Description
Delicious and easy Garlic Butter Baked Crab Legs featuring tender king crab legs smothered in a flavorful garlic butter sauce with lemon and fresh parsley, baked to perfection for an impressive seafood dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Crab Legs
- 2 pounds king crab legs (thawed if frozen)
Garlic Butter Sauce
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
For Serving
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking the crab legs evenly.
- Prepare Crab Legs: Use kitchen shears to carefully cut along the top of each crab leg shell, exposing the tender crab meat inside for better seasoning absorption.
- Arrange Crab Legs: Lay the crab legs in a single layer on a baking sheet to ensure they cook evenly.
- Make Garlic Butter Sauce: In a small bowl, mix melted butter with minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, chopped parsley, Old Bay seasoning (if using), salt, and pepper.
- Apply Sauce: Generously spoon or brush the garlic butter mixture over the exposed crab meat on each leg to infuse rich flavor.
- Bake Covered: Cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes, or until the crab legs are heated through.
- Broil to Finish: Uncover the baking sheet and broil for an additional 2–3 minutes if you desire a lightly golden, slightly crispy finish on the garlic butter coating.
- Serve: Serve the crab legs immediately with extra garlic butter sauce and lemon wedges on the side for squeezing.
Notes
- If king crab legs are unavailable, substitute with snow crab legs and reduce the baking time by 3–5 minutes.
- Make extra garlic butter for dipping alongside the crab legs for enhanced flavor.
- Pair the dish with crusty bread or steamed vegetables to complete your meal.
