Crab Newburg over Old Bay Pasta

Transform a little bit of crab into a delectable feast with this easy crab Newburg over homemade old bay pasta recipe!

Part of learning how to feed a family of 4 for less than $250 a month is learning how to take advantage of the resources you have on hand. In this particular case, this entire delectable Crab dish cost less than $2.50 to feed the entire family, including leftovers for a second meal.

We live on the East Coast and had the pleasure of taking advantage of the recreational crabbing that is available here. Last fall we spent a fun weekend crabbing, which resulted in several packages of delicious crab meat being packed away into the freezer to enjoy later in the season.

Crab Newburg over Old Bay Pasta

For this particular recipe you’ll need:

• 3 Tbs Butter/margarine
• 3 T. Flour
• 1/2 tsp Paprika
• 1/2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
• 3/4 c. Water
• 1 1/4 c. Milk
• 1/2 c. Sherry (If you’re using Cooking sherry- keep in mind that it’s HEAVILY salted and it will change the flavor of the sauce). In a pinch, a light white wine can be substituted for the sherry. (such as Zinfandel, or Pinot Grigio).
• Crab Meat or Cooked Shrimp (about 1 1/2 cups)
• Old Bay Pasta or Freshly Baked Biscuits

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, add the flour and seasonings, stirring well.

Allow it to brown slightly, add water, continually stirring, add milk. Bring to a light boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add the sherry. Continue cooking until the mixture is thick and smooth.

Add the crab meat, stirring gently until warmed through. Canned crab meat can be used in place of fresh crab if you don’t happen to live near the coast!

Serve over fresh hot cooked pasta or freshly baked biscuits. Due to the colors of the pasta and the cream sauce, this isn’t a particularly pretty dish. You could add one to two teaspoons of chopped fresh parsley for a bit of color.

Budget101 Cost Breakdown:

Obviously, our cost is low because we were able to catch the crabs ourselves and unless you live near the coast, that’s not an option for you. However, even if you had to Purchase canned Crabmeat, you could STILL make this recipe for under $6. for your whole family.