Extra Creamy Crab Pasta
Extra Creamy Crab Pasta
Ingredients
For the Pasta
- 12 ounces fettuccine, or linguine
For the Crab
- 1 1/2 pounds king crab legs, thawed, if frozen
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 lemon, for juice
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning, or similar seafood seasoning
For the Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more, as needed
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, plus more, as needed
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, minced, or 1/4 cup minced red onion
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning, or similar seafood seasoning
- 1/2 lemon, for juice
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shaved
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the fettuccine or linguine pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining the pasta.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
While the pasta cooks, use kitchen shears to carefully cut open and extract the meat from the king crab legs. Gently flake the crab meat into bite-sized pieces. Set the crab meat aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the extracted crab meat to the pan. Squeeze the juice from 1/2 of a lemon over the crab. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of Old Bay seasoning over the crab. Stir gently with a wooden spoon until the crab is warmed through and coated with seasoning, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the cooked crab from the pan and set it aside in a bowl.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same pan. Add the halved cherry tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes begin to soften slightly.
⏱️ 4 min
- 5
Add the minced garlic and minced shallot (or red onion) to the pan with the tomatoes. Sauté for another 2-3 minutes until fragrant and slightly softened, stirring frequently.
⏱️ 3 min
- 6
Pour 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream into the pan with the sautéed ingredients. Add 1/2 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning. Stir the sauce until well combined and heated through, bringing it to a gentle simmer.
⏱️ 3 min
- 7
Squeeze the juice from the remaining 1/2 lemon into the cream sauce. Add the 1/2 cup of shaved Parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine until the cheese starts to melt into the sauce and it thickens slightly. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water.
⏱️ 3 min
- 8
Add the cooked and drained pasta directly into the pan with the cream sauce.
⏱️ 1 min
- 9
Sprinkle the 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley over the pasta and sauce.
⏱️ 1 min
- 10
Using tongs or a spatula, thoroughly mix the pasta, cheeses, and sauce until everything is well coated and the mozzarella is melted and gooey.
⏱️ 2 min
- 11
Divide the pasta among serving bowls. Sprinkle more grated Parmesan cheese over each serving. Place the reserved cooked crab meat on top of the pasta. Garnish with additional chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately and enjoy!
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Extra Creamy Crab Pasta
For the Pasta
- 12 ounces fettuccine, or linguine
For the Crab
- 1 1/2 pounds king crab legs, thawed, if frozen
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 lemon, for juice
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning, or similar seafood seasoning
For the Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more, as needed
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, plus more, as needed
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, minced, or 1/4 cup minced red onion
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning, or similar seafood seasoning
- 1/2 lemon, for juice
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shaved
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the fettuccine or linguine pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining the pasta.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
While the pasta cooks, use kitchen shears to carefully cut open and extract the meat from the king crab legs. Gently flake the crab meat into bite-sized pieces. Set the crab meat aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the extracted crab meat to the pan. Squeeze the juice from 1/2 of a lemon over the crab. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of Old Bay seasoning over the crab. Stir gently with a wooden spoon until the crab is warmed through and coated with seasoning, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the cooked crab from the pan and set it aside in a bowl.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same pan. Add the halved cherry tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes begin to soften slightly.
⏱️ 4 min - 5
Add the minced garlic and minced shallot (or red onion) to the pan with the tomatoes. Sauté for another 2-3 minutes until fragrant and slightly softened, stirring frequently.
⏱️ 3 min - 6
Pour 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream into the pan with the sautéed ingredients. Add 1/2 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning. Stir the sauce until well combined and heated through, bringing it to a gentle simmer.
⏱️ 3 min - 7
Squeeze the juice from the remaining 1/2 lemon into the cream sauce. Add the 1/2 cup of shaved Parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine until the cheese starts to melt into the sauce and it thickens slightly. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water.
⏱️ 3 min - 8
Add the cooked and drained pasta directly into the pan with the cream sauce.
⏱️ 1 min - 9
Sprinkle the 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley over the pasta and sauce.
⏱️ 1 min - 10
Using tongs or a spatula, thoroughly mix the pasta, cheeses, and sauce until everything is well coated and the mozzarella is melted and gooey.
⏱️ 2 min - 11
Divide the pasta among serving bowls. Sprinkle more grated Parmesan cheese over each serving. Place the reserved cooked crab meat on top of the pasta. Garnish with additional chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately and enjoy!
⏱️ 2 min