at a time until the sauce is glossy and clings to the noodles.
10. Fold in the cooked shrimp and parsley. Heat through for 1 minute.
11. Finish with lemon zest and serve immediately in warmed bowls.

Why This Works So Well on Date Night

The brightness from the lemon and white wine cuts cleanly through the richness of the butter, which means this dish feels light even though it’s deeply satisfying. It also reheats poorly — which is actually a feature, not a bug. It forces you to eat it right away, together, while it’s at its absolute best.

2. Creamy Lemon Garlic Pasta with Shrimp, Scallops, and Mussels

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This is the showstopper version — the one you make when you want the whole table to go quiet on the first bite. Three different types of seafood, each with its own distinct texture and flavor, all pulled together by a silky cream sauce that’s sharp with lemon and rounded with Parmesan. It tastes like considerably more effort than it is.

The trick to getting this right is cooking each seafood component separately and at the right time. Shrimp and scallops sear beautifully in butter and go in first. Mussels steam open in a separate step. They all come back together at the very end, which means nothing overcooks and nothing turns rubbery.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6 | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes | Difficulty: Intermediate — requires managing a few components at once, but each step is simple on its own.

Ingredients

• 12 oz linguine
• ½ lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• ½ lb sea scallops, patted dry
• ½ lb mussels, scrubbed and beards removed
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (for the seafood)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the cream sauce:

• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened and cubed
• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• Juice of 1 lemon
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

Cook the pasta:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook linguine according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water. Drain and set aside.

Sear the shrimp and scallops:

2. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season shrimp and scallops with salt and pepper.
3. Add scallops and cook for 2–3 minutes per side until a deep golden crust forms. Add shrimp and cook until pink and opaque, about 2 minutes per side. Remove both to a plate and tent with foil — they’ll continue cooking from residual heat.

Steam the mussels:

4. Add 1 cup of the reserved pasta water to the same skillet and bring to a boil.
5. Add mussels, cover, and steam for 4–5 minutes until shells open. Discard any that stay closed. Transfer mussels to the plate with the other seafood. Discard the pasta water from the pan.

Make the cream sauce:

6. Return skillet to medium heat. Melt the ¼ cup butter. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
7. Add heavy cream, chicken broth, and cream cheese. Stir continuously until the cream cheese fully melts into the sauce and it’s completely smooth, about 3–4 minutes.
8. Add Parmesan and lemon juice. Simmer over medium-low heat for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Bring it all together:

9. Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.
10. Gently fold in all the seafood and heat through for 1–2 minutes.
11. Garnish with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan. Serve immediately.

What Makes This a Date Night Go-To

The cream cheese in the sauce is non-obvious but worth knowing about — it adds body and a subtle tang without making the sauce feel heavy, and it stabilizes the cream so it doesn’t split under higher heat. Don’t skip the lemon juice either. The acid lifts the whole dish and stops the sauce from feeling cloying.

3. Spicy Seafood Pasta in Red Sauce with Linguine

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For anyone who finds cream-based sauces a little heavy, this is the answer. A quick tomato sauce — deeply garlicky, spiked with red pepper flakes, fragrant with fresh basil — becomes the backdrop for shrimp, scallops, and mussels. It’s bold and direct in a way that cream sauces aren’t, and the acidity of the tomatoes makes the sweetness of the shellfish pop.

The critical technique here is layering the seafood into the sauce in the right order. Mussels go into the simmering sauce first because they need time to steam open. Shrimp and scallops, already seared and set aside, go back in at the very end. Overcooking shrimp in a hot tomato sauce is the most common mistake people make with this dish — they turn rubbery and start releasing water into the sauce within minutes.

Yield: Serves 4 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes | Difficulty: Beginner — forgiving technique and the store-bought marinara shortcut keeps it genuinely simple.

Ingredients

• 12 oz linguine
• 1 lb mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded
• ½ lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 lb sea scallops
• 2 cups good-quality marinara or tomato passata
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (add more if you want real heat)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• ¾ cup reserved pasta water
• 3 fresh basil leaves, torn or roughly chopped
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cook linguine in a large pot of heavily salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve ¾ cup pasta water before draining. Set pasta aside.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season scallops with salt and pepper. Sear for 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove to a plate.
3. Season shrimp. Add to the same pan and cook 2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove to the plate with scallops.
4. Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute over medium heat — don’t let it brown.
5. Add marinara sauce, reserved pasta water, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
6. Add mussels to the simmering sauce, cover, and cook for 4–5 minutes until shells open. Discard any that don’t open.
7. Add shrimp and scallops back to the pan. Cook for 2–3 minutes to warm through.
8. Add cooked linguine and toss everything together until well coated with sauce.
9. Scatter fresh basil over the top and serve immediately.

