Crab Fettuccine Alfredo

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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.

Crab Fettuccine Alfredo

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.

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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
ingredients to make Crab Fettuccine Alfredo

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.

milk, butter, flour, parmesan cheese, cream cheese, parsley, and seasonings in a pan.

Whisk the sauce together until smooth and creamy.

whisking alfredo sauce in a pan

Add the crabmeat to the sauce and allow it to cook just until hot.

stirring crabmeat into alfredo sauce

You can either spoon the sauce over the pasta on plates, or add it right to the pan and toss with the sauce.

fettuccine

You may also want to add a sprinkle of fresh parsley to the top for extra color.

Crab Fettuccine Alfredo in a skillet

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.

Crab Fettuccine Alfredo

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

Plate of Crab Fettuccine Alfredo with fresh herbs.
5 from 55 votes

Crab Fettuccine Alfredo

Crab Fettuccine Alfredo is a rich, creamy dinner that comes together in a snap! Fettuccine plus creamy homemade Alfredo sauce filled with lump crab equals a really special meal that can easily be made any night of the week.
Servings: 4
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 30 minutes

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.

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Nutrition

Calories: 868kcal | Carbohydrates: 99g | Protein: 52g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 184mg | Sodium: 1987mg | Potassium: 859mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1313IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 526mg | Iron: 3mg

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