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Delicious crab pasta for dinner

Crab Pasta Recipe: 30-Minute Elegant Dinner That Tastes Like a Five-Star Meal

Crab Pasta is a refined yet simple dish that blends tender crab meat with pasta in a creamy, garlicky, lemon-kissed sauce. It offers a luxurious taste of the sea and is perfect for both quick weeknight dinners and elegant dinner parties. With minimal prep and premium flavor, it’s a reliable favorite for seafood lovers.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Global, Italian
Servings 2 peoples
Calories 550 kcal

Equipment

  • Large pot for boiling pasta.
  • Colander or pasta strainer
  • Medium skillet or sauté pan
  • Measuring spoons & cups
  • Zester or microplane (for lemon zest)
  • Wooden spoon or spatula
  • Tongs (for tossing pasta)
  • Citrus juicer (optional)

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz Linguine or preferred pasta
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil
  • 3 Garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp Red pepper flakes (optional)
  • ½ cup Dry white wine
  • ¾ cup Heavy cream
  • 1 cup Lump crab meat (fresh, canned, or frozen)
  • 1 tbsp Lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Lemon zest
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped
  • Grated parmesan (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Boil Pasta: Cook linguine until al dente; reserve ¼ cup of pasta water.
    Overhead view of linguine swirling in a large stainless steel pot of boiling water, with steam rising in a naturally lit kitchen.
  • Sauté Aromatics: In olive oil, cook garlic and optional red pepper flakes until fragrant.
    Close-up of sizzling olive oil with minced garlic and red pepper flakes in a skillet on a rustic countertop under soft kitchen light.
  • Deglaze: Add white wine; simmer to reduce.
    White wine poured into a steaming skillet with golden garlic bits, stirred with a wooden spoon in a warmly lit kitchen.
  • Make Sauce: Stir in cream and lemon zest; simmer until slightly thickened.
    Top view of a creamy golden sauce with lemon zest bubbling in a pan, being stirred under warm kitchen lighting
  • Add Crab: Gently fold in crab meat to warm through.
    Close-up of a hand gently folding chunks of lump crab meat into creamy lemon sauce in a skillet on a rustic table.
  • Combine: Toss cooked pasta with sauce; add lemon juice and pasta water if needed.
    Linguine being tossed with creamy crab sauce in a pan using tongs, coated noodles with parsley and lemon juice in an elegant kitchen setting.
  • Finish & Serve: Garnish with parsley and parmesan (if using). Serve hot.
    Overhead shot of creamy pasta with crab meat in a white bowl, garnished with parsley, lemon zest, and parmesan under moody natural lighting.
Keyword Crab Pasta, Crab Pasta Recipe