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5.0 from 12 votes

How To Cook Crab Legs (3 Ways!)

Learn how to cook crab legs in under 10 minutes with three easy methods — boiling, steaming, and baking!

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
10 mins
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 83 kcal
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 4 clusters of snow crab or Dungeness crab legs (or 6 individual king crab legs) thawed
Crab Dipping Sauce
  • ⅓ cup melted unsalted butter
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Boiling Crab Legs: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Place the crab legs in the pot, gently bending at the joints if needed, to make sure they're completely submerged in the water. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes, or until heated through.
  2. Steaming Crab Legs: Fill a large pot with an inch of water, and place a steamer basket on top. Bring the water to a boil. Place the crab legs in the basket, and steam for 8 to 10 minutes, or until heated through.
  3. Baking Crab Legs: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange the crab legs in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 25 minutes (depending on size), or until heated through.
  4. Crack the legs open. Once the crab legs are cooked, use crab crackers or kitchen shears to open them up. Dip the crab meat in the garlic butter sauce and enjoy!

Notes

  • Add a bit more time to each cooking method, if the crab legs are still frozen. 

Nutrition Information

Calories 83kcal (4%) Protein 18g (36%) Fat 1g (2%) Saturated Fat 0.1g (1%) Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g Monounsaturated Fat 0.1g Cholesterol 42mg (14%) Sodium 830mg (35%) Potassium 202mg (6%) Vitamin A 24IU (0%) Vitamin C 7mg (8%) Calcium 46mg (5%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 83

% Daily Value*

Calories 83kcal 4%
Protein 18g 36%
Fat 1g 2%
Saturated Fat 0.1g 1%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g 1%
Monounsaturated Fat 0.1g 1%
Cholesterol 42mg 14%
Sodium 830mg 35%
Potassium 202mg 4%
Vitamin A 24IU 0%
Vitamin C 7mg 8%
Calcium 46mg 5%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.