• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Free Dinner Ebook! Get your copy!
  • About
  • Videos
  • Learn to Cook
  • Visit my other site: Fun Cookie Recipes

Little Sunny Kitchen

Delicious Recipes for Real Life

  • All Recipes
  • Course
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Sides
    • Dinner
    • Casseroles
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches
    • Pasta
    • Soups & Chilis
    • Desserts
    • Snacks
    • Sauces & Dressings
    • Beverages
  • Holiday
    • Easter
    • Summer
    • Fall
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
    • Valentine’s
    • Game Day
    • Ramadan
  • Method
    • Instant Pot
    • Air Fryer
    • Slow Cooker
    • Oven
    • Casseroles
    • Stovetop
    • Grill
    • Bread Machine
  • Easy Meals
  • Slow Cooker
  • Air Fryer
  • Breakfast
  • Snacks
  • Copycat Recipes
  • Beef
  • Low Carb
  • Chicken
Home Recipes By Type Dinner

How to Cook Crab Legs

Learn to cook succulent crab legs at home with my easy-to-follow guide using various methods to choose from. Enjoy melt in your mouth crab legs anytime!
5
/5 –
Rate Recipe 1 Comment
Jump to Recipe
  • Share
By: Diana Last updated on December 18, 2024

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Fully cooked crab legs in the instant pot placed on a trivet. With overlay text that says "Instant Pot Crab Legs"
Overhead shot of crab legs served on a large oval white platter with butter dipping sauce and lemon wedges. With overlay text that says "how to cook crab legs"
Overhead shot of crab legs served on a large oval white platter with butter dipping sauce and lemon wedges. With overlay text that says "how to cook crab legs"

Skip the busy restaurant and learn how to cook crab legs in your home kitchen! Crab meat is delicious and tender and with several ways of cooking them at home, enjoying this special treat couldn’t be easier.

Overhead shot of crab legs served on a large oval white platter with butter dipping sauce and lemon wedges.


There’s something decadent about tucking into a freshly cooked crab leg with butter garlic dipping sauce on the side.  The sweet and juicy meat just melts in your mouth and the buttery sauce makes it all the more delicious!

We often think about ordering them out in restaurants when we’re celebrating a special occasion BUT cooking crab legs at home is easy and a much more affordable option than ordering out. The cook time is only a matter of minutes, which also makes them a fast option!

My step-by-step guide to cooking crab legs will introduce you to various methods for cooking them, as well as information on which type of crab legs are the best. I also provide you with some suggestions for how to crack those legs so you can get into that sweet crab meat!

The Ingredients

Ingredients needed to cook crab legs and make a dipping sauce

For the Crab:

  1. Water
  2. Crab leg clusters (frozen or thawed): Frozen crab legs are usually sold already cooked and flash frozen.

For the Dipping Sauce:

  • Melted butter: I like to use unsalted butter when I’m making sauces as it allows me to control the level of saltiness.
  • Lemon juice: Brightens the flavor of the sauce and balances the richness of the butter. Lemon and seafood is a classic combination!
  • Garlic: I love the taste of garlic in this sauce, but you can omit it if you prefer it without.
  • Old Bay Seasoning: This seasoning is a popular pairing with seafood. It’s typically made with celery salt, cayenne, paprika, and other spices. If you can’t find it in your local grocery store, you can try making your own Old Bay Seasoning at home.
  • Salt and pepper: Season to taste.

How to choose crab legs

When choosing your crab legs, you have a few options. I prefer to use either King Crab legs or Snow Crab legs (we’re using thawed snow crab legs in the photos).

Crab legs served on a large oval white platter with butter dipping sauce and lemon wedges and parsley

King Crab legs are generally the most expensive type, but as you might guess from the name, they are larger and meatier than any other variety. The meat is sweet and buttery, somewhat like lobster meat.

Snow Crab legs are also a good option. They are smaller than King Crabs but still yield a good amount of firm meat. Snow crabs are what I usually buy for crab leg recipes because the clusters give me a lot of meat for a less expensive price point.

Most crab is sold pre-cooked and frozen, so you’re really heating them up. Thawed crab legs should be kept in the refrigerator and eaten within 1–2 days.

How to Cook Crab Legs

You may be feeling a bit intimidated at the idea of cooking crab legs at home, but I’m here to tell you that it’s pretty straightforward! There are a variety of ways in which you can cook crab, so simply pick the method that you’re most comfortable with and get cooking!

Instant Pot Crab Legs

Fully cooked crab legs in the instant pot placed on a trivet

You know I can’t do without my Instant Pot, (I use this 6 Qt. model)! If you’re like me and look for any excuse to use your IP then this is the method for you.

