Calabrian Crab Pasta
Spaghetti tossed with sweet crab meat, Calabrian chilies, garlic, lemon, white wine and butter for a quick, spicy seafood pasta that's ready in 15 minutes.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- ¾ pound spaghetti
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 shallot finely minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped Calabrian chilies adjust to your spice level
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1-2 lemons zested and juiced
- 1 cup ready-to-eat crab meat
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- Fresh basil for garnish
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted, boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over low heat. Add the shallot and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, and Calabrian chilies, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the white wine, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Increase the heat to medium and let the mixture simmer and reduce for 2–3 minutes.
- Stir in the crab meat, then remove the pan from the heat.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet along with half of the reserved pasta water. Toss everything together gently over low heat until the sauce coats the noodles. Add more pasta water if needed — the sauce should be silky and light, not overly thick or watery. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with chopped chives and garnish with fresh basil before serving.
- Once all meatballs are browned, add the tomato sauce to the skillet and place the browned meatballs on top of the sauce.
Nutrition (estimated)
Calories: 516kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 376mg | Potassium: 395mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 506IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 2mg