Description
This easy baked snow crab legs recipe features succulent crab legs smothered in a flavorful garlic butter sauce infused with fresh lemon, parsley, and Cajun seasoning. Baked to perfection, it’s a quick and delicious seafood dish perfect for a special occasion or a simple weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Garlic Butter Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh parsley, minced (optional)
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (salt-free preferred)
- 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt (to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 medium lemon (zest and juice)
Main
- 2 pounds snow crab legs
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for baking the crab legs.
- Make the Garlic Butter Sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter with olive oil. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Stir in parsley (if using), kosher salt, black pepper, and Cajun seasoning until well combined.
- Add Lemon: Mix in the lemon zest first, then add the lemon juice. Remove the sauce from heat to preserve the fresh lemon flavor.
- Prepare Crab Legs: Arrange the snow crab legs evenly in a 9x13-inch casserole or baking dish. Pour the garlic butter sauce over the crab legs, ensuring they are well coated.
- Bake: Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 15-20 minutes if using thawed crab legs, or 20-25 minutes if using frozen crab legs, until heated through and the internal temperature reaches 140°F (60°C).
- Baste and Serve: Carefully remove the foil and baste the crab legs once more with the garlic butter sauce from the pan. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and the remaining garlic butter sauce for dipping.
- How to Open Crab Legs: Break the crab legs at the joints by hand. Insert a fork (pointed end down) into the opening, gently wiggle or rotate it if needed, then pull out the crab meat. Dip the meat in the garlic butter sauce and enjoy!
Notes
- Use thawed crab legs for faster cooking; frozen crab legs require a few extra minutes in the oven.
- If preferred, adjust the amount of Cajun seasoning or salt to suit your taste.
- Be careful not to overcook the garlic when making the butter sauce; it should be fragrant but not browned for the best flavor.
- Serve with crusty bread or steamed vegetables for a complete meal.
- Leftover garlic butter sauce can be refrigerated and reheated gently for future use.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-25 minutes
- Category: Seafood
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
