Baked Crab Legs in Butter Sauce – Easy baked crab legs brushed with a decadent garlic butter sauce ramped up with Creole seasoning. Enjoy a gourmet treat right at home without the huge restaurant price tag. And it’s ready in less than 20 minutes—from start to finish!
Seafood is the dinner of special occasions, whether for Valentine’s Day, an anniversary, or a well-deserved promotion. Those are the times when the price tag is worth it. But save money by making this deliciousness at home for a truly intimate date night.
Not only are baked crab legs super easy, but they’re also a whole lot cheaper than hitting the local seafood restaurant. Drizzle them with a decadent butter sauce, and you’ll be glad you didn’t go out.
Choosing Which Crab to Buy
Before going to your nearest grocery store, let’s discuss which crab legs to buy and why. We can typically choose between three types of crab legs. Dungeness crabs, king crabs, and snow crabs are usually available fresh or frozen, depending on the season.
Dungeness crabs are smaller but sweeter with a nutty flavor. King crabs are monsters, so you can plan on two legs per person but have a seafood cracker on hand to get that sweet, lobster-like meat out. Snow crab legs are easier to open for delicate and briny meat that’s oh-so-delicious. Unfortunately, snow crabs are disappearing thanks to climate change.
Recipe Ingredients
- Crab Legs – Take your pick between Dungeness or king crab legs, fresh or frozen.
- Garlic Butter Sauce – Melted butter, garlic, Creole seasoning, and lemon juice make the ideal sauce for any seafood!
- Garnish – Sprinkling the crab legs with chopped chives or parsley makes an attractive dinner entree.
How to Bake Crab Legs in Butter Sauce
Prep the Crab Legs
- Defrost – Thaw crab legs in the refrigerator overnight or place them under cold running water for a few minutes to thaw faster.
- Preheat oven to 375℉ (80℃).
- Prep – When ready to cook, cut the crab legs in half lengthwise to reveal the crab’s flesh. Use kitchen shears or scissors instead of a knife for safer slicing. (Photo 1)
- Arrange the crab legs in an oven-safe pan or baking sheet. (Photo 2)
- Mix butter, garlic, and Creole seasoning in a small bowl and microwave on low for about a minute. (Or heat it in a pan like I did.) Remove when melty and add lemon juice; give it a good stir. (Photos 3-4)
- Brush the garlic butter sauce all over the crab legs—reserve extra for serving. (Photos 5-6)
Bake
- Bake the crab legs for approximately 5 minutes or until heated. Sprinkle with parsley or chives.
- Serve your baked crab legs immediately with the remaining garlic butter sauce and lemon wedges.
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450g) king crab legs
- 4 tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter, melted
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1-2 teaspoons (4g-8g) Creole seasoning
- ½ tablespoon (7.5ml) lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon (3g) chopped chives or parsley
- lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Thaw the crab legs in the refrigerator overnight or, for faster results, place them under cold running water for a few minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375℉ (190℃).
- When ready to cook, cut the crab leg shells in half lengthwise so the flesh is visible. Please skip the knife and use kitchen shears or scissors to do it. You’ll thank me later.
- Place crab legs in an oven-safe pan or on a baking sheet.
- Add butter, garlic, and Creole seasoning in a small bowl—microwave for about a minute. Remove and add lemon juice. Mix well.
- Brush the butter mixture all over the crab legs – reserving extra for serving.
- Place the crab legs in the oven for about 5 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with parsley or chives.
- Serve immediately with the remaining sauce and lemon wedges.
Tips & Notes:
- Remember to split the legs in half because that’s how your sauce flavors the crab meat. Cutting them also makes them easier to eat.
- Avoid overcooking the crab legs since that will give you rubbery crab legs.
- Keep in mind that frozen crab legs are usually pre-cooked.
- You can skip thawing frozen crab legs, but it adds just a little cooking time.
- 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 significantly based on the products used.
