Crab Linguine
This Lemon,Tomato and Crab linguine is the ultimate creamy comfort food for seafood lovers that combines the zest of lemon, the richness of cherry tomatoes, and the decadence of fresh crab meat tossed in linguine and topped with an umami burst of Parmesan. This crab pasta is a fancy enough dish to serve to guests or for a special occasion, but easy enough to make for weeknight dinner. 
I am such a sucker for all things pasta and seafood combined. I love the creaminess of this Lemon and Tomato Crab linguine recipe because it is bursting with so much flavor and is so rich, creamy, and saucy. In a matter of minutes, the house smells unbelievable as you cook the shallot and fresh garlic with the tomatoes. This crab pasta recipe’s freshness is incredible, and its versatility is perfection! You can’t go wrong if you switch up the kind of pasta you use or swap out the crab for shrimp. This is a great dish to make for family dinners that the whole family will love, or prepare it for guests you want to impress. You may even be able to convince all those seafood skeptics out there to try a bite, if even to experience the zesty, creamy texture of this amazing crab linguine pasta dish.
Why You Will Love This Lemon, Tomato & Crab Linguine
- In less than 30 minutes, you can have rich and creamy delicious pasta for busy weeknight dinners.
- The versatility of this crab pasta dish is amazing. You can use a different kind of pasta or shrimp instead of crab, to name a few.
- This easy dinner can easily be doubled to feed a crowd!
- Requires simple ingredients that you can find at most local grocery stores.
- It is easily modifiable (see below) to be gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free, Paleo, Keto, Whole30, and Specific Carbohydrate Diet legal.
Ingredients You Need For This Lemon, Tomato & Crab Linguine Recipe
- Butter: Use olive oil to make this dairy-free and Paleo-friendly. You could also use ghee to achieve delicious results.
- Shallot: I like to finely dice the shallot for this recipe. You can alternatively use yellow onion or red onion if you prefer.
- Fresh garlic: Finely chopped garlic cloves are perfect for this recipe. They give the most delicious, sweet flavor. Using a garlic press is super simple, too.
- Salt and Black Pepper: A simple spice combination is all you need for this simple recipe.
- Cherry tomatoes: You can also use grape tomatoes for this recipe which are very similar, but the grape tomatoes are more meaty and less sweet and juicy. Alternatively you can dice ripe large tomatoes such as roma or san marzano.
- White wine: I love to use white wines like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, but you can use whatever white wine you have on hand.
- Lemon: Fresh lemon juice and zest combine to make this dish so fresh, bright, and zesty.
- Red chili flakes: Just a pinch of red pepper flakes is all you need for this recipe, but if you have an aversion to spicy food, you can leave it out altogether. Alternatively you can dice up a red chilli and add it in to the pan with the shallots when cooking.
- Fresh crab meat: Finding good quality crab meat might be tricky depending on what region you live in. I do not recommend using imitation crab meat for this recipe. If you can’t find fresh crab meat, you can substitute shrimp.
- Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated parmesan cheese is the best addition to this recipe, giving it an amazing umami flavor and creating an amazing creaminess. You can also use dairy-free Parmesan or omit it if you prefer a dairy-free version.
- Linguine: I love the thickness of linguine in this recipe, but you can use a different type of pasta if you prefer. You can also use gluten-free or grain free pasta depending on your dietary restrictions.
What Type of Crab Meat Should I Use for This Creamy Crab Pasta Recipe
- Lump crab meat is considered the highest quality and most desirable for dishes like crab linguine. Lump crab meat comes from the larger muscles of the crab, giving it a sweet, tender texture and a delicate flavor. It is perfect for showcasing in this crab pasta.
- Crab claw meat is slightly more affordable than lump meat. It is a brown crab meat with a richer, more intense flavor. It works well in pasta dishes where the crab flavor needs to stand out. It has a slightly firmer texture than lump meat but still offers excellent taste.
