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There are only a handful of things I want to eat on Valentine’s Day. Spaghetti Carbonara, Lobster Scampi, Crab Cakes or Crab Spaghetti. You can see the correlation…Seafood reins supreme and bring me the upmost joy on the beloved day.
Crab Spaghetti
This particular crab spaghetti combines my favorite food – anything crab – with my husband’s favorite food -anything spicy. With a calabrian chili almost beurre blanc-like sauce and delicate jumbo lump crab meat, this impressive dinner is one for the books.
And did I mention it take 30 minutes from start to finish?
Ingredients
Butter. What I wanted for this crab spaghetti was a resounding buttery undertone. So butter it is, grass-fed, salted butter is my favorite but you do you.
Shallot. More delicate and sweet than yellow onion, I like to use shallot in tandem with crab but if onion is all you have that’s fine as well.
Garlic. Lots of garlic. I used eight large cloves but honestly I could have used more and been perfectly happy.
White wine. Dry white wine.
Calabrian chili. I like to use pre-chopped calabrian chiles. You can find them in a glass jar in the condiment isle or near the specialty foods in the deli.
Tomato paste. Just a little tomato paste is all you need to give a subtle tomato flavor. too much and it will overpower the crab.
Pasta. I use spaghetti but bucatini would be lovely.
Crab. Jumbo or lump crab is what you want to use. I find Coscto has a great deal on it with great quality.
Let’s make Crab Spaghetti
Sweat the veggies. Heat a large skillet with high sides to a medium heat. Add a little bit of butter. Add the shallot and turn the heat down to medium low. Sweat the shallot until it becomes soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Give it a stir and cook for one minute.
Reduce the wine. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer until the wine has reduced by half. While the wine simmers, drop the pasta into the water to cook. when the wine has reduced stir in the tomato paste, Calabrian chiles and another 1/2 teaspoons salt. Stir to combine them with the wine.
Whisk in the butter. Add the lemon juice to the shallot mixture. Cut the remaining butter into a few pieces. Slowly whisk the butter in one piece at a time, making sure each piece of butter has melted before you add the next. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Toss. Transfer the pasta to the tomato butter sauce. Add salt, lemon zest and parsley. Toss to combine. Add more pasta water as necessary to reach desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the crab to the pasta, GENTLY toss the crab in just to heat it through. Garnish with parmesan cheese if desired.
Eat!
Can I make Crab Spaghetti in advance?
I wouldn’t unfortunately. But luckily it takes virtually no time to put together.
Do I have to use lump crab meat? ‘
I know lump crab meat is expensive but it’s so worth it! Costco has a great price on lump crab meat and it’s great quality.
What if I don’t like spicy food?
Welp, then this pasta in not for you because it’s FIERY.
Substitutions
- swap out the shallot for onion if that’s waht ou have on hand.
- If you cant’ find chopped Calabrian whole ones will work great. Just finely chop them yourself.
- Use any pasta you’d like but I find a long noodle works best
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Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success
- Make sure to sweat the shallots and garlic, you don’t want them to burn.
- Slowly whisk in the butter so it emulsifies into the sauce.
- Make sure to season as you go. There aren’t a ton of ingredients so seasoning is key to add flavor along the way.
- Toss the crab in at the very end. All you want to do is warm it through.
Let’s eat all the crab!
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Crab Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp lemon juice + 2 tsps lemon zest, set aside
- 6 tbsp salted butter, divided
- 1/2 cup shallot, minced
- 1 1/4 tsp salt, divided
- 8 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 tbsp chopped calabrian chilis
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 12 oz spaghetti
- 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1/2 cup – 1 cup pasta water
- 1 lb lump crab meat (you can get away with 1/2 pound as well but for special occasions go big or go home!
Equipment
- 1 Large skillet
Instructions
- Zest the lemon and set aside for later.
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Season generously with salt. It should taste almost as salty as the sea.
- While the water comes to a boil, heat a large skillet with high sides to a medium heat. Add two tablespoons of butter. Add the shallot and turn the heat down to medium low. Sweat the shallot until it becomes soft, about 4 minutes. Stir frequently. Add the garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Give it a stir and cook for one minute.
- Add the white wine. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer until the wine has reduce by half. While the wine simmers, drop the pasta into the water to cook. Once the wine has reduce stir in the tomato paste, calabrian chiles and another 1/2 teaspoons salt. Stir to combine them with the wine.
- Add the lemon juice to the shallot mixture. Cut the remaining butter into a few pieces. Slowly whisk the butter in one piece at a time, making sure each piece of butter has melted before you add the next. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Use tongs to transfer the aldente pasta to the tomato butter sauce. Add last 1/2 teaspoon salt, reserved lemon zest and parsley. Toss to combine. Add more pasta water as necessary to reach desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the crab to the pasta, GENTLY toss the crab in just to heat it through. Garnish with parmesan cheese if desired.
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