Baked Crab Legs in Butter Sauce – easy to eat baked crab dish brushed with garlic, butter, lemon, and Creole seasoning sauce. You can now have a gourmet treat right at home without the hefty price tag. And it comes ready from start to finish in less than 20 minutes!
Let me welcome this month of February with one of my favorite dishes to order at restaurants – crab legs! This time around, I’m making them at home for a gourmet feast on Valentine’s Day. Trust me, you’d be surprised how easy it is to prepare – even novice cooks can make it. Just pair it with one of our steak recipes HERE on the blog (or the suggested pairings below), some wine, and dessert and you’re all set for a fancy dinner date at home.
How to Choose Which Crab to Buy?
Before you go to your nearest grocery stores, let’s first talk about which one to buy and why. Okay, first off, what I’m using today is the famous King crab legs. There are actually two kinds of crab legs usually sold here in the U.S. – the snow crab legs (with smooth and softer shells) and the King crab legs (thicker and spiky legs).
Baked Crab Legs in Garlic Butter Sauce
Baked Crab Legs in Butter Sauce – easy to eat baked crab dish brushed with garlic, butter, lemon, and Creole seasoning sauce. You can now have a gourmet treat right at home without the hefty price tag. And it comes ready from start to finish in less than 20 minutes!
Ingredients
- ▢1 lb (453.59g) king crab legs
- ▢4 tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter , melted
- ▢3 cloves garlic , minced (about 1 tablespoon garlic)
- ▢1-2 teaspoons (4g-8g) Creole seasoning
- ▢½ tablespoon (7.5ml) lemon juice
- ▢1 tablespoon (3g) chopped chives or parsley
- ▢lemon wedges to serve
Instructions
- Thaw crabs legs in the refrigerator overnight or for faster results place crabs under cold running water for a few minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- When ready to cook, cut the crab legs into half so the flesh of the crab is visible. Skip the knife and use kitchen shears or scissors to do so. You’ll thank me later.
- Place crab legs in an oven-safe pan or on a baking sheet.
- Add butter, garlic, Creole seasoning in a small bowl. Microwave for about a minute. Remove and add lemon juice. Mix well.
- Brush crab with butter mixture all over the crab legs – reserve any excess for serving.
- Place the crab legs in the preheated oven for about 5 minutes, or until the crab legs are heated through. Sprinkle with parsley or chives.
- Serve immediately with the remaining sauce and/or lemon wedges for squeezing over meat.
Tips & Notes:
- One of the great things about this recipe, you are not trying to cut open hot crab legs with scissors, the prep is done before they are heated.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Nutrition Information:
Calories: 260kcal (13%)| Carbohydrates: 2g (1%)| Protein: 11g (22%)| Fat: 23g (35%)| Saturated Fat: 14g (88%)| Cholesterol: 84mg (28%)| Sodium: 478mg (21%)| Potassium: 154mg (4%)| Fiber: 1g (4%)| Sugar: 1g (1%)| Vitamin A: 1181IU (24%)| Vitamin C: 8mg (10%)| Calcium: 41mg (4%)| Iron: 1mg (6%)