Rich and Flavorful Seafood Ragu Penne Pasta
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Create a special seafood ragu pasta using a rich and deeply flavored homemade ragu sauce! This recipe guides you to enjoy restaurant-quality taste at home by adding fresh tomato sauce and abundant seafood to a store-bought ragu sauce. We invite you to the world of irresistible pasta, where chewy penne meets deep meaty flavors. While designed for two servings, this recipe includes tips to easily adjust it for four people.
Ingredients- 2 Scallop lobes (from King Scallop)
- 8 Fresh cocktail shrimp
- 100g Broccolini (or regular broccoli)
- 7 cloves Garlic, peeled
- 460g Ragu sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- 250g Tomato sauce
- 1 tsp Black pepper
- 1 Dried anchovy and seafood stock cube (or chicken/vegetable stock)
- 300ml Water
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s talk about the star of this pasta: the ‘ragu sauce’. Unlike typical minced meat Bolognese sauce, this homemade ragu sauce features large chunks of meat and onions simmered for a long time, resulting in a deep and rich meaty aroma. If you don’t have this specific ragu sauce, you can substitute it with store-bought meat sauce or Bolognese sauce. Today, I’ll be adding fresh tomato sauce to the deep flavor of the ragu sauce to create an even richer taste.
Step 2
Although the ragu sauce already contains meat, we’ll add fresh scallop lobes, cocktail shrimp, and crisp broccolini for a more abundant and diverse texture. The addition of seafood and vegetables will further enhance the flavor of the ragu sauce.
Step 3
Peel the garlic cloves and slice them in half, or leave smaller ones whole. Heat a deep pan over medium heat, add a generous amount of olive oil, and sauté the garlic until fragrant. The garlic will add a delicious aroma as it becomes golden brown.
Step 4
Once the garlic is fragrant, add the prepared scallop lobes, shrimp, and broccolini to the pan and stir-fry. If the scallop lobes are large and thick, cut them into 2-4 pieces for easier cooking. Stir-fry all the ingredients until they are nicely browned.
Step 5
When the ingredients are partially cooked and the shrimp are about halfway done, add the ragu sauce and one dried anchovy and seafood stock cube. If you don’t have this stock cube, chicken or vegetable stock can be used. Rinse the ragu sauce jar with about 2/3 of the water and pour it into the pan with the sauce. Bring the sauce to a rolling boil over high heat.
Step 6
As the sauce boils, the meat in the ragu sauce will release its deep meaty aroma and flavor. At this point, freshly ground black pepper is a great addition to enhance the rich taste.
Step 7
Now, add the tomato sauce to bring in some freshness. The deep meaty flavor of the ragu sauce and the tanginess of the tomato sauce will harmonize to create a rich yet refreshing ragu pasta sauce. The ragu sauce provides the deep meatiness, while the tomato sauce adds a bright, fresh note. If you prefer an even deeper meaty flavor, you can add more ragu sauce, or use meat sauce or Bolognese sauce instead.
Step 8
Once the sauce is ready, bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil and cook the penne pasta. Do not cook the pasta completely; aim for ‘al dente’, about 70% cooked. This way, the pasta will absorb the sauce beautifully and cook perfectly when sautéed with the sauce.
Step 9
Drain the semi-cooked penne pasta and add it directly to the pan with the ragu sauce. Adding about one ladleful of the pasta cooking water will make the sauce smoother and help it coat the pasta well. Sauté over medium-low heat, stirring gently, until the penne is tender and the sauce has thickened. It’s important to stir frequently to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Step 10
The penne has now absorbed the sauce, which has thickened to a luscious consistency, coating every piece of pasta. The sauce has deeply permeated the penne, making it so flavorful that you could enjoy just the penne on its own with chopsticks!
Step 11
Your rich Ragu Seafood Pasta, infused with the delicious ragu tomato sauce, is complete! The sauce and pasta feel like they’ve become one. From now on, I plan to finish cooking pasta by sautéing it with the sauce rather than fully boiling it beforehand. This method allows the pasta to retain its bite without becoming mushy, while deeply absorbing the sauce. Enjoy your delicious ragu seafood pasta with a satisfying texture!
