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    Home » Recipes » Pasta Recipes

    Spaghetti Fresca with Jumbo Lump Crabmeat

    Published: May 15, 2012 · Modified: Feb 21, 2022 by Chef Dennis Littley

    479 shares
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    4.86 from 14 votes
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    When I went shopping this week, I found one of my favorite ingredients back in stock after being MIA all winter, jumbo lump crabmeat. And that definitely means that summer is on its way!

    Of course, we won’t talk about what I paid for it, or the fact that it really wasn’t all jumbo lump but more lump, because it was still fresh Maryland blue claw crabmeat, and my friends it was delicious!

    A black bowl of pasta topped with jumbo lump crabmeat, basil and tomatoes

    Lisa had asked for a white sauce but not to oily, so instead of a typical Aioli sauce, I decided to keep this pasta dish a little on the dry side by tossing it with the seasoned olive oil rather than dousing it with sauce.

    The result was a fresh lightly oiled pasta dish where all of the ingredients retained their individual flavors. The perfect meal to showcase that wonderful crab meat!

    Pasta Fresca is really just garlic, and tomatoes sauteed in olive oil, seasoned with a little crushed red pepper flakes and sea salt, but as is the case with most Italian dishes, there are as many variations as there are Italian Grandmothers. This is simply my very basic interpretation of this classic dish, so feel free to make changes!

    If you love pasta dishes as much as I do you might also like my recipe for Pasta alla Caponata.

    pasta topped with jumbo lump crabmeat, basil and tomatoes

    If you love pasta dishes you might also like these:

    • Pasta alla Caponata
    • Classic Fettuccine Alfredo
    • Lobster fra Diavolo Bianco
    • Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs

    Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

    Please SUBSCRIBE and FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST!

    pasta topped with jumbo lump crabmeat, basil and tomatoes
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    4.86 from 14 votes

    Spaghetti Fresca with Jumbo Lump Crabmeat

    When you find fresh Maryland Jumbo Lump crab meat in the store, this Pasta Fresca is the perfect meal to showcase the crabmeat.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time12 mins
    Total Time22 mins
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 1039kcal
    Author: Chef Dennis Littley

    Ingredients

    • 12 ounces jumbo lump crab meat
    • 2 Tbsp basil chopped with some reserved for serving.
    • 2 cloves garlic peeled and sliced
    • 1 cup grape tomatoes sliced in half
    • 4 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil plus a drizzle for the pasta
    • sea salt to taste to taste
    • crushed red pepper to taste
    • 12 oz spaghetti or linguine
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Prepare pasta water and cook pasta per instructions on the box*
    • In one saute pan add half the olive oil and the garlic and saute the garlic just until it starts to sizzle and cook
    • Add the tomatoes to the pan and continue cooking the tomatoes over high heat for a few minutes until they begin to break down, then reduce the heat to low and add crushed red pepper and sea salt*
    • Add the basil to the tomatoes and allow to continue cooking on simmer.
    • In another pan, add the rest of the oil and get it hot, then add in the crab meat and very gently saute it over a medium heat, until crab meat is warm. (you may need to add a little water or white wine if your drinking some to release the crab meat from the pan)
    • When the pasta is done, drain it and then toss it with the tomato-garlic oil until all the pasta is well coated and then divide into two portions.
    • Top each portion with the Jumbo lump Crab Meat
    • Top with additional basil and drizzle the best olive oil you have over the crab meat and pasta.
    • Serve immediately!

    Notes

    *you won’t really need a full pound of pasta for these two servings, use about ¾ of the box.
    *you will need to oversalt the tomatoes just a little bit otherwise the dish will be a little flat.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 1039kcal | Carbohydrates: 130g | Protein: 54g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 1437mg | Potassium: 902mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 800IU | Vitamin C: 23.5mg | Calcium: 127mg | Iron: 3.6mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

    More Pasta Recipes

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    • Best Vegetable Lasagna Recipe
    • White Cheddar Truffle Mac and Cheese
    • Easy Pasta with Red Crab Sauce

    About Chef Dennis

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    Chef Dennis is a semi-retired Chef, writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis aka Ask Chef Dennis®. Chef Dennis worked professionally in White Table Cloth Restaurants for 40 years and has been developing easy to make, restaurant-style recipes since 2009. The second phase of his reinvention from chef to blogger has earned him a place at the Worlds Dinner Table. Join him on his Culinary Journey enjoying his easy to make Restaurant Style recipes and travel adventures. For more details, check out his About page.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Maureen

      July 15, 2020 at 5:47 pm

      5 stars
      Very very delicious! I am making it again this evening.

      Reply
    2. Marianne

      June 19, 2020 at 1:30 pm

      5 stars
      This was good and easy to make. I like that it was not a heavy meal. Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        June 19, 2020 at 4:07 pm

        My pleasure and thank you for the comment and great review!

        Reply
    3. Sandy

      September 14, 2016 at 3:18 pm

      Can you add white wine in this recipe?

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        September 14, 2016 at 3:21 pm

        You certainly can. Just watch the amount so the sauce doesn’t taste too much like the wine. Using it to deglaze the pan is always a good way to add in a little wine.

        Reply
    4. Lydia Wright

      June 08, 2016 at 11:09 am

      5 stars
      not a fan of seafood so im go to try this with chicken but it looks really good.

      Reply
    5. millery

      July 02, 2013 at 6:13 am

      5 stars
      Great recipe. I used egg noodles and Thai basil.

      Reply
    6. Jessica

      February 13, 2013 at 3:01 pm

      Thanks so much for the wonderful recipe! I linked to it from my site since lump crab meat is on sale this week at Walmart and this is a great meal for someone to try and add to their meal planning for the week. Thank you for sharing! http://www.weeklyadmeals.com/2013/02/10/walmart-free-weekly-meal-plan-feb-10-16/

      Reply
      • Chef D

        February 13, 2013 at 4:25 pm

        Thank you for including me in your menu planning!

        Reply
    7. Carrie's Experimental Kitchen

      September 28, 2012 at 7:27 am

      Good morning! I have featured this recipe on my blog today for my weekly seafood round-up and have linked this recipe to your original post so that my readers will be forwarded to your site. Thank you for allowing me to share! Here is the link: http://carriesexperimentalkitchen.blogspot.com/2012/09/seafood-frenzy-friday-week-36.html

      Reply
    8. Mai

      September 25, 2012 at 9:37 pm

      Tried this recipe earlier tonight and it was a delight. It was light and simple, the wonderful flavor of the crap was exquisite. It goes so well with the basil.

      Reply
      • Chef D

        September 26, 2012 at 5:39 am

        thanks so much for letting me know, and I’m happy to hear you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    9. Jeanette

      May 30, 2012 at 6:23 pm

      Chef Dennis – I just made this for my kids tonight and they loved it. I actually had to stash a small bowl away for myself just so I could get a taste. Loved how easy it was and the fact that it doesn’t have any cream.

      Reply
    10. monika

      May 22, 2012 at 4:32 pm

      5 stars
      Had this for dinner tonight absolutely amazing!! Thanks for the great recipe!!

      Reply
      • Chef D

        May 22, 2012 at 6:22 pm

        You’re very welcome! Glad to hear you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    11. torviewtoronto and createwithmom

      May 17, 2012 at 6:56 pm

      looks delicious lovely flavours

      Reply
    12. Nami | Just One Cookbook

      May 17, 2012 at 5:23 am

      5 stars
      I love this easy and delicious spaghetti recipe! I’ve never used jumbo lump crab meat for pasta. Looks very light and perfect for summer time!

      Reply
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