Use What You Have
Crab Legs with Garlic Butter Sauce Recipe
Make any dinner a special occasion with homemade crab legs. Cooked in a flavorful garlic butter sauce, these Snow Crab legs are never a bad idea.
Where to Buy Crab Legs: This recipe calls for Snow Crab legs, which are known for their mild flavor and easy-to-crack shell. Less expensive than King Crab legs, you should be able to find fresh or frozen Snow Crab clusters at your local grocery store or seafood monger.
How to Cook Crab Legs: You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below but here's a brief overview of what you can expect when you cook these flavorful crab legs in garlic butter sauce:
Make the Sauce: Melt butter in a skillet, then add the garlic and cook until it's translucent. Add the seasonings and cook until the butter is bubbling.
Make the Crab Legs: Cut a lengthwise slit into each shell. Add the legs to the butter mixture and simmer until the crabmeat is heated through.
How Long to Cook Crab Legs: The crab legs should be fully cooked after about five or six minutes in the bubbling butter mixture. The whole recipe, sauce and all, only takes about 20 minutes to make.
How to Eat Crab Legs: It's actually quite simple to eat Snow Crab legs and you don't even need a special cracking tool. Just pull one of the legs off the cluster, bend at the joint, and pull the joints apart slowly. The meat should slide right out. Helpful hint: Make sure the legs are warm when you crack them, as it's more difficult to get cold crabmeat out of the shell.
How to Reheat Crab Legs: Store the cooked crab legs in an airtight in the refrigerator for three to five days. When you're ready to enjoy them again, brush the crab legs with butter (bonus points if you have leftover garlic butter) and bake in a 350F oven for about eight minutes.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound Snow Crab clusters, thawed if necessary
- cup butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoons dried parsley
- teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
Directions:
- Cut a slit lengthwise into the shell of each piece of crab.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until translucent, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Stir in parsley, pepper, and salt. Continue to heat the mixture until bubbling.
- Add crab legs to the skillet, tossing to coat them in the butter mixture. Simmer for 5 to 6 minutes or until fully heated through.
- Serve hot and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts (per serving):
| Calories | Total Fat | Saturated Fat | Cholesterol | Sodium | Total Carbohydrate | Protein | Calcium | Iron |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 520 | 38g | 17g | 274mg | 1031mg | 1g | 44g | 242mg | 2mg |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Community Tips and Praise:
"You may be tempted to increase the sauce since it won't cover the crab completely, but as long as you crack the legs prior to putting them in the sauce, you shouldn't have a problem," according to mfreeman89. "The sauce will lend a wonderful flavor without overpowering the crab."
"This is my favorite way to prepare crab legs," raves Renee. "The buttery garlic flavor accents the flavor of the crab very well. It was also easy to make. Using pre-cooked crab legs was pretty convenient. Great recipe!"
"This was so easy and so good," says alylikestoeat. "My family LOVED it. Use all the excess butter after for the dipping sauce, if you even need it. It's already so good on its own."
Crab Legs with Garlic Butter Sauce is a classic American seafood dish that has delighted food lovers for decades. Combining sweet, tender crab meat with rich, flavorful garlic butter, its a recipe that perfectly captures the essence of indulgence in every bite. Whether prepared for a special occasion or a simple weeknight dinner, this dish is sure to impress.
History and Origins
The origins of garlic butter crab legs can be traced back to the rise of seafood dishes in American coastal regions. As seafood became an accessible option in many households, especially in places like the Gulf Coast, the simplicity and richness of garlic butter became a natural choice for flavoring crustaceans like crab. While crab legs themselves have been a delicacy for centuries, the specific combination of garlic butter is a more recent innovation, gaining popularity in the 20th century with the rise of casual seafood dining. It's particularly popular in seafood restaurants along the East and West Coasts of the United States, where fresh crab is abundant.
Regional Characteristics
In the United States, garlic butter crab legs are most commonly associated with regions known for their fresh seafood, such as the Gulf Coast, California, and New England. Each area puts its own spin on the dish. For example, in New England, the garlic butter sauce may be complemented by Old Bay seasoning or lemon zest to add an extra layer of flavor, while on the West Coast, the sauce might feature additional fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme, reflecting the local culinary style. The dish can be found at both high-end restaurants and casual seafood shacks, showcasing its versatility and widespread appeal.
Distinguishing Features
What sets garlic butter crab legs apart from other seafood dishes is the flavor profile that balances the sweet, briny taste of the crab with the rich, savory notes of butter and garlic. This is distinct from other popular seafood preparations such as crab cakes or crab bisque, where the crab is typically mixed with other ingredients or blended into soups and pastes. The beauty of garlic butter crab legs lies in its simplicitythe focus is on highlighting the natural flavor of the crab itself, with the sauce serving to enhance rather than overpower it. Additionally, the ease of preparation, especially when using pre-cooked crab legs, makes it an accessible yet luxurious meal for home cooks.
Where It's Typically Served
Crab legs with garlic butter sauce are a beloved dish at seafood restaurants, particularly those near coastlines where fresh crab is abundant. From upscale dining establishments to casual seafood shacks, this dish is a staple on menus across the country. Its commonly served as a main dish, often alongside sides like corn on the cob, roasted potatoes, or a simple green salad. In more casual settings, its also served as an appetizer or part of a seafood boil, where various shellfish and sides are cooked together in a flavorful broth. Whether youre dining in a restaurant or preparing it at home, this dish always feels like a treat, perfect for a gathering or family meal.
