This is the best guide to learning how to cook crab legs! It’s perfect for holidays and special events, and it’s quick and easy, leaving you with perfectly cooked crab meat every time.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
We all love a good seafood feast, and this recipe for How to Cook Crab Legs guarantees a delicious, easy-to-make dish that everyone will enjoy. Here’s why this recipe works:
- Fresh Wild-Caught Crab: We always recommend using the freshest, high-quality ingredients in our recipes. This is one of our seafood recipes that is a real treat.
- Simple Ingredients: You only need 3 simple ingredients (4 if you choose to include the optional lemon) to make this amazing dish.
- Quick and Easy: With just 35 minutes, you’ll have a restaurant-quality crab legs recipe ready to serve.
- Versatile: Serve it as an appetizer or a main dish for family dinners, parties, or special occasions.
- Healthy: Crab meat is not only delicious but it’s also packed with nutrients like protein and omega-3 fatty acids.
Key Ingredients
- Wild-Caught Crab – We use the freshest, wild-caught crab legs for this recipe; they are full of sweet, tender meat that tastes amazing.
- Sea Salt – Sea salt is the key to enhancing the natural flavors of the crab legs and the water they're boiled in.
- Lemon (optional) – If you choose to add lemon to the water, it infuses the crab legs with a subtle citrusy flavor that pairs beautifully with the sweet crab meat.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are some of our favorite variations and substitutions to make this dish your own:
- Crab: The recipe calls for wild-caught crab, which is always our top choice. However, feel free to use whatever type of crab legs you prefer.
- Seasonings: While we love the simplicity of the sea salt and water, you can definitely play around with the seasonings. Adding some lemon to the boiling water can infuse the crab legs with a citrusy flavor.
How to Cook Crab Legs
Step 1
Boil water and add salt to a large pot. Place crab legs in the boiling water and let them boil for 5 minutes.
Step 2
Reduce the heat and let them boil for another 5 minutes.
Step 3
Transfer the crab legs to a serving platter and drizzle with fresh lemon juice if desired. Serve warm and enjoy!
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
Serving Suggestions
Potatoes
- Crab legs are a meal in themselves, but if you’d like to serve a side with them, potatoes are a great choice. Try a simple baked potato or a classic mashed potato.
Corn on the Cob
- Corn on the cob is a classic side for crab legs. The sweet, juicy corn pairs well with the savory, buttery crab.
Salads
- A light, fresh salad can be a great accompaniment to crab legs. Try a simple green salad, a crisp coleslaw, or a refreshing cucumber salad.
Garlic Bread
- Garlic bread is a delicious side for crab legs. The buttery, garlicky bread is the perfect complement to the sweet crab meat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my crab legs rubbery?
Overcooking can make the crab legs rubbery. Be sure to follow the cooking time in the recipe.
How to eat crab legs?
Separate the legs of the crab from the main joints. Hold a leg and break it in two pieces using both hands or crack each leg with a nutcracker or rubber hammer. Using your fingers remove the meat from the visible joints.
How to Store Leftovers
- Storing: After enjoying your delicious meal of crab legs, you can easily store any leftovers. Simply let the crab legs cool to room temperature. Then, place them in an airtight container. You can store them in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Freezing: Place the cooled crab legs in a freezer-safe container or bag. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Thaw: When you're ready to enjoy your frozen crab legs, let them thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Reheating: Once thaw, your crab legs can be reheated by steaming for 5-7 minutes or until heated through. Alternatively, you can reheat them in the microwave at 30-second intervals until they reach the desired temperature.
More Seafood Recipes You'll Enjoy
- Crab Fritters - These fritters are crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, and have irresistible flavors!
- Crab Salad - It's made of crab meat, mixed with delicious, chopped veggies and tossed in a creamy mayonnaise dressing.
- Easy Teriyaki Salmon - This delicious Teriyaki Salmon recipe is an incredible weeknight dinner option that brings the rich, savory flavors of the East right to your dinner table.
- Smoked Salmon Appetizer - These delicious Smoked Salmon Appetizers are the most perfect salmon bites you’ll ever have!
Recipe Card
How to Cook Crab Legs
This is the best guide to learning how to cook crab legs! It’s perfect for holidays and special events, and it’s quick and easy, leaving you with perfectly cooked crab meat every time.
Ingredients
- 1 wild-caught crab
- 6 quarts water
- 3 tbsp. sea salt
- lemon optional
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil in an 8-quart pot then add salt. Using tongs, place crab legs into the salty boiling water.
- It takes about 5 minutes for the water with crabs in it to return to a boil. As soon as the water boils, reduce heat to high/med and allow crab legs to boil for 5 more minutes.
- Using tongs, remove the crab legs from the pot and onto a serving platter. Drizzle with fresh lemon juice (optional). Serve crab legs warm.
Notes
- Always use wild-caught crab for the best flavor and sustainability. It's worth the extra effort to support responsible fishing practices.
- Boiling the crab legs in salty water is the best way to cook them. The salt infuses the meat and enhances its natural sweetness.
- Allow the water to return to a boil after adding the crab legs, then boil for an additional 5 minutes. This ensures that the meat is fully cooked and easy to remove from the shell.
- Serve the crab legs with a drizzle of fresh lemon juice. The acidity of the lemon cuts through the richness of the crab and adds a bright, fresh flavor.
- When eating crab legs, don't forget to separate the legs from the main joints before cracking them open. This makes it much easier to extract the meat.
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Anka says
Nice thank you for the recipe.. Also try this recipe that we're using for years
blend together: garlic, parsley season with salt and pepper, put a layer of crabs, then add layer of blended garlic and parsley mixture, do this for other layers. then add 1 can of beer to the pot and put pot on a stove and simmer it covered with a lid till legs turn red (basically 30 min to 35 min) use whatever left from crabs as a paste sauce. don't worry you will not taste beer. We are not drinking any type of alcohol and usually I do only few dishes where it involves to cook with alcoholic beverages, and one of the dishes it is crabs.
Anka says
pasta sauce ****
Valya of Valya's Taste of Home says
I don't make recipes with alcohol. I understand that alcohol evaporates during cooking, but I prefer not to use it at all. What would you substitute beer with?