Crab Legs with Garlic Butter Sauce

I have to tell you about this garlic butter crab legs recipe! It is finger lickin good and you NEED to make them immediately, I’m not even being dramatic.

I slather the crab legs in delicious garlic butter sauce, a spinoff of my a spin of my seafood boil sauce that I use in my seafood boils and pan seared shrimp and baked lobster tails (it’s THAT good). It makes the crab meat is juicy, sweet, and so tender it practically slides out of the shell.

The crab legs are cooked to perfection, infusing every bite with flavor while ensuring that the meat gets that buttery melt-in-your-mouth texture. 

Best part? It’s SUPER easy to make –  it’s the kind of meal that feels fancy but is secretly super easy to throw together.

Save this recipe for a special occasion, the holidays, or whenever you get you simply get a craving for some delicious seafood. 

Why This Crab Legs Recipe Is The Best!

• Cooking crab legs is actually super easy to make with a short cooking time! You can have these juicy crab legs on the table ready to eat in under an hour! 
• Simple Ingredients – besides the crab legs, you likely already have all of the ingredients needed to make these baked crab legs! 
• That flavorful garlic butter sauce on top makes every bite heavenly. You won’t be able to get enough! 

Key Ingredients  

(full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card)

• Snow Crab Legs: The star of the show! I used Bairdi Snow Crab Legs for the premium texture and flavor but you can also use dungeness crab legs or King crab. You’ll want to look for frozen pre cooked crab legs that have been cleaned and flash frozen. This will provide you with the best quality and flavor. Snow crab is sweeter and easier to crack; king crab is meatier and more luxurious. Dungeness crab buttery is buttery with a more mild flavor. Use whichever you prefer or can find.
• Onions and Fresh Garlic provide a ton of flavor to the garlic butter sauce. Fresh garlic is key here, leave the jarred stuffed at the grocery store! 
• Salted Butter is the base of the garlic lemon butter sauce. It carries all the spices and aromatics and coats the crab legs so every bite is packed with flavor. You can also use unsalted butter, just adjust the salt to your liking. 
• For seasonings, we’re using a mix of Cajun seasoning, Old Bay, onion powder, and brown sugar. Together these add that classic seafood flavor – it’s bold and smoky with a touch of heat and the brown sugar comes in and balances everything out. (don’t worry, it’s not sweet!)
• Chicken Stock thins the butter sauce slightly and adds savory notes without overpowering the seafood. It also prevents the sauce from burning as it simmers on the stove. 
• Lemon Juice brightens up the richness of the butter and adds a subtle tang so the dish doesn’t feel too heavy.
• Fresh Parsley is added for fresh, herby flavor that adds life to the sauce and a nice pop of color, too! 

How To Make Baked Crab Legs with Garlic Butter Sauce 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 9×13 baking dish with aluminum foil. 

Step 1: Prepare the garlic butter sauce. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add onions and cook for 5-7 minutes. Then add garlic and continue to cook for 3-5 minutes.

Step 2: Add cajun seasoning, old bay, onion powder, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes. Stir together and cook for 5 minutes, then add the chicken broth. Stir the butter mixture and bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 6-8 minutes, to thicken slightly. Remove from the heat and add in lemon juice and parsley. 

Step 3: Now prep the crab legs. Crack the crabs slightly (make a lengthwise slit with a pair of kitchen shears or crab crackers). Baste each crab cluster with the sauce, one by one. Make sure to really coat each cluster with the sauce.

Step 4: Add crab legs and lemon slices to the baking dish. Pour remaining butter sauce on top. Cover with aluminum foil. Ensure that the foil covers all of the crab legs and seal the foil at both ends nice and tight to create steam in the oven. 

Step 5: Bake for 20-25 minutes if thawed, 30-40 minutes if frozen. At 20 minutes check them–they should be hot/warmed though, a little steamy. They are finished cooking when they are the shells turn a bright orange-red and hot throughout. The flesh should also be reddish-pink with an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. 

Use a pair of kitchen shears or crab crackers to open the shells and remove the meat.

How To Serve

Serve with garlic bread or homemade cheddar bay biscuits, cajun corn on the cob, roasted potatoes, and a little cajun coleslaw – this is a classic lineup!

If you’re cooking for a crowd, you can also serve with some mussels in white wine sauce, potato salad and deviled eggs for a soul food style feast!