Garlic Butter Crab Legs (Brussels Sprouts + Potatoes)
This crab leg dinner recipe is so simple, you can make it on a weeknight! It’s the perfect special recipe for the seafood lovers in your life.
My ideal meal is the kind that feels like a fancy meal, but only has a few easy steps. This easy crab legs dinner fits that description perfectly. It reminds me quite a bit of my Butter Poached Lobster Tails recipe. Both of these recipes are fantastic for a special occasion dinner. And, they’re easy enough to whip up on a weeknight.
I’m a big crab lover, and baking crab legs is my favorite method! If this is your first time making crab legs, don’t worry! Really, most crab legs are pre-cooked and frozen, so we’re just finding a way to heat them up!
It’s pretty typical to steam or boil crab legs, but baking the crab is my preferred method to heat up the crab legs. This easy recipe requires no steamer basket and no heavy pot of boiling water to handle, just a sheet pan. It’s beyond easy, and clean-up takes less than a minute. Big win!
Another reason that I prefer to bake crab legs is it’s easy to add flavor! In this recipe, I baste the crab legs with a garlicky butter sauce before the crab cooks. You can absolutely add your own flair to the garlic butter sauce, and I have a few suggestions for this below.
For preparation, you will need to wash the potatoes (if they aren’t pre-washed), and trim your brussels sprouts. If you aren’t a Brussels sprouts fan, I get it! I have a few substitution suggestions below. It’s okay to substitute your favorite veggie!
Even though there’s a bit of prep required for the veggies, you don’t have to thaw the crab legs before baking them. So, no need to take the crab out of the freezer to thaw!
Looking for more seafood recipes? Check out all of my salmon recipes and shrimp recipes on Blackberry Babe.
Substitutions:
If you’re new to my blog (Blackberry Babe), I’ll remind you that I think the best recipe is the one you have the ingredients for! Here are a few suggestions of substitutions to use what you have on hand at home.
- I used snow crab legs for this recipe, but you could absolutely use Alaskan king crab legs or Dungeness crab legs.
- This recipe calls for Old Bay Seasoning, but really any Cajun seasoning or spice blend will work!
- Substitute sliced bell peppers for the potatoes or brussels sprouts.
Substitute any type of baby potato for the yellow potatoes. - Substitute broccoli, green beans or asparagus for the brussels sprouts.
Crab Leg Dinner Recipe Additions:
Make this crab leg dinner your own with one of these additions:
- Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the butter for a spicy kick.
- Add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard or splash of Worcestershire sauce into the butter mixture for added savory flavor.
- Incorporate a squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of dry white wine into the butter mixture for added acidity.
Looking for more crabby inspiration? Check out all the crab recipes on Blackberry Babe.
Serving Suggestions:
This easy way of cooking crab legs gives you a full meal! I think the best side dishes for crab legs are a green salad, garlic bread, or corn on the cob! If you want more suggestions, check out my list of 15+ of the Best Side Dishes for Crab.
To eat the juicy crab meat, you will need a crab cracker, a small fork or a pair of kitchen shears! Once you’ve freed the sweet meat, dip it in the leftover seasoned butter for extra flavor! I recommend using ceramic butter warmers if you want to keep the butter warm for dipping.
Saving Leftover Crab:
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Gently steam or microwave to reheat.
Consider using leftover crab meat to make delicious Buttery Ritz Crab Cakes or this Hot Crab Dip. It can also be used to make leftover crab fried rice or this crab pasta recipe!
You can also choose to wrap the leftover crab legs in plastic wrap and freeze for 2-3 months. Allow to thaw in the fridge before gently reheating.
Garlic Butter Crab Legs with Brussels Sprouts and Potatoes
This crab leg dinner is so simple, you could make it on a weeknight! It's the perfect special recipe for the seafood lovers in your life.
Ingredients
For the roasted veggies:
- 1 pound baby yellow potatoes (size C)
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
For the crab:
- 2-3 frozen snow crab leg clusters
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay or Cajun seasoning, divided
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the potatoes and Brussels sprouts on a large rimmed sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Toss until evenly combined.
- Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven.
- In a small saucepan, add the butter, garlic and Cajun seasoning. Heat on low heat until melted, whisking often.
- Remove sheet pan from the oven. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top of the potatoes and Brussels sprouts, then toss to combine.
- Place the crab clusters on top of the potatoes and Brussels sprouts. Brush one half of the butter mixture over the top of the crab legs.
- Return the sheet pan back to the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes of baking the sheet pan with the crab legs, remove from the oven.
- Serve the warm, cooked crab legs and accompaniments with the remaining seasoned melted butter as a dipping sauce, and some fresh lemon juice from the lemon wedges.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 2 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 652Total Fat 35gSaturated Fat 18gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 15gCholesterol 82mgSodium 3360mgCarbohydrates 73gFiber 13gSugar 8gProtein 20g
The nutrition for this recipe is calculated by an app and may be incorrect.
