This Pasta with Spicy Crab Sauce is one of my favorite dishes to make! With a spicy tomato sauce and delicious lump crab throughout, it's sure to make any seafood lover happy!
This recipe is quick and easy to make while also being indulgent- which makes it perfect for anything from a special occasion like The Feast of the Seven Fishes, an Italian Christmas Eve tradition, to just a weeknight dinner!
Key Ingredients
This Pasta with Spicy Crab Sauce is flavorful and savory while still tasting light and fresh. Here are some of the ingredients that help achieve that balance! Find the full recipe list below.
Tomatoes: I like using crushed tomatoes for this recipe, but you can use whole and crush them by hand if you prefer!
Crab: Fresh canned crab that is sold in the refrigerated section of the grocery store is what I use in this recipe. I like lump crab the best for flavor and texture, but you can use claw meat if you prefer. This recipe will work with just about any crab meat except for imitation crab!
Calabrian peppers: I LOVE adding jarred chopped Calabrian peppers to dishes for a spicy kick! You could use red pepper flakes instead, but I prefer the flavor of the jarred peppers for this dish.
Wine: A dry white wine that you enjoy drinking is a good choice!
Breadcrumbs: I'm a big fan of topping seafood pastas with crunchy fried breadcrumbs. In this recipe, they're tossed with lemon zest and parsley for a little pop of freshness!
Recipe FAQ
Any long pasta shape will work! The pasta in the photos is Tripoline, which is a similar width to fettuccine but with a ruffled edge. Linguine, spaghetti or bucatini are all great choices as well!
If you're not a big fan of crab, try making a similar dish like my Shrimp Fra Diavolo or Spaghetti al Tonno.
Pour yourself a chilled glass of the dry white wine you used in the sauce. Cheers!
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Pasta with Spicy Crab Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
For the breadcrumbs
- ½ Cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ½ Teaspoon lemon zest or to taste
- ¼ Cup fresh flat leaf parsley roughly chopped
- Kosher salt to taste
For the Pasta
- ¾ Pound long pasta such as linguine, spaghetti or fettuccine
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2-3 Garlic cloves minced, to taste
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 Tablespoon jarred chopped Calabrian peppers
- ¼ Cup dry white wine
- 1 (15 ounce) Can crushed tomatoes
- 8 Ounces lump crab
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- Fresh flat leaf parsley roughly chopped
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
For the breadcrumbs
- Add the olive oil and the panko breadcrumbs to a small pan over medium heat. Toss to coat. Toast the breadcrumbs, stirring often, until golden brown; about 5 minutes. Remove to a bowl immediately so that they don't burn. Season with salt to taste. When the breadcrumbs have cooled slightly, add the lemon zest and parsley and stir to combine.
For the pasta
- Add the olive oil, garlic and tomato paste to a pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is just starting to turn golden at the edges. Stir in the Calabrian peppers and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and stir, scraping up any brown bits in the pan.
- Turn the heat to medium low and add the tomatoes. Fill the tomato can halfway with water, swish, and add the tomato water to the pan. Season with salt. Let the sauce simmer, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly and the flavors have melded.
- Just before the pasta is done cooking, gently stir the crab into the sauce, making sure not to break up the lumps too much.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, season with salt. Add the pasta and cook to 2 minutes less than the package directions for al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water and drain.
- Add the pasta, butter and parsley to the sauce pan and toss to coat. Let the pasta finish cooking in the pan, adding pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
- Divide the pasta between bowls and top with the fried breadcrumbs. Enjoy!
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