This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Crab Fettuccine Alfredo is an incredibly delicious dinner that comes together in a snap! Fettuccine topped with creamy homemade Alfredo sauce filled with lump crab–a really special meal that can easily be made any night of the week.
Featured Comment
Made the recipe exactly as written, easy to do and tastes great!
Crab Fettuccine Alfredo
This meal was so super easy to make and pretty much start-to-finish done in less than 30 minutes. We all loved it so much, this is for sure going into the regular dinner rotation.
One thing I really liked about this recipe is that we used milk instead of heavy cream to make the Alfredo sauce. I love a good Alfredo made with butter, heavy cream, and Parmesan, but it’s so heavy and incredibly high fat. Making the sauce with milk didn’t impact the flavor (the addition of cream cheese makes it nice and creamy) but really reduced the fat content.
While you’re here, check out these other great dinner recipes: Buffalo Chicken Zucchini Boats | Instant Pot Shrimp Scampi | Garlic Butter Mushroom Stuffed Chicken | Grilled Sausage Foil Packets
The Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make the Crab Fettuccine Alfredo (the exact measurements and full recipe instructions are below in the printable recipe card):
- Fettuccine
- Butter
- All-purpose flour
- Milk
- Fresh Parmesan cheese – don’t use the grated Parmesan from a jar–buy a wedge of real Parmesan and finely grate it at home. It just takes a minute to do and makes a big difference in the sauce.
- Cream cheese
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Salt
- Pepper
- Fresh parsley
- Imitation lump crab
How to Make Crab Fettuccine Alfredo
Cook the pasta first and set it aside. Next, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk together. Cook this mixture, called a roux (pronounced “roo“), for 30-60 seconds. Add the milk to the roux very slowly, whisking well between additions. It will be very thick and lumpy at first, but as you continue to add the milk you’ll see a nice sauce come together.
Add the cream cheese and allow it to melt into the sauce, then add the grated parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Whisk the sauce together until smooth and creamy.
Add the crabmeat to the sauce and allow it to cook just until hot.
You can either spoon the sauce over the pasta on plates, or add it right to the pan and toss with the sauce.
You may also want to add a sprinkle of fresh parsley to the top for extra color.
Variations
Crabmeat – I used imitation crab for this recipe and it was delicious. But you can use any type of fully cooked crabmeat that you like.
Nutmeg – Try adding a small pinch of ground nutmeg to the sauce for a little extra flavor.
Heavy cream – Although this sauce is nice and creamy already, if you would like it to be a little richer you can add a splash of heavy whipping cream before adding the crabmeat.
Different pasta – We loved the fettuccini, but this dish is also wonderful with linguini, spaghetti, angel hair, or penne.
How to Store Leftovers
Keep any leftovers in a container with a lid in the refrigerator. The leftovers are best eaten within a day or two. Reheat in the microwave and top with extra Parmesan cheese if you like.
More Recipes You Will Enjoy
Add as Google Trusted SourceCrab Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients
- 1 pound fettuccini pasta
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black or white pepper
- 1 pound lump crabmeat
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente.
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk to combine. Cook the flour and butter together for 30-60 seconds, then slowly add the milk. Add the milk a small amount at a time, whisking well between each addition. Cut the cream cheese into small chunks and drop into the sauce, stirring until melted and incorporated into the sauce.
- Add the freshly grated parmesan cheese, chopped fresh parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to the sauce and whisk until smooth. Gently stir in the crabmeat and allow the sauce to cook on low heat until the crab is hot.
- Toss the cooked fettuccini with the sauce, or serve the pasta topped with the sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Leave a comment & rating below, or tag @kitchenfunwithmy3sons on social media!
Was good but my sauce came out way to thick. My fault on the pasta. Threw everything away back in the pan with a bunch of white wine to finish cooking. But was good.
I’m getting to make this recipe for the first time thank you
Hope you like it Alethiea!
It’s delicious. I do add some heavy whipping cream & some bacon. Because I’m bad… My husband likes this too. Have a Caesar salad… perfect for New Year’s Eve tonight! Plus a gin dirty martini
Sounds great Karen! Thanks!
So easy and so delicious. My kids loved it, and I made it with imitation crab (sorry, I know that’s such a far cry from lump crab but it’s what was is the freezer) and frozen shrimp. In fact it was because I was looking for a sauce for my frozen seafood that I found this. I’m in Toronto where it is impossible to find decent (or any) lump crab but I grew up going to the Eastern Shore and some day I will do this recipe justice with true backfin lump Maryland blue crab.
So glad you liked it! Thanks Mandy!
Do you think I could use a gluten free flour?
Hi Juanita. Yes, you should be ok using a GF flour.
Made it last night. Can I freeze it? No pasta is added. I used real crab. I started getting sick this evening so it doesn’t seem appetizing. Don’t want to waste it. Needed to thin it anyway so figured I could freeze and add milk when I heat it.
Hi Carol. Sorry to hear you aren’t feeling well. Yes, this will freeze well in an airtight container for up to a month or more.
This is similar to what I make but I like this much better! I use fresh picked Chesapeake Bay Blue crab meat and only very lightly fold it in to heat. Great with a salad.
Me and my daughter loved this when I made it!!!1
That’s great Jill. Thanks!
Love this dish.
Very very good