Nigella Crab Linguine ​Recipe

This delicious Nigella crab linguine is a quick and easy seafood pasta dish that’s perfect for a cozy dinner. Creamy, flavorful, and light, it’s packed with fresh crab meat and aromatic herbs. You can easily adjust it with the common ingredients you have on hand, making it a flexible and satisfying meal any day of the week.

Ingredients Needed:

For the brown crab:

• 1 x 900g cooked brown crab
• 350g fresh crab meat

For the pasta:

• 315g linguine
• 25g sea salt

For the sauce:

• 55ml olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 4 spring onions, finely chopped
• ½ tsp finely chopped red chilli
• 275g picked fresh white crab meat
• 25ml dry white wine
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

How To Make Crab Linguine?

1. Prepare the Crab: First, remove the legs of the crab by twisting them off where they meet the body. Next, pull the claws off from the body. Flip the crab onto its back (hard shell-side down) and carefully push upwards from under the edge of the shell until it cracks open—use a heavy knife to help pry it apart if necessary. Discard the spongy ‘dead men’s fingers.’ Drain any excess water from the shell and remove the stomach sac and hard membranes. Use a spoon to scoop out the brown meat and place it in a bowl (this can be used in another recipe). Crack the two large front claws and pick out the white meat. Place the white meat on a metal tray and check thoroughly for any bits of shell. Cover and chill in the fridge until needed.
2. Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil, add the sea salt, and cook the linguine for 7-8 minutes (or according to packet instructions) until it’s al dente.
3. Make the Sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan. Add the chopped garlic, spring onions, and red chili, then gently fry for 1-2 minutes, until softened but not coloured. Stir in the picked white crabmeat and cook for another minute, or until heated through. Pour in the white wine and cook until most of the alcohol has evaporated.
4. Combine Pasta and Sauce: Drain the linguine, reserving a few tablespoons of the pasta water. Add the linguine to the pan with the crabmeat and toss everything together. Stir in the parsley and basil, mixing to coat evenly. If the mixture feels too dry, add a splash of the reserved pasta water. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
5. Serve: Serve immediately and enjoy your delicious crab linguine.

Recipe Tips:

• Use Fresh Crab: Fresh crab meat tastes better than canned. If fresh isn’t available, frozen can work too—just thaw it first.
• Don’t Overcook Pasta: Cook the linguine until it’s just al dente. Overcooking will make the pasta mushy.
• Save Pasta Water: Before draining, keep a little pasta water. It helps make the sauce smoother and stick to the pasta.
• Let the Wine Reduce: Let the wine cook down so it doesn’t have a strong taste. This brings out better flavors.
• Heat Crab Gently: Add the crab meat last and heat it carefully. Overheating can make it tough.

How To Store Leftovers?

• Refrigerate: Cool the leftover crab linguine to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It’s best to eat it within 1 day.

Nutrition Facts:

• Calories: 1120 kcal
• Total Fat: 50 g
• Saturated Fat: 24 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Sodium: 2650 mg
• Potassium: 0 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 95 g
• Dietary Fiber: 0 g
• Sugars: 0 g
• Protein: 0 g

Try More Nigella Lawson Recipes:

• Nigella Lemon Linguine​​​​ ​Recipe
• Nigella Crab Mac ‘N’ Cheese
• Nigella Amaretto Chocolate Cake​ Recipe