Crab Legs – 4 Easy Ways (VIDEO)
Learn how to make Crab Legs 4 easy ways; from the Instant Pot to steaming, baking and grilling. We love to serve crab meat with this incredible garlic lemon butter which tastes restaurant-quality.
Home cooked crab legs couldn’t get any easier so you can enjoy a crab feast at home for much less than you would pay to dine out. Watch the video tutorial below and you will crave it until you make it.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Did You Know?
Crabs must be sold live or cooked. In most grocery stores, crab legs will be sold pre-cooked and either frozen or thawed from frozen. Since most crabs are sold already cooked, the process of “cooking” them is really easy – you are basically adequately heating them up while maintaining their juiciness and natural flavor. Can you guess our favorite method?
The Best Crab Dipping Sauce:
The combination of butter, garlic and lemon pairs so well with seafood. We used a similar flavor profile with our Broiled Lobster Tails and Baked Salmon.
This doesn’t get any easier: In a small saucepan melt 4 Tbsp butter then stir in 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. Stir for just 30 seconds and take off the heat. Squeeze in 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice.
Take My Money!! This is going to become your new favorite seafood dip. Try it with shrimp or lobster next.
How to Cook Crab Legs:
We’ve covered all of the best ways to cook crabs, from instant pot to steaming, grilling and even baking in the oven. If I had to pick a favorite, I would go with Instant Pot crab legs when cooking for 2 because it is so fast, and steamed crab when feeding a larger crowd.
Instant Pot Crab Legs:
- Place a trivet into a 6 qt Instant Pot and add 1 cup water. Add 3-4 clusters of fresh or frozen crab legs per batch folding the legs to fit more in (thawed fit easier than frozen since they are more flexible).
- Close the lid and cook on manual high pressure 4 minutes with quick release. You can repeat with another batch right away using the same water.
Pro Tip: Set up your instant pot outside or let it vent under the stove hood or your kitchen will be quite fragrant!
Steamed Crab Legs:
Place a steam basket at the bottom of a large stockpot with 1 cup of water. Add as many crab legs as your pot will accommodate and still close the lid tightly. Bring the water to a boil then cover and steam cook until fragrant and steaming hot (about 5 minutes for thawed or 10 minutes for frozen crab legs).
Grilled Crab Legs:
Using heavy-duty aluminum foil, create a foil pack for 4 clusters of crab legs. Bring the two ends together in the center, and fold them together twice. Then fold the other two ends together twice to seal the foil packet. Do not add water to the foil pack. It will steam cook with the natural moisture from the crab legs.
Grill over medium/high heat or about 450˚F for 15-20 minutes if frozen or 10 minutes if thawed. It’s ready when you see steaming as you open the foil pack.
Oven-Baked Crab Legs:
Create the same foil pack as in the grilling method with 4 crab leg clusters. Place on a baking sheet and bake on the center rack of a preheated oven at 450˚F for 25 minutes for frozen or 15 minutes for thawed crab legs. They are ready when steaming as you open the foil pack.
Pro Tips for Success:
- Avoid Boiling: We don’t love the boiled crab method because you end up with a watery mess when you crack the legs open and boiling in water tends to dilute the crab meat flavor.
- Cook Until Steaming and Fragrant: In every method, the crab legs are done when they are uniformly steaming and fragrant. If you don’t see hot steam coming off of them, you haven’t cooked them long enough.
- Use a Crab Cracker or a nutcracker. The shells can be tough and sharp, especially at the claw. You can also use good kitchen shears if you don’t have a crab cracker.
- Serve Hot or Cold: the juicy meat is just as tasty cold or hot so don’t worry about serving them still hot.
How to Buy Crab Legs:
All crab will come either precooked (sold frozen or thawed from frozen), or live. Since most crab is sold pre-cooked and frozen, you can stock up when it goes on sale (it often does around Valentine’s Day) and keep frozen for later). I love to buy them frozen and thaw when I need them for maximum freshness. Thawed crabs should be refrigerated and consumed within 1-2 days.
