Ingredients
Method
Alfredo Sauce
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over moderate heat until bubbling.
- Whisk in the cream cheese and cook until smooth, then pour in the half-and-half and add the grated Parmesan, stirring constantly.
- Stir in the garlic powder, season with a pinch of salt and pepper if you like, and keep the sauce at a low simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until it coats a spoon.
Crab Meat
- Fill a large stockpot halfway with cold water and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring it to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Drop in the crab legs, lower the heat to medium, and simmer for six minutes. Remove the legs, let them cool until easy to handle, then crack and extract the lump meat.
Pasta
- Cook the linguine in salted boiling water according to the package directions until al dente. Drain well.
Assembly
- In a large serving bowl, combine the drained pasta and the warm alfredo sauce, tossing until every strand is coated. Add the crab meat and gently fold it through. Serve immediately on warmed plates.
Nutrition
Notes
For a touch of California flavor, finish with a squeeze of Meyer lemon and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
Use jumbo lump crabmeat for bigger, more luxurious pieces, or regular lump for a more budget-friendly dish.
If the sauce gets too thick while resting, whisk in a splash of warm half-and-half to loosen it.
Do not stir the crab into the sauce over heat; fold it in at the end to keep the lumps intact.
Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to two days, but add a little milk when reheating because the sauce will thicken.
You can skip the cream cheese, but plan to simmer the sauce a few extra minutes to reach the same creamy body.
Serve with a crisp green salad and crusty sourdough bread to soak up the extra sauce.