Pesto Seafood Lasagna 🌿🦐🧀 Fresh Basil Pesto, Creamy Sauce, and Delicate Seafood in a Lush Green Lasagna That Feels Like Coastal Summer

This isn’t your red-sauce lasagna. It’s a herb-laced, seaside version that swaps tomato for garlic béchamel and bright pesto, layered with shrimp, crab, or scallops, and finished with golden mozzarella. It’s bold but balanced, rich but fresh — lasagna meets seafood al pesto.

Perfect for spring or summer dinners, wine night, or when you want something a little different but wildly delicious.

Ingredients (Serves 6–8)

Seafood Layer

• ¾ lb shrimp, peeled and chopped
• ½ lb lump crabmeat or bay scallops
• 1 tbsp olive oil + 1 tbsp butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste

Ricotta-Pesto Mixture

• 1½ cups whole milk ricotta
• ¼–⅓ cup basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan
• Salt and black pepper

Garlic White Sauce (Béchamel)

• 4 tbsp butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups warm whole milk
• ½ cup grated Parmesan
• Salt, white pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg

Lasagna Build

• 9–12 no-boil or cooked lasagna noodles
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• Extra Parmesan and herbs for topping
• Optional: additional pesto to drizzle on top

Instructions

Step 1: Cook the Seafood

In a skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds. Add shrimp and scallops, season with salt and pepper, and cook until just opaque (2–3 minutes). Stir in lemon juice. Remove from heat. Gently fold in crab.

Step 2: Make the Ricotta Mixture

In a bowl, mix ricotta, pesto, egg, Parmesan, salt, and pepper until smooth. Taste — it should be vibrant and herby.

Step 3: Make the Béchamel

Melt butter in a saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook 1–2 minutes. Slowly whisk in warm milk and cook until thickened (about 5–7 minutes). Stir in Parmesan, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

Step 4: Assemble the Lasagna

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). In a 9×13″ dish, spread a thin layer of béchamel. Add noodles, half the ricotta mixture, half the seafood, béchamel, and mozzarella. Repeat layers, then finish with noodles, béchamel, mozzarella, and a few spoonfuls of pesto swirled over the top.

Step 5: Bake

Cover with foil and bake 25–30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15–20 more minutes until golden and bubbling. Rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Step 6: Serve

Garnish with extra Parmesan, fresh basil, or lemon zest. Serve hot with a crisp white wine or citrus-dressed salad.

Flavor Variations

• Add sautéed spinach or artichoke hearts to the ricotta layer
• Use sun-dried tomato pesto for a bolder variation
• Swap ricotta for mascarpone for a richer texture
• Layer in thin zucchini slices for extra veg
• Add crushed pistachios or pine nuts on top for crunch

Pro Tips

• Use good-quality pesto — it’s a primary flavor driver
• Let seafood cool slightly before layering to avoid watery lasagna
• Don’t overbake — shrimp and crab stay tender with gentle heat
• Pesto swirl on top adds visual flair and a fresh hit at the end
• Bake on a sheet pan to catch bubbling sauce

Final Thoughts

Pesto Seafood Lasagna is bright, creamy, and full of herby punch — a garden-coast fusion that feels comforting and elevated all at once. Each bite is a forkful of basil, butter, brine, and cheese.

Layer it green. Bake it bold. Serve with a swirl. 🌿🦐🧀🔥

🦐 More Coastal Seafood Recipes

From cozy casseroles to zesty grilled fish and elegant seafood pastas, this collection of Seafood Recipes covers every ocean-inspired craving — whether you’re planning a dinner party or a quick weeknight win.

🐟 Classic Seafood Dish Recipes – Think pan-seared salmon with lemon dill and timeless coastal favorites.
🦞 Delicious Seafood Boil Recipes – Spicy, saucy boils packed with crab, shrimp, and corn. The ultimate feast.
🍝 Seafood Pasta Recipes – Elegant and indulgent, like shrimp linguine in a white wine sauce.
🍤 Shrimp Recipes – Versatile, fast, and flavor-packed; smoky grills to sizzling stir-fries
🐟 Salmon Recipes – Baking & grilling to bowls, pastas, and more — healthy, flavorful, and easy to make/
🦞 Seafood Casseroles – Bubbly, Buttery & Oven-Ready. Comfort food meets coastal flavor.
🥣 Flavorful Seafood Soups – Rich chowders, bisques, and broth-based favorites.
🍽️ Easy Seafood Dinner Recipes – Quick, delicious, easy recipes bring bold flavor with minimal prep and cleanup
🥗 Healthy Seafood Recipes – Light, fresh & packed with protein and omega-3s with bright, satisfying flavor
🍚 Risotto Recipes with Seafood – Creamy, silky rice dishes meet the richness of the sea.
🌊 Seafood Stews – Mediterranean, Latin to classic American, hearty stews with satisfying depth in your bowl.
🍝🧀 Seafood Lasagna – Lasagna meets the sea in these rich and satisfying delicious twist classic bakes.