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Crab Linguine Carbonara Pasta

This recipe offers a luxurious seafood twist on classic carbonara. Linguine is tossed with crispy bacon, garlic, white wine, sweet peas, and tender crab meat, all coated in a rich, creamy sauce made from eggs, Parmesan cheese, and pasta water. It’s a quick yet elegant main course.
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Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine Italian
Servings 2 people
Calories 2788.3 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Large Pot For boiling pasta
  • 1 Large Skillet For cooking bacon and assembling sauce
  • 1 Colander For draining pasta
  • 1 Medium Bowl For whisking egg mixture

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 pound sliced bacon cut into thin strips
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
  • 1/2 cup crab meat leg or lump
  • 1/2 cup green peas
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 pound linguine

Instructions
 

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil for the linguine.
  • While the water heats, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon, reserving rendered fat.
  • Add olive oil and butter to the skillet (if needed) and sauté minced garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Deglaze the skillet with white wine, scraping up any browned bits, and let it reduce slightly.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, grated Parmesan cheese, and black pepper.
  • Add the linguine to the boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente.
  • Drain the cooked linguine, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water.
  • Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the wine sauce. Remove the skillet from the heat.
  • Quickly add the egg mixture to the pasta, tossing vigorously and adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a smooth, creamy sauce that coats the pasta.
  • Gently stir in the cooked bacon, crab meat, and green peas. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan.

Notes

Tempering the egg mixture is key to a silky, non-scrambled carbonara sauce. Remove the skillet from the heat and vigorously toss the hot pasta with the eggs and cheese, gradually adding reserved pasta water. The heat from the pasta and pan will cook the eggs gently without scrambling them. Ensure bacon is crispy but not burnt before adding garlic. Use high-quality lump or leg crab meat and add it gently at the very end to prevent it from breaking apart. Season carefully, as both bacon and Parmesan add salt.