  1. Add a cup of water to the IP and insert the trivet. Place the crab legs on top of the trivet and cover. (Your IP should come with a trivet, but you can always purchase a new one if you need to.)
  2. Pressure cook fresh/thawed crab legs for 2 minutes and frozen crab legs for 4 minutes.
  3. Release the steam and remove the legs from the Instant Pot to serve.
  4. Make the dipping sauce: combine all the ingredients into a small bowl to serve alongside the crab legs.

Alternate Cooking Methods

How to boil crab legs:

Bring to a boil salted water in a large stockpot. Submerge the crab legs and boil uncovered for 5 minutes. Sometimes boiling crab legs can make the meat a little bit watery, so I would probably use one of the other methods first.

How to steam crab legs:

Crab legs placed on a trivet in a dutch oven for steaming

Steaming crab legs is a very popular method as it helps to lock in the flavor of the crab. You can also season the water or add in some fresh herbs to infuse some different flavors into the crab meat.

Bring water to a boil in a large stockpot. Place crab legs on a trivet or steamer basket and steam covered for 5-7 minutes.

How to broil crab legs:

Line a sheet pan with foil or parchment paper, brush with melted butter or olive oil, and broil 6 inches away from the broiler set at high for 6 minutes flipping halfway through.

Tip!

Make sure not to leave the broiler unattended, as you don’t want your crab legs to burn!

How to grill crab legs:

Preheat grill to medium heat, brush with melted butter or olive oil, and grill crab legs covered for 4 minutes.

Tips for Recipe Success

  • Defrost as needed. If you purchase frozen crab legs, it’s important to keep them frozen until the day before you want to cook them. The best way to thaw them is to store them in the refrigerator overnight. If you forget this step and are pressed for time, you can run them under cold water until they have thawed and then pat them dry before cooking.
  • Watch out for hot steam. Cooked crab legs will be very hot and steamy! Make sure you protect your hands by using tongs to remove the legs from your Instant Pot, stockpot, or grill. 
  • Serve the crab legs either hot or cold. The meat is delicious and juicy no matter how you serve it! You can use leftover crab meat to make crab cakes, add it to pasta dishes, make a crab salad sandwich, hot crab dip, and more!

FAQs

How many crab legs to serve per person?

You should plan for around 1 lb of crab legs per person if you’re serving them as a main course. If you’re serving them alongside other mains, or as a starter, ½ lb per person should be enough.

How do you know when crab legs are done?

Crab legs are often pre-cooked when you are buying them frozen from the grocery store. Cooked crab shells should be red and the meat should look opaque. If you’re cooking raw crab, the meat will be gray-colored and will take a bit longer to cook.

How do you store leftover crab legs?

Leftover crab legs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2–3 days.

Can crab legs be reheated?

Yes, you can reheat crab legs. The best way is to re-steam them for a few minutes, just as you did with the Instant Pot method or steaming method above.

How to crack crab legs

Cracking crab legs takes a bit of practice and work, but with the right tools and techniques, you’ll be a pro in no time!

Crab crackers or kitchen scissors are the best options for cracking the legs. The shell is very tough and when broken, the pieces can be sharp, so you might want the help of a tool to help you instead of just using your hands.

  1. Separate the legs from the cluster by twisting and pulling the legs apart. A crab cracker might be helpful with this stage.
  2. Crack the crab legs in half by using a crab cracker or kitchen scissors. You can also use your hands to bend and crack the leg for this step, just be careful with any sharp bits of shell. Once the leg is cracked in half, you should be able to pull out the crab meat inside.
  3. Crack the claws. The claws are where the really sweet and tender meat is! They are thicker and harder than the rest of the leg, so a crab cracker or scissors come in handy here. Gently press down on the claw with your tool until it cracks and you can pull out the meat. You should avoid using too much pressure as that can cause the claw to split into many tiny pieces which can get into the meat.

How to serve crab legs

Serving crab legs with butter dipping sauce is a classic pairing. I like to serve the sauce on the side in small bowls, but you can also drizzle it all over the crab legs before serving. You can find my recipe in the recipe card below.

Collage of 2 images showing a butter sauce and dipping crab leg meat in the sauce

Some great accompaniments to crab are crusty garlic bread to mop up all of the buttery juices, a fresh tossed green salad, or some blanched broccoli, steamed vegetables, or corn on the cob. You can also serve it alongside steak for a surf and turf option!

Now that you’ve practiced cooking crab legs, it’s time to grab your crab crackers and enjoy! Make sure to pin this recipe so more people can enjoy it too!

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe
Overhead shot of crab legs served on a large oval white platter with butter dipping sauce and lemon wedges.
5 from 1 vote
(Click stars to rate!)

