Restaurant-Style Crab Legs with Warm Butter
If you already love fresh lobster, chances are you’re going to love this baked crab legs recipe. I grew up eating crab with my family, and it’s still one of my favorite seafood dishes, particularly because they’re so easy to serve. Most crab legs sold in stores are already cooked, so the gentlest way to reheat them at home is by baking.
Why you’ll love this method: minimal prep, hands-off cooking, no cutting the legs down, and no need to boil water or mess with a steamer basket. This recipe is written for Alaskan king crab legs (King crab meat is so juicy!), but you’ll find tips below for using snow crab or Dungeness too. Just don’t forget the hot melted butter for dipping—it’s essential!
Other Varieties of Crab Legs To Try Next
- Dungeness crab: Similar in flavor to king crab but much smaller, with significantly less meat per crab.
- Snow crab: A great alternative (and the most similar to King crab) — the meat is slightly sweeter, smaller, and more budget-friendly, but still similar in taste and texture.
- Blue crab: An East Coast favorite available from April to December. These are much smaller and typically served whole, often seasoned with Old Bay.
How Much Crab Per Person?
Plan for ¾ lb of king crab legs per person for a main course, or ½ lb for an appetizer. Serving snow crab instead? Go with 1 lb per person, as it has less meat per shell. This scales easily, so double or triple it based on your guest list.
Minimal Prep Required
King crab legs are impressively large in the best way! If your baking dish is small, you may need to cut them into sections, but most standard rimmed baking sheets can handle them whole without trimming.
Want to level up your dipping sauce? Make clarified butter: melt butter over medium-high heat until it simmers, cook until the water evaporates and milk solids settle, then strain through cheesecloth.
Fresh Crab vs Frozen Crab Legs
Most king crab legs are sold fresh-frozen, meaning they’re cooked shortly after being caught, then frozen to preserve freshness. For best results, thaw them overnight in the fridge before baking.
Cooking from frozen? No problem. Add about 10 minutes to the bake time, regardless of which type of crab leg you’ve got.
Can You Add Seasonings?
You can season the crab with Creole, Cajun seasoning, or Old Bay (a natural pairing with crab!), but by my no means is that necessary.
These baked king crab legs are a luxurious, crowd-pleasing addition to any dinner at home, especially during the holidays. For a seafood-forward meal like Feast of the Seven Fishes, these would be great alongside garlicky broiled lobster tails or tender crab-stuffed shrimp would be amazing.
Chef-Tested Tips!
- Check king crab legs for doneness early—start at 15 minutes to avoid overcooking (remember, you’re just warming them through!).
- The shells will turn bright orange and the crab should be hot to the touch—that’s your sign they’re ready.
- King crab shells are tough. I recommend using kitchen shears to cut through easily.
- Serve with individual ramekins of melted butter and lemon wedges on the side.
If you decide to make crab legs at home (trust me, you’ll feel like a chef 👩🏻🍳!), be sure to leave a review and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below. I can’t wait to hear your feedback!
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Oven-Baked King Crab Legs (No Steamer Needed)!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 lbs (1360g) King crab legs, thawed
- 8 Tbsp (113g) unsalted butter
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Bake the crab legs. Preheat an oven to 375°F/190°C. Place thawed king crab legs on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of the crab legs. Crab is done when the shells are very warm to the touch on the outside. Serve immediately with melted butter and lemon wedges)
- Melt the butter. While the crab is in the oven, place 1 stick unsalted butter in a medium saucepan. Melt over medium heat. Keep warm over low heat until crab is ready. You can either divide this immediately between dipping bowls or remove the milk solids to make clarified butter.
- If making clarified butter: Continue cooking melted butter over medium-high heat until water fully evaporates and milk solids completely sink to the bottom of the saucepan. Strain through a cheesecloth. Full recipe linked in notes below.
Notes
- See Serious Eats for a step-by-step guide on how to make clarified butter.
- How much per person: Plan on ¾ lb king crab legs per person for a main (or ½ lb for an appetizer). For snow crab, allow 1 lb per person. Recipe can be doubled or tripled as needed.
- Frozen vs. thawed: Thaw crab legs overnight in the refrigerator for best results. If cooking from frozen, add about 10 minutes to the bake time.
while i’m melting the butter could I mince a couple of cloves of garlic and use it to flavor the butter
Yes, absolutely! A match made in heaven. Report back and let me know what you think! Cheers, Ari
Thank you so much for this! I am planning on making King Crab for a special dinner in December and have never done it before!
I will report back!
Happy Holidays Ari!
Kristen Berry
Can’t wait to hear what you think! These are incredibly easy to make. I usually buy a few packs of King crab legs from Costco during the holidays because they’re a great value and feed a small army. Yay! Cheers, Ari