- Pieces of jumbo lump crab meat are a premium option, with large, whole pieces of crab meat. It’s perfect for a more luxurious crab linguine, providing a beautiful presentation and a sweet, buttery flavor.
- While fresh crab meat is always best, you can try using canned crab meat. It will be white crab meat, which would be a great option for this crab recipe in a pinch.
How To Make This Lemon, Tomato & Crab Linguine
- Heat butter in the large skillet on medium heat. Once melted, add the shallots, garlic, salt, and pepper and saute for 2 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
- Add the white wine and lemon juice and leave the sauce to cook for 3-4 minutes on medium-high heat. Press on the cherry tomatoes with the back of a spoon to release the juice, and add the chilli flakes.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine. Cook the pasta al dente according to package directions. Before draining the pasta, reserve a cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Add the crab meat and lemon zest to the pan with the sauce. Lower the heat to low and add the cooked linguine and ½ cups of pasta water. Toss well so that the sauce is well mixed with the pasta. Remove the pan from the heat and add the Parmesan. Toss the pasta until the cheese has melted. If the pasta seems dry, add ¼ cup of reserved pasta water (or more). Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
How Can I Modify This Lemon, Tomato & Crab Linguine
- For Dairy Free: you can use olive oil, avocado oil, or ghee instead of butter for delicious results. You can use dairy-free Parmesan or omit it to keep it dairy-free. You could also use nutritional yeast for a delightful, cheesy taste.
- For Gluten Free: Use any type of your favorite gluten free pasta for this crab pasta recipe
- For Paleo or Specific Carbohydrate Diet Legal: use grain free pasta or alternatively swap the pasta for a vegetable “noodle” such as spaghetti squash.
- Swap the Crab: You can use shrimp if you don’t care for crab or cannot find fresh crab meat. I recommend deveined with the tail off to make it quick and easy to dice.
Can I Make This Crab Linguine In Advance?
You can! If you are making this dish for guests or a special occasion and want to prepare it in advance you can. When boiling the pasta I recommend slightly undercooking it and reserving 2 cups of the pasta water. Make the sauce and add the pasta up to two hours in advance. The pasta will dry out as it sits, so when reheating add more of the pasta water and a squeeze of lemon juice to help to brighten the dish and revive the sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley right before serving.
What About Leftovers
To maintain the freshness of this easy seafood dish, store it in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge. It may dry out overnight, so to bring it back the creamy sauce, add a splash of broth when reheating. You can reheat it on the stove in a skillet over medium-low heat or warm in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Here are a few more pasta recipes that you might enjoy:
- One-Pot Creamy Mushroom Pasta
- Miso Cacio e Pepe Pasta
- Creamy Gochujang Pasta
- Easy Beef and Ramen Noodles
- Butternut Squash Pasta with Alfredo
If you make this crab pasta recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Lemon, Tomato & Crab Linguine
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 large shallot finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 6 oz cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ cup white wine
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- Pinch of chili flakes
- 1 ½ cups fresh crab
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ¾ cup pasta water
- ½ cup finely grated parmesan
- 6 oz linguine
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Add the butter to a large pan on medium heat. Once melted add in the shallots, garlic, salt and pepper and saute for 2 minutes before adding the cherry tomatoes and cooking for an additional 3 minutes.
- Add the white wine and lemon juice and leave the sauce to cook for 3-4 minutes on medium high heat. Press on the cherry tomatoes with the back of a spoon to release the juice and add the chili flakes.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add in the linguine and leave to cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and set aside before draining the pasta.
- Add the crab meat and lemon zest to the pan with the sauce. Lower the heat to low and add in the cooked pasta and ½ cup pasta water. Toss well so that the sauce is well mixed with the pasta.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the parmesan. Toss the pasta to until the cheese has melted, if the pasta seems dry, add ¼ cup more of the pasta water (or more). Garnish with chopped parsley
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