- Snow Crab Legs ($10-$15 /lb) is what we used to make this recipe. Tip: Buy legs attached together as a cluster. The cluster is filled with meat.
- Dungeness Crabs ($8-$12 /lb) will work just as well. Tip: Ask the fish department in your grocery store to help with cleaning/removing the shell to make your life easier).
- King Crab legs ($25+ per pound) are significantly more expensive but very meaty and a real treat.
Seafood Recipes for Special Occasions:
- Broiled Lobster Tails – succulent with butter sauce
- Shrimp Scampi – easy and excellent
- Salmon Cakes with Homemade Tartar Sauce
- Teriyaki Salmon with Amazing Glaze
- Creamy Shrimp Pasta – Restaurant Copycat
Watch the Crab Legs Video Tutorial:
Let me know which was your favorite method for cooking crab legs in a comment below. If you enjoyed this video, please subscribe to our Youtube Channel and make sure to click the bell icon so you can be the first to know when we post a new video.
How to Cook Crab Legs (4 Easy Ways)
Ingredients
What You Will Need to Cook Crab:
- 2 lbs snow crab legs, (4 clusters)
- 1 cup water, (for Instant pot or steaming methods)
Ingredients for Crab Dipping Sauce:
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Instructions
How to Make Crab Dipping Sauce:
- In a medium saucepan melt 4 Tbsp butter and add 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Stir 30 seconds until fragrant then remove from heat. Off the heat, squeeze in 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice. Divide between ramekins to serve.
Instant Pot Crab Legs:
- Place a trivet in a 6 qt Instant Pot and add 1 cup water. Add 3-4 clusters of fresh or frozen crab legs per batch folding the legs to fit more in (thawed are easier to fit than frozen).
- Close the lid, set vent to sealing position and cook on manual high pressure 4 minutes then switch vent to venting position and do a quick release* of remaining pressure.
Steamed Cook Crab Legs:
- Place wire rack or basket at the bottom of a large stockpot. Add 1 cup of water. Place crab legs over the rack (as many as your pot will accommodate). Bring the water to a boil then cover and steam cook until fragrant and steaming hot (5-10 minutes). Frozen crab legs will take longer, thawed crab legs cook faster).
Grilled Crab Legs:
- Using heavy-duty aluminum foil, create a foil pack with 4 clusters of crab legs. Using a long sheet of foil with the crab legs in the center, bring the two ends together and fold them together twice. Fold the other two ends together twice to seal the foil packet. Do not add water since it will steam cook with the natural moisture from the crab legs.
- Grill over medium/high heat at 450˚F for 15 minutes if frozen or 10 minutes if thawed. Crab legs are ready when you see steaming as you open the foil pack.
Oven-Baked Crab Legs:
- Create the same foil pack of 4 crab leg clusters. Place on a baking sheet and onto the center rack of a preheated oven at 450˚F for 25 minutes if frozen or 15 minutes if thawed. The crab legs are ready when you open the foil pack and they are steaming.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Oh, this was so good! First time ever trying to do crab at home, and it was delicious! We steamed them and it worked so well. The dipping sauce was perfect! I’m saving this recipe so we can do it again later. Thank you for sharing this with us!
That’s great, Jane! So glad you loved it.
Hello! I’ve used your method for oven baked snow crab legs and they came out delicious! Would the same method and cook time also work for king crab legs?
Hi Jorge, I bet this could work for king crab! If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
We like to try new things, so we made the garlic butter for our snow crab tonight. My husband and I both thought the flavor was too strong and too salty. It did not compliment the crab legs.
How could it be salty if you used unsalted butter as stated in the recipe?
My husband passed away 2 yrs ago and he did all the cooking I miss him and his cooking I have list weight since his passing so that’s good but I wish he would of showed me how to make oat meal at least
Sorry to hear that, Ann. I’m sure you really miss him a lot but I hope my recipes will be helpful for you. Take care always!
