Crab pasta is one of my all time favorite foods. This version with cream, lemon, shallot, garlic, and chives is decadent and perfect for a special evening.
Feel free to add more herbs as desired if you have them on hand – parsley or dill are both great additions.
Chef Tips
Type of Crab: You can use fresh crab (picked) or canned crab (I’ve used lump blue crab that is very lovely).
Salt the Pasta Water – Make sure your pasta water is well-salted—think “salty like the sea.” This seasons the pasta as it cooks.
Don’t Overcook the Pasta – Since the pasta will finish cooking in the sauce, undercook it slightly in the boiling water (just until al dente). This keeps the pasta from getting too soft once it’s tossed with the sauce.
Save Your Pasta Water – Adding a little reserved pasta water to the sauce helps it cling to the noodles. The starches in the water create a silky texture, so don’t skip this step.
Watch the Heat – Cream sauces can break if they get too hot, so keep the skillet at medium heat when adding cream. If the sauce thickens too quickly, add a splash more pasta water or a touch of cream to keep it smooth.
Toss Gently – Once you add the crab to the sauce, toss everything gently to avoid breaking up the crab meat. You want it to stay in chunks for a nice bite.
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Recipe:
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Creamy Lemon, Garlic, and Herb Crab Pasta
- Total Time: 30 min
- Yield: 2 1x
Description
Crab pasta is one of my all time favorite foods. This version with cream, lemon, shallot, garlic, and chives is decadent and perfect for a special evening.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh pasta (tagliatelle or linguine is recommended)
- 8 ounces fresh crab meat
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 1/4 cup chives, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- Pinch red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Prep the ingredients: mince the shallot and garlic, and chop the chives.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, then salt the water generously (it should taste like the sea).
- In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of butter on medium-high heat. Once melted, add the minced shallot and a pinch of salt. Let it cook for 2 minutes, then add the minced garlic and red pepper flake. Cook for another 30 seconds, or until fragrant, then add the heavy cream.
- Add the fresh pasta to the boiling water. Cook until al dente, as the pasta will finish cooking in the sauce. If using dried pasta, it will take longer to cook, and you may need to turn off the heat on your sauce and wait for the pasta to finish.
- Once the cream sauce is ready, add half of the chives, lemon juice, kosher salt, and black pepper. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, and lower the heat of the sauce.
- When the pasta is finished cooking, add it directly from the pot to the sauce along with the crab meat. Turn the heat back to medium-high and mix the pasta with the sauce. Add a pinch of kosher salt and half of the pasta water. If the sauce looks a bit dry, add more pasta water to get the desired consistency.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Plate the pasta and top with more chopped chives, a drizzle of olive oil, and enjoy immediately!
- Prep Time: 30 min
- Category: comfort
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: italian
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