Hot Crab with Vegetables

This lighter crab pasta dinner comes together in under half an hour. Fresh tomatoes cook down into a sauce, then get enriched with skim evaporated milk for creaminess without the heavy cream.

The crab goes in off the heat so it stays tender and sweet rather than turning tough and rubbery. A pinch of nutmeg and a squeeze of lemon juice round out the sauce. Steamed mushrooms and peas get tossed with the pasta separately, keeping their texture distinct from the saucy crab mixture.

Evaporated milk is the quiet hero here. It gives the sauce body and a slight richness that regular skim milk can’t match, without adding much fat. The tomatoes provide acidity that keeps everything bright and balanced against the sweet crab.

Kitchen Tips

• Peel the tomatoes by scoring an X on the bottom and blanching them in boiling water for 30 seconds. The skins slip right off.
• Use lump crab meat if your budget allows. Claw meat works too but breaks into smaller pieces.
• Stir the crab in gently at the end. Vigorous stirring shreds it into strings instead of keeping those nice chunks.
• Don’t overcook the peas. They only need a minute or two of steaming to stay bright green and slightly firm.

Variations

• Swap the crab for cooked shrimp or lobster meat.
• Use fresh spinach instead of peas for a different vegetable pairing.
• Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce for gentle heat.