When your pasta cravings are a little luxurious, Coastal Lasagna is like the beautiful and timely lighthouse off in the distance that’s calling your tastebuds home to satisfy such a luscious longing. This creamy, cheesy lasagna is swimming with perfectly pink shrimp, tender, plump scallops, and juicy, rich crab meat. It might taste like a figment of your imagination, but you’ll be pleased to realize it’s oh so real. Take a nice long stroll next to the flowing waves (in your dreams or in reality) and indulge in some Coastal Lasagna.
Ingredients
- 1 green onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup butter, divided
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice
- 1 pound bay scallops
- 1 pound uncooked small shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 (8-ounce) package imitation crab meat, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper, divided
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups 2% milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded and divided
- 9 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Step 3 –In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the onion in the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter until tender.
Step 4 –Stir the broth and clam juice into the onion mixture.
Step 5 –Bring the broth mixture to a boil.
Step 6 –Lower the heat and add the scallops, the shrimp, the crab, and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper.
Step 7 –Return the seafood mixture to a boil.
Step 8 –Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring gently, until the shrimp turns pink and the scallops are firm and opaque, about 4-5 minutes. The internal temperature of the seafood should reach 145 degrees F.
Step 9 –Drain the seafood mixture, reserving all of the cooking liquid, and set the seafood mixture aside.
Step 10 –In a large saucepan, melt the remaining butter.
Step 11 –Stir the flour into the melted butter until smooth.
Step 12 –In a small bowl, combine the milk and the reserved seafood cooking liquid.
Step 13 –Gradually add the milk mixture to the butter and flour mixture.
Step 14 –Add the salt and the remaining pepper to the milk mixture.
Step 15 –Bring the milk mixture to a boil, cooking and stirring until it is thickened, about 2 minutes.
Step 16 –Transfer the milk mixture from the heat and stir in the cream and 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese.
Step 17 –Stir 3/4 cup of the cheese sauce into the seafood mixture.
Step 18 –Spread 1/2 cup of the cheese sauce in the prepared baking dish.
Step 19 –Layer 3 of the noodles, 1/2 of the seafood mixture, and 1 1/4 cups of the cheese sauce on top of the initial cheese sauce layer in the baking dish.
Step 20 –Repeat the layers once.
Step 21 –Top the lasagna with the remaining noodles, the remaining cheese sauce mixture, and the remaining parmesan cheese.
Step 22 –Bake, uncovered, until golden brown, about 35-40 minutes.
Step 23 –Let the casserole stand for 15 minutes.
Step 24 –Serve.
