Seasonal spring smashed pea, crab and lemon pappardelle recipe

Name: Seasonal spring smashed pea, crab and lemon pappardelle recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 serving(s)
Ingredients: 400 g fresh or frozen peas or petits pois; 25 g butter; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 200 g fresh mixed brown or white crab meat; 300 g fresh pappardelle; Finely grated zest and juice 1 lemon; Small handful basil leaves

Sweet peas, rich crab meat and a hit of zesty lemon; sometimes you don’t need to overthink it! Spring pasta perfection.

By Grace EvansPublished: 16 April 2025

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Pappardelle is tossed in a fresh and fragrant pasta sauce and enriched with delicious crab for a speedy midweek meal.

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Yields:

4 serving(s)

Prep Time:

10 mins

Cook Time:

10 mins

Total Time:

20 mins

Cal/Serv:

405

Ingredients

400 g
fresh or frozen peas or petits pois
25 g
butter
2
garlic cloves, crushed
200 g
fresh mixed brown or white crab meat
300 g
fresh pappardelle
Finely grated zest and juice 1 lemon
Small handful basil leaves

Directions

1. Step 1Cook the peas/petits pois in a large pan of boiling water for 3min, until tender.
2. Step 2Meanwhile, melt butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add crushed garlic and fry for 1min.
3. Step 3Using a slotted spoon, remove peas from the water to the frying pan (keep pan of water on the heat). Roughly crush peas with a fork, stir in the crab and cook for 5min, stirring occasionally.
4. Step 4Add the pasta and plenty of salt to the simmering water, bring to the boil and cook according to pack instructions. Drain, reserving 150ml of the pasta water.
5. Step 5Add the drained pasta to the frying pan along with the reserved pasta water, lemon zest and juice. Toss to coat; check seasoning. Sprinkle over the basil and serve.