This super easy King Crab Legs recipe shows you how to prepare crab legs steamed, baked, grilled, or pressure cooked. Alaskan king crab legs are the perfect seafood dinner for special occasions and holidays.
Why we love these methods
Crab legs can be expensive, so you want to know how to prepare them the right way and serve them with style for your special occasion.
- These crab legs can be steamed, grilled, baked, or pressure cooked. I'm showing you how to cook crab legs all 4 ways.
- Minimal prep (about 5 minutes) and quick cook times for each method.
- The simple garlic-infused butter and lemon squeeze adds an elegant touch to your crab leg dunking experience.
Key ingredients
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- Alaskan King Crab Legs and Claws - get these from the seafood counter or the freezer section of your grocery store. They're usually precooked.
- Unsalted Butter (or ghee) - used to create a flavorful dunking sauce (also there's plenty of salt in the crab, so I recommend unsalted).
- Garlic - Minced garlic is added to the butter for amazing flavor.
- Lemon - I always like to serve lemon with seafood dishes, the brightness complements the flavor.
- Parsley - A bit of green parsley adds visual interest and a fresh flavor.
Buying crab: frozen king crab legs vs fresh
Alaskan king crab legs are sold in the seafood section either frozen or thawed, and are usually precooked. They're not typically sold fresh (raw) unless you're at a specialty seafood market. When you buy frozen king crab legs, you can keep them frozen until you're ready to thaw, reheat, and serve them. If you buy them thawed, you'll want to enjoy (or freeze) them before the sell-by date.
How to season crab legs
King crab is delicious on its own, especially when squeezed with fresh lemon and dipped in my garlic butter sauce. If you want to add a classic seafood seasoning, you can sprinkle Old Bay or Cajun seasoning into the cooking water (for steaming or pressure cooking). Or you can season the oil you'll brush on the crab legs (for grilling or baking). Alternatively, you can season the garlic butter before warming it.
How to cook king crab legs
I'm sharing four methods: Instant Pot crab legs, steamed crab legs, grilled crab legs, and baked crab legs. The best way to cook crab depends on what works best for you. These methods are equally simple and effective, so it comes down to what's most convenient.
Instant Pot crab legs
Pressure cooked crab legs is a hands-free way to steam crab and requires no babysitting. Since they're usually precooked, we're simply reheating them in the Instant Pot, but we need to be careful to not overcook them in the pressure cooker. I like to start small and add minutes, if needed. It's much easier to add minutes than to face the regret of overcooked seafood.
Instructions: Place a trivet on the bottom of the Instant Pot, stack crab legs on the trivet and add 1 cup of water. Pressure cook for 0 minutes on LOW (3 minutes for frozen) and allow a 5 minute natural pressure release.
How to steam crab legs
Here's an easy and quick way to steam crab legs on the stove top.
Instructions: Place a trivet on the bottom of a large soup pot, stack crab legs on the trivet and add one cup of water. Turn the stove burner on to medium-high heat and steam for about 5 minutes, or until warmed through. It may take less time, so don't overcook them. Transfer crab to a serving platter and serve with garlic butter and lemon wedges.
Baked crab legs
Here's another hands-free way to prepare king crab legs for your special occasion, especially during cooler months!
Instructions: Preheat oven to 400°F. Place crab legs on a baking sheet and brush with OLIVE OIL. Set on a baking sheet (optional) next to garlic butter in a mini skillet. Place baking sheet in preheated oven and bake 20 minutes, or until crab leg meat is thoroughly heated.
How to grill crab legs
Grilled king crab legs allows you to cook crab outside of the house, which is great when you're entertaining outdoors during warmer months.
Instructions: Preheat the grill to medium high. Brush or spritz crab with olive oil, place on the grill and turn off the center burner. Place the butter and garlic in a grill-safe pan right on the grill. Close the lid and grill until warmed through (5-8 minutes). Transfer everything to a serving platter and watch it disappear!
How to make garlic butter
You can't serve king crab legs without a delicious butter dunking sauce. To make it, simply combine butter and garlic in a microwave safe bowl (or grill-safe pan) and microwave (or grill) until melted. This garlic butter is also delicious with Broiled Salmon or Grilled Salmon too.
How to serve
Serve crab warm with the melted garlic butter, garnished with lemon wedges, and fresh parsley. You don't need crab cracking tools for Alaskan king crab, just a pair of kitchen shears to cut through the softer, lighter side of the shell. The luscious, jumbo pieces of crab come right out, ready to be dunked and devoured.
How many crab legs per person?
1 lb. of king crab legs becomes about 1/2 lb. of crab meat after the shells are removed. Plan on 1/2 to 1 lb. of whole (unshelled) crab per person if serving with sides and salad.