4. Scallop and Saffron Linguine

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Few ingredients are more dramatic on a plate than saffron. A small pinch bloomed in white wine turns a cream sauce vivid golden-yellow and adds a floral, faintly honeyed depth that you genuinely can’t replicate with anything else. Paired with seared sea scallops — golden-crusted outside, sweet and barely translucent at the center — this is the kind of dish that earns a “you made this?” reaction from across the table.

The non-negotiable for perfectly seared scallops is completely dry scallops and a scorching hot pan. Any moisture on the surface will steam the scallop instead of searing it, and you’ll never get that caramel crust. Pat them dry, season right before they hit the oil, and don’t move them for a full 2–3 minutes. The crust will release naturally when it’s ready.

Yield: Serves 2 to 3 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes | Difficulty: Intermediate — scallop searing requires confidence and a hot pan, but the technique is quick once you understand it.

Ingredients

• 12 oz linguine
• 1 lb large sea scallops, completely patted dry
• ¼ teaspoon saffron threads
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup olive oil, divided
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cook linguine in salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
2. While pasta cooks, combine saffron threads with the white wine in a small bowl. Let steep for at least 5 minutes — the wine will turn deep orange-gold.
3. Pat scallops completely dry with paper towels. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over high heat until shimmering and nearly smoking. Add scallops in a single layer without crowding — work in batches if needed.
5. Sear for 2–3 minutes untouched until a deep golden-brown crust forms. Flip and cook 1–2 minutes more until just opaque through the center. Transfer to a plate.
6. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, then garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 30 seconds.
7. Pour in the saffron-white wine mixture. Let it simmer for 1 minute, scraping up the browned bits.
8. Stir in heavy cream. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.
9. Add cooked linguine and toss to coat. Add pasta water as needed for a silky consistency.
10. Stir in Parmesan, butter, lemon zest, and lemon juice until the butter melts and the sauce emulsifies.
11. Gently fold in the scallops and parsley. Heat through for 1 minute.
12. Serve immediately in warmed shallow bowls with extra parsley on top.

A Note on Saffron Quality

Saffron varies wildly in quality. The real thing — deep red threads with a pronounced floral aroma — produces that unmistakable golden color. Pre-ground saffron powders are often adulterated and produce barely any color or flavor. Buy whole threads from a reputable source and store them in a sealed container away from light.

5. Crab and Asparagus Linguine in Lemon Butter

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This one is lighter and more delicate than anything else on this list, which makes it a strong opener for a multi-course date night dinner or the right choice when you want something that feels celebratory without being heavy. Lump crab meat needs almost no cooking — its job is to warm through gently in the lemon butter sauce while retaining its natural sweetness and tender texture.

Handle the crab gently throughout this entire recipe. Stirring aggressively breaks it into small fragments and ruins the textural contrast. Use a rubber spatula and fold with care. The whole point of lump crab is those beautiful large pieces that remind you exactly what you’re eating.

Yield: Serves 2 to 3 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Difficulty: Beginner — the sauce is straightforward and crab requires almost no active cooking time.

Ingredients

• 12 oz linguine
• 8 oz lump crab meat, picked through for shells
• 1 lb fresh asparagus, woody ends trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
• ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Reserved pasta water as needed

Instructions

1. Cook linguine in heavily salted boiling water until al dente, about 9–11 minutes. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat until foamy.
3. Add asparagus and sauté for 4–5 minutes, tossing occasionally, until tender-crisp and still bright green.
4. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly — watch the heat here, burnt garlic will turn the sauce bitter.
5. Pour in lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir and cook for 1 minute to meld the flavors.
6. Gently fold in crab meat with a rubber spatula. Heat through for 2–3 minutes without stirring aggressively — you want those large pieces intact.
7. Add drained linguine and toss with tongs to coat, adding pasta water 2 tablespoons at a time if the sauce needs loosening.
8. Season with salt and black pepper. Stir in parsley just before serving.
9. Plate immediately, garnishing with extra lemon zest and a few parsley leaves.

