Description
A creamy and comforting pasta dinner featuring crab meat, perfect for a pasta night.
Ingredients
Scale
- 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
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook the linguine until two minutes before al dente, then save one cup of the pasta water.
- Drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Melt the butter and cream cheese in a skillet over medium heat, stirring until smooth.
- Pour in the room temperature half & half slowly and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
- Lower the heat to avoid scorching the sauce.
- Add Parmesan cheese in small handfuls and stir until the sauce is creamy.
- Season with garlic powder, red pepper flakes if you like heat, and salt and pepper.
- Add the cooked linguine to the skillet and toss to coat well.
- Gently fold in the crab meat to keep the chunks intact.
- Add reserved pasta water a little at a time if the sauce needs thinning.
- Plate the pasta and garnish with parsley and extra Parmesan.
Notes
For a healthier version, reduce the cream cheese and use low-fat milk. Consider adding sautéed spinach or peas for extra nutrition.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
Keywords: pasta, crab, alfredo, seafood, Italian