Seafood Aligue Pasta

Seafood Aligue Pasta combines two things Filipinos love: pasta and aligue. This Seafood Aligue Pasta recipe takes the classic aligue pasta and adds a generous amount of mixed seafood, grape tomatoes, and baby spinach to make it a complete meal. Seafood Aligue Pasta works well for lunch or dinner, and the combination of crab fat with ricotta and parmesan creates a sauce that clings to every strand of linguine. I have been making Seafood Aligue Pasta for years, and my family asks for it during special occasions.

 

I remember bringing cans of taba ng talangka from the Philippines years ago when I was still living in Chicago. Filipino stores there did not carry crab fat at the time, so I had to rely on what friends and family would bring. These days, I can find bottled aligue at Asian grocery stores here in Tampa, which makes cooking this dish much easier.

The key to this recipe is using good quality crab fat and letting it cook briefly with the garlic and onion. That short sauté releases the oils and intensifies the flavor. The ricotta and parmesan give the sauce body without making it too heavy.

What is Seafood Aligue Pasta?

Seafood Aligue Pasta is a Filipino pasta dish that combines crab fat with mixed seafood in a creamy sauce. Aligue, also called taba ng talangka, comes from Asian shore crabs known as talangka in the Philippines. The orange paste you see in jars at Filipino stores is actually the hepatopancreas of the crab, not fat. Filipinos have been eating aligue with rice for generations. My lola used to squeeze fresh calamansi over warm rice topped with aligue, and that simple combination was already a feast.

The dish represents how Filipinos adapt Italian pasta to local tastes. We have Pinoy Spaghetti with its sweet sauce and hotdogs, Tuyo Pesto with dried fish, and now aligue pasta with crab fat. Each one takes something familiar and makes it distinctly Filipino. This seafood version adds shrimp, squid, and mussels to the mix, making it a more filling meal.

Why This Seafood Aligue Pasta Recipe Works

This recipe produces a creamy pasta with bold seafood flavor.

• Crab fat sautéed early releases its oils and builds the flavor base for the entire sauce
• Ricotta and parmesan together create creaminess without the heaviness of using all heavy cream
• Tomato paste and grape tomatoes add brightness that balances the richness of the crab fat
• Baby spinach wilts into the sauce and adds color and freshness
• Chicken stock helps bring the sauce together and adds another layer of savory flavor

Ingredients

• Linguine – Flat pasta that holds creamy sauces well
• Seafood mix – Shrimp, squid, and mussels work well together
• Carnation Everyday Creamer – Creates a smooth sauce base
• Crab fat – Taba ng talangka is the star of this dish
• Baby spinach – Adds color and wilts nicely into the sauce
• Grape tomatoes – Halved tomatoes bring sweetness and acidity
• Ricotta cheese – Adds creaminess and mild tang
• Parmesan cheese – Sharp flavor that complements the seafood
• Tomato paste – Deepens the color and adds body to the sauce
• Yellow onion – Provides aromatic sweetness when sautéed
• Garlic – Essential for building flavor
• Parsley – Fresh herb for finishing
• Chicken stock – Adds depth to the sauce
• Olive oil – For sautéing
• Salt – For seasoning

This pasta comes together quickly once you have everything prepped. Just follow the steps and you will have a beautiful dish ready for your family.

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 teaspoon of salt.
2. Cook the linguine according to package directions until al dente.
3. Drain the pasta and set aside, saving some pasta water.
4. Toss the linguine with a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking.

1. Heat olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat.
2. Sauté the onion and garlic until the onion softens.
3. Add the crab fat and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Add the halved grape tomatoes and cook for 1 minute.

The pan will smell good at this point. The crab fat releases its orange oils and mixes with the garlic.

1. Put in the seafood mix and sauté for 30 seconds.
2. Add the tomato paste and baby spinach, then pour in the chicken stock.
3. Let the mixture come to a boil, then add the evaporated creamer.
4. Stir in the ricotta and parmesan until the sauce becomes creamy.

Season with the remaining salt, add the cooked linguine, and toss until every strand is coated. Finish with chopped parsley and toss once more.

What to Serve with Seafood Aligue Pasta

• Crusty garlic bread – Good for soaking up extra sauce
• Arugula Salad – The acidity cuts through the richness
• Grilled vegetables – Zucchini and asparagus pair well
• Aligue Fried Rice – If you want to go all in on the crab fat theme

Storage

This Seafood Aligue Pasta keeps well for a few days.

• Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The sauce thickens when cold.
• Freezer: I do not recommend freezing this pasta. The seafood texture changes and the cream based sauce can separate.
• Reheating: Warm gently in a pan over low heat. Add a splash of cream or pasta water to bring the sauce back.

More Filipino Pasta Recipes

• Creamy Seafood Pasta – Another creamy pasta with shrimp, scallops, mussels, and clams
• Butter Garlic Shrimp Pasta – Bright and garlicky shrimp pasta
• Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta – Easy pasta dish with tomato and spinach
• Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta – Seared chicken and fettuccine in a rich, garlicky cream and Parmesan sauce
• Marry Me Chicken Pasta– Tender chicken, creamy sauce, and pasta in one dis

• Crab fat – Crab paste from Thai stores can work, though the flavor differs
• Evaporated creamer – Heavy cream or all purpose cream
• Ricotta – Cream cheese or mascarpone in a pinch
• Linguine – Fettuccine, spaghetti, or angel hair
• Seafood mix – Use whatever fresh seafood you have
• Baby spinach – Arugula or kangkong

Seafood Aligue Pasta is the kind of dish that turns dinner into an event. The combination of crab fat, seafood, and creamy sauce creates flavors that remind me of special gatherings back home. I hope you give this Seafood Aligue Pasta recipe a try.