Salmon Stuffed Shells for the win. This cozy pasta is not only delicious but also so simple to make. The tender smoked salmon filled pasta shells create a hearty dish with minimal effort.
Be sure to try this Salmon Ball (which inspired this recipe) and our Bacon Wrapped Salmon for two other options for cooking salmon.
Before You Get Started
- Cook some salmon: We prefer to cook salmon specifically for this dish. If you have a smoker, simply smoke some plain salmon for 40 minutes at 225. You can use leftover salmon if you have some. I don't like to use cold-smoked salmon (lox) in this.
- Soften the cream cheese: The filling needs very soft cream cheese to come together. You don't want chunks of cream cheese in your pasta. Remove it from the refrigerator 30 min before starting, or microwave for 15-30 seconds until it is soft.
- Cook the pasta: Be sure that you cook the noodles to al dente so that they don't overcook once they're put into the oven. You don't want your salmon shells to be mushy.
Ingredients
- Jumbo pasta shells - Cook them according to the directions on the package minus a minute or two.
- Cooked salmon - Smoke, bake, or pan-fry a fillet or two.
- Cream cheese - Make sure that it's softened.
- Green onions - For flavor.
- Salt and pepper - For flavor.
- Salted butter - Used to make the sauce.
- Flour - Needed to help thicken.
- Whole milk - Adds texture and creaminess.
- Panko - For the coating. The buttered panko breadcrumbs add a nice crunch.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Salmon Stuffed Shells
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a large baking dish by spraying it with olive oil cooking spray.
Step One: Start by making the salmon filling. Add the ingredients to a large bowl.
Step Two: Combine all the ingredients and mix well.
Step Three: Fill the jumbo shells with the salmon filling. I do this with a large spoon.
Step Four: Place them in the baking dish.
Step Five: Melt the butter over medium heat in a saucepan or skillet. Add the flour and cook until browned.
Step Six: Add the milk and simmer. Do not let it boil.
Step Seven: The sauce will thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Step Eight: Season with the black pepper and salt. Taste and adjust if needed.
Step Nine: Spoon the sauce over the top and sprinkle with panko crumbs.
Step Ten: Stir together the melted butter and panko. Sprinkle on top.
Step Eleven: Place into the oven and bake until hot, golden brown, and bubbly. Serve and enjoy.
Substitutions
- Topping - If you don't want to top with panko, you can always top with Parmesan cheese or mozzarella cheese. You can garnish with fresh parsley if you'd like a little color on top.
- Filling - Swap out the cream cheese for ricotta cheese.
Variations
- Vegetables - You can add spinach to the filling mixture. Another way to get in some veggies is to bake the shells on top of spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles.
- Alfredo sauce - Skip making your own sauce and just top with a simple sauce. This is where you can pick your favorite store brand and go with that.
- Seasoning - Cook some fresh garlic in the butter when beginning the bechamel sauce. Or mix in a pinch of Italian seasoning when it thickens.
See this Traeger Smoked Salmon for another easy dinner recipe.
Equipment
All you need to make this simple salmon dish is a baking dish, measuring cups, and mixing bowls. This makes this dish simple to make and even easier for clean up.
Storage
Keep the shells and leftover salmon stored in an airtight container in the fridge. For the best results, reheat completely and eat within 1-2 days.
I don't recommend freezing this dish as the pasta could change texture once thawed.
Common Questions
You really just need to make sure that it's heated thoroughly before removing it from the oven. Since all the ingredients are already cooked that are added, being heated all the way through is the key.
I like to use a big serving spoon and just dig in and scoop. It may lose a bit of the structure, but it gets the job done.
Think of a lighter side dish option. A simple side salad or even some roasted veggies would be a great pairing.
Sure. Swap out the cooked salmon for cooked chicken or any other type of meat you want. It is also amazing with cooked lobster or shrimp. You can also omit the meat altogether and add veggies or greens.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Salmon Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
- 12 jumbo pasta shells cooked according to package directions
Salmon Filling
- 8 oz cooked salmon (see notes)
- 6 oz cream cheese softened
- 2 oz cheddar shredded
- 2 tablespoon green onions
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Bechamel Sauce
- 4 tablespoon salted butter
- 3 tablespoon flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Panko Coating
- ½ cup panko
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
Instructions
Salmon Filling
- Combine the ingredients and mix well.
Bechamel Sauce
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the flour and cook until browned.
- Add the milk and simmer until thickened.
- Season with salt and pepper.
Panko Coating
- Stir together the panko and melted butter.
Assembly
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Grease a large baking dish.
- Fill the shells with the filling. Place in the baking dish.
- Spoon the sauce over and between the stuffed shells.
- Sprinkle the panko crumbs on top of the shells.
Notes
Nutrition
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Sandra says
Delicious, I did make a couple of changes. Sorry I don't. Usually I didn't have any cheddar so I used gouda. It's not as strong and I added a teaspoon of Dijon mustard to the sauce but it was decadent. We will make this recipe again
Taryn Scarfone says
I'm glad you liked it!