Marry Me Crab & Shrimp Pasta

Ingredients

• 12 oz fusilli pasta (cooked al dente)
• 1 lb extra jumbo shrimp (peeled & deveined)
• 8 oz lump crab meat (reserve some for topping)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp butter
• 4 garlic (minced)
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes
• 1.5 cups heavy cream
• 0.5 cup pasta water (reserved from boiling pasta)
• 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese (plus more for topping)
• fresh parsley (for tossing and topping)
• 1 tbsp garlic & herb seasoning
• 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 0.5 tsp red chili flakes (adjust to taste)
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp sun-dried tomato & basil seasoning

Steps

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the fusilli pasta until al dente according to package directions.

2. 2

   Reserve ½ cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain the pasta and set it aside.

3. 3

   Pat the jumbo shrimp dry with paper towels.

4. 4

   Toss the shrimp with olive oil, all of the shrimp seasonings (garlic & herb, Cajun, smoked paprika, chili flakes, pepper, and sun-dried tomato & basil seasoning), and some fresh parsley.

5. 5

   Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and sear the shrimp for 2–3 minutes per side until pink and opaque.

6. 6

   Add the butter to the skillet, baste the shrimp with the melted butter, then remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.

7. 7

   In the same skillet, sauté the minced garlic, fresh spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes until the spinach is wilted and the garlic is fragrant.

8. 8

   Pour in the heavy cream and the reserved pasta water.

9. 9

   Stir in any remaining sauce seasonings and the ½ cup of Parmesan cheese.

10. 10

    Let the sauce simmer on low-medium heat until slightly thickened.

11. 11

    Gently fold in the lump crab meat (saving a portion for the final topping) and let it simmer briefly to heat through.

12. 12

    Turn off the heat, add the cooked pasta to the skillet, and toss thoroughly to coat the noodles in the sauce.

13. 13

    Plate the pasta and top with the seared shrimp, the reserved crab meat, extra Parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley. Serve hot.

Notes

The author suggests reserving some crab meat and Parmesan for a final garnish to enhance presentation. Adjust the red chili flakes to your preferred spice level.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• seafood
• shrimp
• crab
• dinner
• creamy
• comfort food