The Crab Question: Fresh vs. Canned

Fresh lump crab meat from the seafood counter produces the best results here by a significant margin. Canned crab is far more watery and lacks the clean, sweet flavor that makes this dish sing. If fresh isn’t available, pasteurized refrigerated crab meat (sold in containers near the fresh seafood) is a solid second choice.

6. Salmon and Dill Farfalle in Cream Sauce

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Salmon and dill is one of those classic pairings that exists for a reason — the herb’s bright, grassy, faintly anise-like flavor cuts directly through the richness of the fish without overpowering it. In a cream sauce with a splash of white wine and a touch of lemon zest, it becomes the kind of elegant pasta that feels completely different from anything shrimp-based.

Farfalle (bowties) are the right pasta shape here — their thick centers and ruffled edges hold cream sauce in a way that thinner noodles can’t, and they look properly festive in the bowl. Searing the salmon in cubes rather than as a whole fillet means every piece gets surface caramelization and the dish has a more restaurant-polished presentation.

Yield: Serves 2 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Difficulty: Beginner — salmon cooks quickly and the cream sauce comes together in minutes.

Ingredients

• 8 oz farfalle pasta
• 12 oz skinless salmon fillet, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped (divided — use half in the sauce, half to garnish)
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Reserved pasta water as needed

Instructions

1. Cook farfalle in a large pot of salted boiling water for 10–12 minutes until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water before draining.
2. Pat salmon cubes completely dry. Season with salt and black pepper.
3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add salmon cubes and sear for 2–3 minutes per side until lightly golden on the outside but still slightly pink at the center. Don’t overcook — the salmon will continue to cook when added back to the hot sauce. Remove to a plate.
4. Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the same skillet. When foamy, pour in white wine and simmer for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits.
5. Add heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon.
6. Stir in half the dill and the lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Add cooked farfalle and gently fold to coat in the sauce, adding pasta water if needed.
8. Carefully fold in the seared salmon pieces. Heat through for 1–2 minutes.
9. Serve immediately, scattered with the remaining fresh dill.

7. Seafood Linguine with Clams and Mussels in White Wine Broth

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This is the Italian coastal classic — alle vongole style, built around shellfish and a clean, olive oil-based broth rather than cream or tomato. It’s the most technically honest version of seafood pasta, the one where the quality of the clams and mussels has nowhere to hide. Get good shellfish and this dish will genuinely transport you. It’s also — once the cleaning is done — one of the fastest pastas on this list.

Properly cleaning your shellfish is the most important step. Place mussels and clams in a bowl of ice water for 20 minutes to purge any sand. Scrub the shells with a stiff brush under cold running water. Pull the beard (the fibrous threads at the mussel’s hinge) off right before cooking, not in advance — removing the beard starts the dying process. Discard anything with a cracked shell or anything that doesn’t close when tapped.

Yield: Serves 3 to 4 | Prep Time: 25 minutes (including shellfish cleaning) | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes | Difficulty: Intermediate — the cleaning process takes patience, but the actual cooking is fast.

Ingredients

• 1 lb linguine
• 2 lbs littleneck clams, scrubbed
• 2 lbs mussels, scrubbed and beards removed
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ¾ cup dry white wine
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup reserved pasta water

Instructions

1. Clean all shellfish thoroughly (see note above). Discard any with broken shells or those that don’t close when tapped sharply.
2. Cook linguine in a large pot of salted boiling water for 9 minutes — slightly underdone is intentional. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
3. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
4. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute until the garlic turns pale golden — keep the heat moderate to avoid bitterness.
5. Pour in white wine and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
6. Add clams and mussels. Cover tightly and cook for 6–8 minutes, shaking the pot once or twice, until shells open.
7. Discard any shellfish that remain closed after the full cooking time.
8. Add the par-cooked linguine directly to the Dutch oven. Add butter, parsley, salt, and pepper.
9. Toss everything together over low heat for 2 minutes, adding pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce emulsifies into a light, glossy broth that coats the pasta.
10. Serve immediately, family-style or in large shallow bowls with crusty bread alongside.

