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–+ servings

Chili Crab Spaghetti

In the summer there's nothing more appealing than a flavorful, no-cook pasta sauce that is both classic and packed with summer's best produce. And this Chili Crab Spaghetti fits the bill. The sauce is delightfully simple, letting tomatoes, basil, Calabrian chilies and touch of lemon marinate with delicate lump crab and olive oil. When you toss it with freshly cooked spaghetti, the sauce marries with the pasta, making a dish that is both light and delicious.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Resting Time 2 hours
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 4 cups cherry tomatoes, 24 ounces / 680 grams
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, 0.7 ounces / 20 grams
  • 4 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 large Calabrian chilies, thinly sliced
  • 7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3.5 ounces / 100 grams
  • 1 tin of lump crab meat, 16 ounces / 454 grams
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, (omit if you don't like heat)
  • 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 8 ounces spaghetti, bucatini or angel hair pasta

Instructions 

  1. Quarter the 24 ounces of cherry tomatoes (the smaller the pieces, the better) and add them to a large bowl. Tear in 1 cup of basil leaves, then grate in 4 cloves of garlic. Thinly slice 4 Calabrian chilies and add them in.
  2. Drizzle 7 tablespoons of olive oil into the bowl and mix.
  3. Add in the 1-pound tin of lump crab meat. Mix to combine.
  4. Squeeze in just a tablespoon of lemon juice, add 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt (use half if using Morton's). Mix together and taste. Add more salt and lemon juice as preferred.
  5. Cover this with cling wrap and let it marinate for 30 minutes up to 2 hours in the fridge. The longer it sits, the more the flavor will build in the marinating process.
  6. Fifteen minutes before you are ready to serve, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt.
  7. Boil the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Then use tongs to scoop it directly into the bowl with the tomatoes and crab. Give a few big mixes, adding a small splash of pasta water to help marry the pasta and sauce together.
  8. To serve, pile the pasta into bowls. Use a spoon to scoop a generous helping of both crab and tomatoes on top, and scoop up any excess sauce in the bottom of the bowl to spoon over the pasta. Enjoy warm or cold.