Description
A rich and creamy crab Alfredo dish that combines perfectly cooked linguine with tender crab meat and a velvety Alfredo sauce.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces linguine pasta
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup cream cheese
- 2 cups half & half, room temperature
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 pound crab meat (fresh or canned)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the linguine pasta until about 2 minutes before it reaches al dente, following the package instructions.
- Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set it aside.
- While the pasta cooks, melt the unsalted butter and cream cheese in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir constantly until the mixture is smooth and fully combined.
- Slowly pour in the room temperature half & half, bringing the sauce to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low to prevent scorching.
- Gradually add the freshly grated Parmesan cheese in small handfuls, stirring continuously until it melts smoothly into the sauce.
- Stir in the garlic powder and, if desired, the red pepper flakes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Add the cooked linguine into the skillet with the Alfredo sauce and toss well to evenly coat the pasta.
- Gently fold in the crab meat, being careful to keep the larger chunks intact for added texture.
- If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a little at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
- Plate the crab Alfredo immediately, garnishing with chopped fresh parsley and extra freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
For maximum flavor, always use freshly grated cheese and consider adding a squeeze of lemon juice just before serving.
