Garlic Butter Crab Legs

These Garlic Butter Crab Legs are rich, buttery, and packed with bold seafood flavor while still being surprisingly easy to make at home. With garlic, citrus, and Old Bay seasoning, this recipe transforms simple crab legs into a restaurant-quality dinner in under 30 minutes. Perfect for busy families, date nights, or special occasions, this seafood favorite feels luxurious without the stress.

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Garlic Butter Crab Legs

Why You'll Love This Garlic Butter Crab Legs Recipe

• Quick seafood dinner that feels elegant and impressive

• Rich garlic butter sauce adds incredible flavor

• Easy recipe with minimal prep and cleanup

• Perfect for special occasions or simple weekend dinners

• Uses basic ingredients with big flavor payoff

• Orange and lemon brighten the buttery sauce beautifully

• Beginner-friendly seafood recipe with simple instructions

• Pairs perfectly with potatoes, rice, corn, or salad

Cooking Tips & Tricks

• Fully thaw crab legs before baking for even heating

• Cut the shells beforehand so the butter sauce can soak into the meat

• Avoid overcooking or the crab meat can become rubbery

• Simmer the butter sauce gently to prevent separation

• Reserve extra warm butter sauce for dipping when serving

Butter Crab Legs Recipe

Prep: 10 mins. | Cook: 20 mins. | Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. snow crab legs, thawed

• 2 sticks of salted butter

• 5 garlic cloves, minced

• Juice of an orange

• 1 c. water

• 2 tsp. paprika

• 2 T Old Bay seasoning

• 1 T. dried parsley

• 1 T. corn starch

• 1 lemon, juiced

Let's Get Started!

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare the crab legs

1. Check crab legs and make sure they are totally thawed out.

2. Using kitchen scissors, cut along the shell of each leg.  This will ensure that the butter sauce sinks into the meat.

3. Arrange crab legs in a large aluminum baking pan.

Prepare the butter sauce

1. In a saucepan, add butter, garlic, orange juice, water, spices and corn starch. 

2. Simmer on low for about 2 minutes.

3. Add in parsley and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice

4. Generously brush or pour the crab legs with the butter sauce. Make sure to save some sauce for later.

5. Cover the pan with foil and put it in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

6. Transfer the crab legs to a serving platter and drizzle with more butter sauce and serve.