Recommended tools
- chef’s knife and cutting board (for garlic, lemon and parsley)
- measuring cup
- 6 quart Instant Pot or 4-quart sauce pot or outdoor grill
- tongs
- cast iron butter skillet
- serving platter
Recommended sides
- Homemade French Bread
- Cucumber Tomato Salad
- THE BEST Dill Potato Salad
- Broccoli Bacon Salad
- Garlicky Oven Roasted Mushrooms
- Macaroni Salad
- Loaded Baked Potato Salad
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
- Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
- Tortellini Pasta Salad
More seafood recipes you'll love
- Pan Seared Chilean Sea Bass
- Broiled Salmon
- Grilled Salmon
- Instant Pot Shrimp with Lemon Cream Sauce
- Smoked Salmon Dip
King Crab Legs with Garlic Butter [cooked 4 ways]
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb. King Crab Legs and Claws, fully thawed
- 1 cup Water
- 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, or Ghee
- 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
- Parsley, for garnish
Equipment
- Instant Pot, Stove, Oven, or Outdoor Grill
- baking sheet
- oven or grill-safe skillet (for garlic butter)
- tongs
- serving platter
Recipe Instructions
Prep garlic butter
- Stove, oven, or grill instructions: Combine the BUTTER and GARLIC in a heat-safe skillet. Place skillet next to the crab legs (for oven or grill method), or on a low heat setting on the stove until butter is melted.Microwave instructions: Combine the butter and garlic in a heat-safe bowl or microwave on HIGH for 1 minute, or until butter is melted.
Steamed Crab Legs
- Place a trivet in the bottom of a large soup pot, stack CRAB LEGS on the trivet, and pour in 1 cup WATER.
- Turn stove burner to medium-high, cover the pot, and steam crab legs about 5 minutes, or until warmed through.
Instant Pot Crab Legs
- Place a trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot, stack CRAB LEGS on the trivet, and pour in 1 cup WATER.
- Secure lid and turn pressure release valve to "Sealing".
- Select MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK and cook 0 minutes on LOW pressure (1 minute for frozen crab legs), followed by a 5 minute natural pressure release.*Note: there's no need to pressure cook crab legs any longer than this if you bought them pre-cooked, which is usually how they're sold.
Baked Crab Legs
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Place crab legs on a baking sheet and brush with OLIVE OIL. Set garlic butter skillet on the same baking sheet.
- Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until crab leg meat is warmed through.
Grilled Crab Legs
- Preheat grill to MEDIUM-HIGH (about 400°F).
- Brush or spritz CRAB LEGS with olive oil, place on the grill with the garlic butter, and turn off center burner.
- Close the lid and grill the crab until warmed through (5-8 minutes).
How to serve crab legs
- Just before serving, use kitchen sheers to cut open the soft, underside of each crab leg (making it easier for guests to open).
- Serve crab legs warm with melted GARLIC BUTTER, garnished with LEMON and PARSLEY.
Storing leftovers
- Allow crab legs to cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition data provided as courtesy estimates using unbranded ingredients from a nutrition database. Please consult preferred resource for precise data.
Yes, you can bake crab legs. Brush them with olive oil and place them on a baking sheet in the preheated oven. You don't have to cover them, but you can if you prefer.
Preheat the grill to medium high. Brush or spritz crab with olive oil, place on the grill and turn off the center burner. Place the butter and garlic in a grill-safe pan right on the grill. Close the lid and grill until warmed through (5-8 minutes). Transfer everything to a serving platter and watch it disappear!
Place a trivet on the bottom of the Instant Pot, stack crab legs on the trivet and add 1 cup of water. Pressure cook for "1" minute (3 minutes for frozen) followed by a natural pressure release.
Alaskan king crab legs are sold in the seafood section either frozen or thawed, and are usually precooked. They're not typically sold fresh (raw) unless you're at a specialty seafood market. When you buy frozen king crab legs, you can keep them frozen until you're ready to thaw, reheat, and serve them. If you buy them thawed, you'll want to enjoy (or freeze) them before the sell-by date.
Place a trivet on the bottom of a large soup pot, stack crab legs on the trivet and add one cup of water. Turn the stove burner on to medium-high heat and steam for about 5 minutes, or until warmed through. It may take less time, so don't overcook them. Transfer crab to a serving platter and serve with garlic butter and lemon wedges.
They all sound marvelous but I need to try the grilled ones. I've never had king crab legs that way. Yummy!
These crab legs look delicious! I like how you shared different ways of cooking them.
I am a sucker for seafood but king crab legs are unfortunately nothing I can find in supermarkets here. Just reading through your post and drooling over the pictures made me hungry. I can't wait to be able to travel again to get a chance to taste these delicious crab legs. Or hope that in the meantime this kind of seafood start being sold in Sweden!
These king crab legs look so good, especially paired with the garlic butter! I love the variety of ways and tips you have provided on how to prepare them.
It's been such a long time since I've enjoyed a good crab recipe at home. Time to do something about that! 😉