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Blue Crab Pasta Recipe

Bavette with blue crab, tomato passata, white wine, garlic, parsley, and chili in a Sardinian coastal style.

Pescatarian Dairy-Free Nut-Free
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Prep 30 min
Cook 25 min
Total 55 min
Servings 3
Difficulty Medium

Ingredients

Pasta

Seafood

Sauce

Finish

Seasoning

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Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the blue crabs for 8 to 10 minutes, until red and just done. Drain, cool slightly, then pick out the meat.

  2. Warm the olive oil in a wide skillet. Add the crushed garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for about 1 minute without browning the garlic.

  3. Add the picked crab meat and turn it in the oil for 2 minutes. Pour in the white wine and let it reduce until the sharp alcohol smell disappears.

  4. Stir in the passata, season lightly with salt, and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes.

  5. Cook the bavette in boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve a small cup of pasta water before draining.

  6. Transfer the bavette to the crab sauce and toss over low heat, loosening with pasta water if needed.

  7. Finish with chopped parsley and serve at once.

FAQ

Can I use picked crab meat instead of whole blue crabs?

Yes. Use picked crab meat if that is what you can get, but add it gently so it does not break down completely in the sauce.

What pasta works instead of bavette?

Linguine, spaghetti, or another flat long pasta works. I like bavette because it holds the tomato-crab sauce well.

Should blue crab pasta have cheese?

I do not add cheese here. Parsley, olive oil, garlic, and pasta water are enough for the finish.

Interactive Nutrition Map

3 Servings

Customize Ingredients

Fish & Seafood
Blue Crab (Raw)
1800 g
Vegetables
Canned Whole Peeled Tomatoes
245 g
Garlic
6 g
Grains & Bread
Dried Pasta (Small)
300 g
Oils & Fats
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
41 g
Herbs & Spices
Fresh Parsley
8 g
Red Pepper Flakes
0.5 g
Liquids
White Wine
240 g

Per Serving

1196kcalCalories
123gProtein
87gCarbs
22gFat
5gFiber
Sodium
1882mg82% DV
Potassium
2676mg57% DV
Calcium
618mg48% DV
Iron
7.3mg41% DV
Magnesium
304mg72% DV
Vitamin C
35.6mg40% DV
Vitamin A
113µg13% DV
Vitamin K
17µg14% DV
Folate
333µg83% DV
Dried Pasta (Small)
Blue Crab (Raw)
Canned Whole Peeled Tomatoes
Garlic
White Wine
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Fresh Parsley
Red Pepper Flakes
* Nutrition is an estimate; actual values vary by ingredient brands and cooking methods. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

The Story Behind This Dish

Along the Sardinian coast, crab pasta works best when the tomato does not bury the seafood. I use enough passata to coat the bavette, not enough to turn it into a heavy red sauce.

Whole blue crabs give the sauce more flavor, but picked crab meat also works. If I use whole crabs, I cook them briefly, pick the meat, and add it back to garlic oil before the wine and tomato go in.

The final toss matters. I move the bavette into the sauce while it is still firm, then loosen it with pasta water. The parsley goes in at the end so the dish stays clean and direct.

Part of: Fish + Seafood Hub

Related: Sardinian Pasta Recipes | Fregola with Clams and Peas