My Go-To Summer Seafood Pasta
If there’s one dish I want to be eating on repeat all summer long, it’s this cherry tomato pasta with crab. Sweet, jammy cherry tomatoes. Tender linguine coated in a silky, garlicky sauce. Hunks of buttery crab tucked throughout. And on top, a shower of pesto breadcrumbs that crunch and shatter with every single bite. This is summer in a bowl, and I genuinely cannot stop thinking about it.
This recipe is inspired by the kind of seafood pasta you’d dream about eating somewhere on the Amalfi Coast: bright, a little briny, herbaceous, and subtly spicy. It may look like it takes hours, but the cherry tomato pasta sauce actually comes together in about 30 minutes of cook time. Love that for us!
Because the crab is the star of the dish, quality matters. Fresh jumbo lump crab will give you the most impressive presentation, while lump crab helps flavor the sauce itself. Both of these are sold in refrigerated cans by the seafood department.
The Crunchy Pasta Topping You Never Knew You Needed
The pesto breadcrumbs might be my favorite part. They’re buttery, fragrant, and deeply golden. Plus, I love the crunch!
A Restaurant-Quality Crab Pasta at Home
The key to making pasta at home that rivals your favorite restaurant dishes is to (1) salt your pasta water aggressively, (2) undercook the pasta slightly, and (3) finish cooking it in the pasta sauce along with pasta cooking water. This helps the pasta to absorb all that incredible flavor and thickens the sauce so it’s glossy. 💯
I highly recommend using anchovies in pasta! When cooked in hot oil, then dissolve completely and add an incredible savory backbone to the cherry tomato pasta sauce. Even people who think they don’t like anchovies typically love the finished dish.
You want to use a long, thin pasta (eg, linguine, fettuccine, spaghetti, or even bucatini would also work well), all of which catch the fresh tomatoes and crab.
Once plated, drizzle each bowl with a night finishing oil, then sprinkle the pesto breadcrumbs on top (and be generous!!). Thinly sliced chives, flaky sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper take it over the top.
(I promise not to judge if you want to top it with grated Parmigiano! 😂)
And certainly you could replace crab with cooked lobster, shrimp, or even pan-seared scallops.
Make It A Complete Meal
Because this tomato pasta recipe is relatively light and bright, I like serving it alongside simple summer sides. A crisp green salad with a lemon vinaigrette and maybe some cheesy garlic bread is all you really need. Grilled vegetables, roasted asparagus, or a platter of marinated summer beans would also pair beautifully. If you’d prefer, you can simply stir in a bag of fresh baby spinach at the same time as the jumbo lump crab. It’ll wilt beautifully!
Wine pairing: A chilled Vermentino, Albariño, or dry rosé would be wonderful alongside.
There are plenty of seafood pasta recipes out there, but this one feels especially suited for summer. Truly peak-season cooking at its finest. Please let me know what you think!
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Cherry Tomato Pasta with Sweet Crab & Pesto Breadcrumbs
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Pesto Breadcrumbs
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 Tbsp pesto, homemade or store-bought
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- Flaky sea salt
For the Pasta
- 1 lb linguine
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 1 fresno chili, halved
- 2 anchovies
- 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (I like to use one pint of red tomatoes and one pint of yellow)
- 8 oz lump crab meat, drained and picked over for any cartilage
- 8 oz jumbo lump crab meat, drained and picked over for any cartilage
- 1-2 medium lemons, zested and juiced
- 2 tsp sherry vinegar
- 8-10 fresh basil leaves, ripped or julienned, plus more for serving
- 3 sprigs of fresh tarragon, leaves finely chopped
- Fresh chives, thinly sliced, for serving
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Make the breadcrumb topping. Place 2 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp pesto in a small skillet over medium heat. Once melted, stir in ½ cup panko breadcrumbs. Cook, stirring often, until they turn a deep golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl, season with a pinch of flaky sea salt, then set aside.
- Infuse oil. In a large skillet with deep sides, heat ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add 4 smashed garlic cloves and the halved fresno chili then cook until fragrant and the garlic has lightly browned, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the garlic and chili, discard, then add 2 anchovies. Use a spatula to help them break down and dissolve into the oil.
- Cook tomatoes. Add two pints of halved cherry tomatoes then cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced and jammy, about 8-10 minutes. Season lightly with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Cook pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil, then season generously with a couple tablespoons of kosher salt. Add linguine then cook until about 2 minutes shy of al dente. Reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Finish in sauce. Add ½ cup of the reserved water to the tomatoes, then add cooked pasta, the small lump crab meat, 2 tsp lemon zest, juice from 1 lemon, 2 tsp sherry vinegar, and the fresh basil and tarragon. Stir really well.
- Add crab. We’re adding the larger jumbo lump crab towards the end so that the pieces remain intact – add that now, along with more of the reserved pasta water if you want to create more of a sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Serve. Divide between bowls, then drizzle each with a little extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle as much of the pesto breadcrumbs on top as you like, then finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt, extra black pepper, and thinly sliced chives. Enjoy!
Notes
- Nutrition facts assume 8 servings.
- Seafood has a shorter shelf life than chicken or beef. Enjoy leftovers within 3 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water or olive oil. Gently warm until heated through, being careful not to overcook the crab.
- The pesto breadcrumbs can be made up to 2 days in advance. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Nutrition
Photography by Jo Harding.
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