Description
A quick, flavorful seafood pasta dish featuring tender, sweet crab meat, a light garlic-lemon butter sauce, and fresh herbs. Ready in just 20 minutes, this simple recipe delivers a restaurant-quality taste perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz linguine or spaghetti
- 8 oz fresh lump crab meat (or canned, drained)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- Grated Parmesan, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook the pasta until al dente (reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining).
- Make the Sauce:
- Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add garlic and red pepper flakes; sauté for 1 minute (don’t brown the garlic).
- add lemon juice and zest.
- Combine:
- Add cooked pasta to the skillet. Toss to coat with the sauce.
- Gently fold in crab meat, adding pasta water as needed for a silky texture.
- Season with salt, pepper, and extra lemon juice if desired.
- Serve:
- Garnish with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan.
- Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
- Pasta Water: Essential for a light, glossy sauce.
- Crab Meat: Handle gently to keep it in tender chunks.
- Spicy Kick: Add more red pepper flakes if you like heat.
- Make-Ahead Tip: Prep sauce without crab ahead; add crab when reheating.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
Keywords: Crab pasta, quick crab pasta, creamy crab pasta, seafood pasta, easy crab recipe, garlic butter crab pasta, lemon butter crab linguine, Italian seafood dish