The Pasta Water Emulsification Trick

The pasta water isn’t just a thinning agent — the starch it contains actually binds the olive oil and shellfish liquid together into a cohesive sauce. Add it gradually and toss constantly while the pasta is still over low heat. You’ll see the transformation happen: the liquid goes from thin and separate to silky and unified within about a minute of active tossing.

8. Lobster Fettuccine Alfredo

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Save this one for the occasion that actually matters. Lobster Alfredo is unabashedly rich, unashamedly luxurious, and absolutely worth every penny of the ingredient cost. Fettuccine — wide, thick, and sturdy — is the one pasta that can stand up to a proper Alfredo sauce without disappearing into it. The lobster, folded in gently at the very end, brings sweetness and texture that no other seafood quite replicates.

The three-ingredient Alfredo base — butter, Parmesan, and pasta water — only works if you respect the technique. No cream. The emulsification happens through constant movement and the heat from the pasta. Adding cream is a shortcut that makes the sauce heavier and less delicate. Trust the process.

Yield: Serves 2 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Difficulty: Intermediate — the Alfredo emulsification requires attention and speed, but the result is extraordinary.

Best Served: Immediately, straight from the pan — Alfredo does not wait.

Ingredients

• 8 oz fettuccine
• 1 lb fresh cooked lobster meat (from approximately 2 lobster tails), roughly chopped into generous pieces
• ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into tablespoon-sized pieces, cold
• 1½ cups freshly grated Parmesan (not pre-shredded — this is non-negotiable for smooth melting)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Reserved pasta water (you’ll need at least ¾ cup — reserve more than you think)

Instructions

Cook the lobster (if starting from raw tails):

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add lobster tails and cook for 8–10 minutes until opaque throughout. Remove, let cool enough to handle, then extract the meat and cut into large pieces. If using pre-cooked lobster meat, skip this step.

Cook the pasta:

2. In the same pot of salted water, cook fettuccine for 9–11 minutes until al dente. Reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water before draining. Drain and set aside — work quickly from this point forward.

Build the Alfredo:

3. In the same pot or a large wide skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat.
4. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, keeping the heat moderate so it doesn’t brown.
5. Add the hot drained fettuccine directly to the pan and toss to coat in the butter.
6. Remove the pan from heat entirely. Add the remaining cold butter pieces and ½ cup Parmesan. Toss continuously with tongs.
7. Add pasta water 2 tablespoons at a time, tossing constantly, until the sauce becomes glossy and clings to every strand. You may need ½ to ¾ cup total. The pan must be off heat — residual heat from the pasta does the work.
8. Add the remaining Parmesan in two additions, tossing after each until fully incorporated.

Finish with lobster:

9. Gently fold in the lobster pieces and lemon zest. Toss once or twice — you want to warm the lobster through without breaking the pieces apart.
10. Season with black pepper and scatter parsley on top.
11. Serve immediately in warmed shallow bowls with extra Parmesan passed at the table.

Why Pre-Shredded Parmesan Ruins Alfredo

Pre-shredded Parmesan contains anti-caking agents (typically cellulose) that prevent it from melting smoothly. Instead of dissolving into a silky sauce, it clumps and turns gritty. Buy a wedge of good Parmigiano-Reggiano and grate it yourself on the fine side of a box grater. The difference in the finished sauce is not subtle.

Final Thoughts

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Date night doesn’t need a restaurant reservation — it needs a hot pan, good wine in the glass and in the sauce, and one of these eight recipes on the table. What makes seafood pasta so well-suited to a special evening at home is the combination of speed and impact: most of these dishes are ready in 30 to 45 minutes, but every single one of them looks and tastes like you put in far more effort than you actually did.

Start with shrimp scampi or the spicy red sauce linguine if you want something approachable and nearly foolproof. Graduate to the scallop saffron linguine or the lobster Alfredo when the occasion deserves something truly showstopping. The crab and asparagus linguine is the move when you want elegance without richness, and the clam and mussel linguine is the dish for anyone who wants to cook the way they’d eat on the Amalfi Coast.

The one rule that runs through all of them: cook your seafood with confidence and don’t fuss with it. Shellfish and fish know when they’re done, and the visual cues — pink shrimp, opaque scallops, open mussel shells — are clearer than any timer. Watch your pan, not the clock.