Interesting Facts
- Crab legs, particularly those from snow crabs, are a more affordable alternative to king crab legs, but still pack in a lot of flavor and sweetness.
- The combination of garlic and butter is universally loved, with origins tracing back to Mediterranean cuisines where its frequently used to flavor seafood dishes.
- While the dish is popular in the United States, similar recipes using crab and butter can be found across the world, from the buttered crab dishes of Southeast Asia to garlic-infused seafood recipes from Italy.
- Crab legs are not just deliciousthey are also a great source of protein and essential nutrients like calcium and iron, making them a healthy yet indulgent meal option.
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FAQ about Crab Legs with Garlic Butter Sauce Recipe
Comments
Tina Foley
10/06/2025 01:52:54 PM
My favorite recipe ever! Split the shells before you throw the crab legs in. Once done remove the legs and pour the butter sauce into a dish for dipping....mmmmm good.
DREGINEK
06/13/2024 01:35:48 AM
If your lucky - your grocer will have precut crab which isn’t nearly as dangerous as trying to cut your own. I admit, I am not that skilled with a knife and a hard shell like crab is daunting so I only did a few and then decided to skip and take my chances and use my crab-cracker and fork. Preparation aside, this recipe is AMAZING! Like scampi for your crab. I used KerryGold butter and added a splash of buttery Chardonnay just before adding the crab. This is absolutely divine! We spooned the butter garlic sauce over each plate of crab and as we pulled that succulent, sweet meat out - dipped again in either what butter was on our plates or into the pan itself. Cook time is spot on. Oui! Died and went to heaven in this one! Thanks Tamaralynn!
Carrie Smith-Hardee
03/08/2020 04:43:40 AM
Easy and delicious! I’ve never cooked crab legs in a skillet before. It totally worked. Added lemon pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon. Also poured the extra garlic butter in the pan over white sticky rice with a little added olive oil and lemon pepper. We were devouring this whole meal!
Angela HJ
04/21/2014 06:31:47 AM
My family loves this recipe, however, my husband does not trust that they will cook completely in the butter so we usually steam them for about 5 minutes before putting them in the butter sauce. We've made them several times & everyone absolutely loves them. This last time I added Old Bay & Cayenne based on some of the reviews & they were even better!
Mensh
05/05/2020 06:55:54 AM
Overcome the messy shell issue by steaming the crab legs for a bit, removing the shell and proceeding with the recipe. Add the shells and any liquid from cooking them when you make the garlic butter sauce. Keeping the shells in the sauce, lightly saute the "naked legs" in the enhanced garlic butter sauce. Prepare more legs than anticipated as all gobbled up quickly. It solves the "messy to eat" issue and hopefully slows down the rate at which the legs are eaten.
David
05/06/2023 02:49:33 AM
Great recipe but i used fresh chives instead of parsley. And I think next time I would use scissors to cut it up better before cooking
nickey1016
08/28/2015 06:54:30 PM
This was amazing! I live in Florida and I am obsessed with snow crab legs. Instead of going to the 'many' crab houses around and getting their garlic butter covered crabs. I decided to make my own. This recipe was great. I boiled my crab legs in old bay seasoning with a few other spices. Also added red potatoes to the pot. I made this on the side to dip the crabs and potatoes in. I didn't measure anything. I just did it by sight and to my taste. This will definitely be my go to whenever I make crab legs.
Caryn
11/27/2013 07:24:14 PM
I baked the crab legs at 400*until warm. I served this sauce on the side. I did add Old Bay seasoning and Italian blend to it too. Very easy, very delicious. Will make it again. - Caryn
LynnNM
02/15/2021 10:54:59 PM
This is a great and very easy recipe. We made it last night for dinner. Did everything exactly according to the recipe, but we found that the parsley made it a bit dry as the crab legs were sautéing. We added more butter, which helped. We also added lemon wedges at the table for added zip. We will definitely be making this again many times!
Just Bella
06/27/2020 11:12:11 PM
I enjoyed the recipe. I made this for my mom and she loved it. I added shrimp with the crab, chives and a touch of cilantro with the parsley, butter and garlic.
Holly Obrovac
02/08/2015 06:44:53 PM
Very tasty and very quick and easy. The second time I made it, I used unsalted butter and left out the salt and added 1 t. dried dill weed and 1/2 t. Old Bay to the recipe.
Lee
07/23/2025 12:51:27 AM
I loved it I added old bay seasoning was so delicious 😋
NiftyWhisk7978
06/15/2025 09:55:18 PM
Delicious
Amorette Pereira
03/04/2025 07:45:06 AM
a nice simple and quick way to make tasty crabs
TimidVeal3674
02/13/2025 07:02:11 PM
bing bing bing
Dennis Wright
01/19/2025 08:22:18 PM
This recipe is now officially legendary.
Hapgar
12/26/2024 06:40:56 AM
Great, easy recipe! It went well with New York steaks at Christmas.
Charles Perez
12/09/2024 03:48:26 PM
This is some next-level stuff.
TrustyRoll9407
10/11/2024 05:38:59 PM
this recipe is very good. i didnt have lemon juice so i found this and wow am i amazed. it has great flavors.
Margaret Parker
10/06/2024 08:35:49 PM
Even my husband said it’s restaurant quality.
audio version
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