How to Cook Snow Crab Legs in the Oven (Garlic Butter)
How to Cook Snow Crab Legs in the Oven (Garlic Butter) is a simple seafood recipe that delivers buttery flavor, quick oven cooking, and restaurant-style results at home. This baked snow crab legs recipe uses Cajun garlic butter, lemon, and classic seafood seasoning to gently reheat crab legs in the oven while infusing them with rich flavor.
Servings: 2
Calories: 610kcal
Equipment
- Baking dish
- Small saucepan
- Kitchen shears
- Aluminum foil
Ingredients
Snow Crabs
- 2 to 2½ pounds snow crab legs
Cajun Garlic Butter
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 to 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1½ teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Pinch of cayenne pepper optional
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- salt to taste
For Serving
- Fresh parsley chopped
- Lemon wedges
- Extra melted butter optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish.
- If the crab legs are long, cut them into smaller sections using kitchen shears so they fit comfortably in the dish. For easier eating and better flavor absorption, cut a shallow slit along the top of the shell of each leg.
- Arrange the crab legs in the baking dish in a single layer or slightly overlapping.
- In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Stir in the Cajun seasoning, Old Bay, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper. Let the butter gently simmer for 30–60 seconds so the spices bloom.
- Pour the seasoned garlic butter evenly over the crab legs, allowing some of the butter to run into the shell openings.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with foil to trap the steam. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the crab legs are heated through.
- Carefully remove the foil and spoon the buttery pan juices over the crab legs. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and extra melted butter if desired.
Video
Notes
Cooking Notes
Snow crab legs are already cooked, so the goal is simply to reheat them without drying out the meat. Baking them covered with foil traps steam and keeps them tender while the butter sauce infuses flavor.
Tips for Best Results
- Slit the shells before baking so the garlic butter can reach the crab meat.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with foil to trap steam.
- Check the crab at 12 minutes to avoid overcooking.
- Spoon the butter from the pan back over the crab before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 610kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 180mg | Sodium: 1234mg | Potassium: 434mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2452IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 2mg