How to Cook Crab Legs

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
Cook Time: 10 minutes mins
Total Time: 15 minutes mins
Author: Diana
Print Rate Recipe
Learn to cook succulent crab legs at home with my easy-to-follow guide using various methods to choose from. Enjoy melt in your mouth crab legs anytime!
2 people
Learn to cook succulent crab legs at home with my easy-to-follow guide using various methods to choose from. Enjoy melt in your mouth crab legs anytime!

Ingredients 

For the crab:

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 ½ – 2 lb crab leg clusters frozen or thawed

Dipping sauce:

  • ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • ½ teaspoon old bay seasoning
  • salt and pepper

Instructions 

Instant pot method:

  • To the instant pot, add a cup of water then insert the trivet. Place the crab legs on top of the trivet (you might need to work in batches if you can’t fit all the clusters). Cover with the lid, and pressure cook on high for 2 minutes for fresh/thawed crab legs or 4 minutes for frozen ones.
  • When the cooking cycle ends, quickly release the steam and remove from the instant pot to serve.

Boiling method:

  • Bring water to a boil, salt it, submerge crab legs and boil uncovered for 5 minutes.

Steaming method:

  • Bring water to a boil in a large stockpot. Place crab legs on a trivet or steamer basket and steam covered for 5-7 minutes.

Broiler method:

  • Line a sheet pan with foil or parchment paper, brush with melted butter or olive oil, and broil 6 inches away from the broiler set at high for 6 minutes flipping halfway through.

Grill method:

  • Preheat grill to medium heat, brush with melted butter or olive oil and grill covered for 4 minutes.

To make the dipping sauce:

  • Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl, serve with the steamed crab legs.

Notes:

  • You should plan for around 1 lb of crab legs per person if you’re serving them as a main course. If you’re serving them alongside other mains, or as a starter, ½ lb per person should be enough.
  • Leftover crab legs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2–3 days.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 410kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 42g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 16g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 160mg, Sodium: 1906mg, Potassium: 485mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 818IU, Vitamin C: 18mg, Calcium: 123mg, Iron: 2mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Little Sunny Kitchen

Did You Make This?I love to see what you made! Tag me @LittleSunnyKitchen and hashtag #LittleSunnyKitchen
Pin Recipe Tag on Insta Leave Review

You may also like...

  • Poached shrimp served over ice on a white platter with lemon wedges and Cocktail sauce
    How to Poach Shrimp
  • Shrimp Boil
  • Dipping hot crab dip with a cracker
    Cheesy Hot Crab Dip
  • Close up shot of baked shrimp with lemon wedges and garnished with parsley and red pepper flakes
    Baked Shrimp
Overhead shot of polar bear paw cupcakes placed on a blue background
Previous Post
Polar Bear Cupcakes
Dipping a celery stick in buffalo chicken dip in the slow cooker
Next Post
Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip

Reader Interactions

Leave a Review! Cancel reply

Have a question or just want to say how much you loved the recipe? Leave a rating below, save for later on Pinterest, and share on Facebook. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate this recipe!




  1. Heather says

    Posted on 8/21/22 at 19:35

    Should really season the water so the crab legs cook in the seasoning.

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Diana, author of Little Sunny Kitchen.
Welcome

Meet Diana

Welcome to Little Sunny Kitchen! I'm Diana and I’m here to teach you how to make easy meals that are quick, family-friendly, and delicious!

Read More
Follow on Pinterest for more ideas!
Free ebook!

Download My Free Dinner eBook!


Get my copy!

Free eBook

Download My Free Dinner eBook!

Popular Recipes

Marry Me Chicken

Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta

Garlic Butter Chicken Tenders

Air Fryer Chicken Breast

Rasta Pasta Recipe

Shredded Chicken Tacos

Reader Favorites

a light green plate of spaghetti and meat sauce with hidden vegetables.

Meat Sauce with Hidden Vegetables

top down view of cheesy beef enchiladas in a casserole pan.

Ground Beef Enchiladas

Oven Baked Chicken and Rice

three mahi mahi tacos on a wooden board.

Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos

Cheesy Chicken Fajita Casserole

two white bowls of lasagna soup with a dollop of ricotta cheese and other cheeses, garnished with fresh herbs.

Lasagna Soup

Instant Pot Air Fryer Crockpot Easy Dinners Salads Grilling
Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window

As Featured On:

Dinner tonight
Free ebook!

Get My Free Dinner eBook!

Join us and receive new recipes every week! Receive our FREE eBook with quick and easy dinner recipes that are family-friendly and delicious.

Back to Top

explore

Recipe Index

Videos

Cooking Guides

Follow Along on Social:

Join My Free Cookie Facebook Group
Back to Top

About

Contact

Privacy Policy

Accessibility

© 2025 Little Sunny Kitchen
|
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required