• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Dinner
      • Asian
      • Fish & Seafood
      • Meat & Poultry
      • Pasta
      • Sandwiches
      • Soup
      • Vegetarian
    • Dessert
    • Appetizer & Side Dish
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Drink
  • Portfolio
  • About
  • Contact

Taming of the Spoon

Eat everything {in moderation}

April 1, 2015 (Last Updated April 8, 2021)

Spaghetti Carbonara with Crab and Meyer Lemon

Jump to Recipe
  • Prep Time:
    10 mins
  • Cook Time:
    20 mins
  • Total Time:
    30 mins

Meyer lemons and crab add a new twist to classic pasta carbonara.

Spaghetti carbonara with crab in a white pasta bowl.

I used to think that there wasn’t anything you could do to improve upon spaghetti carbonara. It was already so perfect – a creamy sauce of pancetta, Parmesan, and silky eggs that gently coated each spaghetti noodle. How could you possibly make that any better? With the discovery of this recipe, I found my answer – add crab and Meyer lemons. That’s how.

Seafood and lemons have always been a winning combination but when the lemons happen to be Meyer lemons, the flavor is a show stopper. Meyer lemons impart a fragrant lemon taste without a hint of tartness. It’s just the thing to complement the crab. The fact that these Meyer lemons happen to come from my sister’s tree makes them extra special.

Overhead shot of spaghetti carbonara with crab in a white pasta bowl.

The sweet flavor of Meyer lemons plays a big part in this recipe. So, I would not recommend substituting regular lemons for the Meyer lemons here. Not to mention the bright orange-yellow zest adds beautiful color to the final dish.

A fork twirling some spaghetti carbonara with crab in a white pasta bowl.

Print
clock clock icon cutlery cutlery icon flag flag icon folder folder icon instagram instagram icon pinterest pinterest icon facebook facebook icon print print icon squares squares icon heart heart icon heart solid heart solid icon
Spaghetti Carbonara with Crab and Meyer Lemon | tamingofthespoon.com

Spaghetti Carbonara with Crab and Meyer Lemon

  • Author: Taming of the Spoon
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Italian
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

Meyer lemons and crab add a new twist to classic pasta carbonara.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 6 ounces pancetta, chopped
  • 2 medium shallots, minced (about 1/4 cup)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley plus more for serving
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Zest of 3 Meyer lemons
  • 1/4 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice
  • 1/2 pound lump crabmeat
  • 11 ounces dry spaghetti
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup toasted bread crumbs

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. When oil is shimmering, add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté until the shallots are golden brown, about 5 minutes more. Remove from heat. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Add the pancetta mixture and whisk together. Add the Meyer lemon zest and juice. Whisk to combine. Gently stir in the crab. Set aside.
  3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and immediately add the hot pasta to the egg and crab mixture. Add the butter, then toss the pasta quickly and thoroughly to make sure all of the strands are coated and that the ingredients are well mixed.
  4. To serve, divide the pasta among four plates and sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs and chopped parsley.

Notes

  • Use freshly grated parmesan cheese rather than pre-grated. Pre-grated cheese is usually coated in something to prevent clumping (like cellulose powder) which will keep the cheese from melting smoothly.
  • Recipe from James Beard Foundation.

Keywords: pasta carbonara

Still hungry? You may also like:

A plate of spaghetti topeed with tomatoes, basil, and toasted breadcrumbs.

Spaghetti with Tomatoes, Basil, and Toasted Bread Crumbs

Lemon pasta with salmon twirled on a fork above a plate.

Lemon Pasta with Salmon


  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Stumble
  • Yummly
  • Email
Previous Post « Lemon Soufflé Pancakes
Next Post Lemon Panna Cotta with Meyer Lemon Marmalade »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jessie @ Straight to the Hips, Baby says

    April 1, 2015 at 7:13 pm

    This is amazing looking! The pictures are scrumptious looking and the pairing of crab & lemon is so classic (and with good reason!). Well done!

    Reply
    • Taming of the Spoon says

      April 1, 2015 at 7:29 pm

      Thanks, Jessie. It really is a delicious recipe. I think I ate almost the entire pan myself!

      Reply
  2. The Blonde Chef says

    April 6, 2015 at 3:31 pm

    Love how you made this spaghetti look so light and “springy!! Gorgeous photos!

    Reply
    • Taming of the Spoon says

      April 6, 2015 at 6:47 pm

      Thank you!! It was a beautiful sunny day when I made this dish which really helped make the photographs look good.

      Reply
  3. Annie @ The Garlic Diaries says

    April 6, 2015 at 5:27 pm

    I am in love with this! I want to reach through the screen and grab a plate :). It looks so so sooo yummy.

    Reply
    • Taming of the Spoon says

      April 6, 2015 at 7:10 pm

      Thanks, Annie. Your comment made my day!

      Reply
  4. Nagi@RecipeTinEats says

    April 10, 2015 at 4:46 pm

    Look at that! It’s my all time favourite pasta stepped up with CRAB and Meyer lemons!! Wow!

    I love your photos! They are so bright and crispy. I especially love the twirling pasta shot!

    Reply
    • Taming of the Spoon says

      April 10, 2015 at 6:41 pm

      Thank you for your sweet comment, Nagi. Being a huge admirer of your photography, your compliment means a lot to me.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Search for the perfect recipe

About

I’m Nguyet. Full time mom, part time everything else. Food blogger, food photographer, graphic designer, & WordPress/Genesis web developer.

I’m always wondering what to make for dinner.

Learn More

Stay Connected

Never miss a recipe. Get new posts delivered to your inbox.

Footer

Browse

  • All Recipes
  • Dinner
  • Asian
  • Drink

Information

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Portfolio

Copyright © 2014–2021 Nguyet Vo | Taming of the Spoon · Site By VO Graphic Design · Back to Top