Description
Garlic Butter Crab Legs are a decadent seafood dish featuring sweet, tender crab meat coated in a rich garlic butter sauce with a hint of lemon, parsley, and a touch of citrus for an irresistible flavor.
Ingredients
2 pounds crab legs (king or snow), thawed if frozen
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare crab legs: If frozen, thaw the crab legs in the refrigerator overnight or under cold running water for about 10 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Preheat: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup.
- Arrange crab legs: Place the crab legs in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Make garlic butter: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant (do not brown). Stir in lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat.
- Brush crab legs: Using a pastry brush or spoon, generously coat each crab leg with the garlic butter mixture. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the mixture for serving.
- Bake: Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 10–12 minutes, until the crab legs are heated through and fragrant.
- Broil (optional): For a lightly charred finish, broil on high for 1–2 minutes, watching closely.
- Finish and serve: Remove from the oven. Brush the crab legs again with the reserved garlic butter and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
- If you prefer, you can substitute margarine for butter, but butter provides a richer flavor.
- To make the garlic butter more flavorful, consider adding white wine or extra fresh herbs.
- This dish can be grilled instead of baked by cooking crab legs on medium heat for 5–7 minutes per side for a smoky flavor.
- Crab legs can be thawed by placing them in the refrigerator overnight or running cold water over them for a quicker thaw.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Seafood
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 50g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