Thanks Natasha! I loved the idea of using the instapot and it worked great! Loved the butter sauce!
You’re welcome, Richard!
Natasha, I made your steamed crab legs, coconut shrimp, and lobster tails, all 3 for my very first time (plus your Russian tea cookies) for New Year’s Eve and everything was delicious! I added Old Bay seasoning but otherwise everything else I did exactly how you wrote and it was amazing! I could not believe what an elegant and rather easy it was (the biggest problem was timing when to cook all 3 but it all worked out!). My husband now wants this for his birthday later this month! I’ve made your tres leches several times before and also a big hit as well as your red velvet, best vanilla cake, and many others! Your website is one of my first go tos when I need to come up with something! Thank you so much for your website and how easy your recipes are!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new celebration favorite, Litz! I’m happy you enjoyed this recipe. It truly is special!
My garlic turned blue. I would not add the lemon juice
Hi Colleen, I haven’t had that happen before, was the lemon juice ration to garlic accurate? I did a little research, and the good news is, the color doesn’t affect the taste or safety of the garlic. It just means too much acidity.
Which seasonings are you using for the water to steam. The dipping sauce sounds great, I want to flavor the crab also. Thank you
Hi Wanda, we didn’t use any seasonings here but our readers have mentioned trying this with Old Bay seasoning.
Easy and fantastic! That butter sauce is a keeper, will never dip without garlic again. Thanks!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed that.
This was our dinner tonight, perfectly cooked and delicious. Thank you so much, I didn’t know crab legs could be so delicious at home!
Hi Karen, I’m happy that you loved this recipe! I’m glad you enjoyed it and I hope this becomes your new favorite.
I tried your crab butter sauce and was a hit.
Thank you!!!!!
You’re welcome, Andrew. I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Tried the baked version and it worked. The crab even came out of the shells much easier. The dipping sauce was delicious. Thank you for the inspiration to try something different. BTW, MY TIP: Pull off the tiny barbs at the ends of the legs to keep them from poking through the foil.
You are very welcome, Shari. Thank you for your wonderful comments and tip! I appreciate it.
Can you also use this recipe to cook a whole Dungeness crab in the instant pot?
Hi Lucia, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
They’re in the steamer as I type this. Hopefully, they’ll taste delirious! haha. (I was going to bake them but forgot to buy aluminum foil.)
It also smells like a seafood restaurant here!
So exciting! Please share with us how it goes, so eager to know.
just another of your great recipe ideas! I`ve tried many of them and they always come out great. You are my #1 go to for the things that I make! THANK YOU!!!
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m all smiles
Hi Natasha Thankyou for wonderful and easy recipes NATASHA WAS IS TRICIT DO NOT WHAT ITS IS THANKYOU I LOVE YOUR PERSONA WHEN WATCH YOU YOU SUCH HAPPY I GET HAPPY AND WANT TO DO RECEIPT RIGHT A WAY HOD BLESS MIMI
Thank you, Maria! I’m happy you’re enjoying our recipes!
I used the instant pot method exactly as written and they were delicious! I’ll never make crab legs any other way now. The sauce was great too! Thank you for a wonderful recipe!!
Aren’t they the best! We absolutely love this recipe and I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I love crab legs and usually steam them with a little water & apple cider vinegar.I also sprinkle a little old bay seasoning over them. To keep them out of the water I use my metal colander inside the pot.
Thanks for sharing that info with us, Stella. We appreciate it!
I bought some crab legs impulsively and was told to cook them for 5 minutes, or 10. I came home, read your different ways, and put them in my instapot. They came out beautifully.
I’m so happy you tried and enjoyed our version, Susan! That’s so great!
I LOVE Crab Legs! Can’t wait to make in the InstantPot!
Will it work to add Old Bay and Bay Leaves to the water???
Hi Jane, I haven’t tested that but I imagine it should work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Having them tomorrow night. I’m going to use my instant pot…
I love plain crab legs with no other additives, don’t want to ruin that yummy taste!
I hope you love this recipe Lisa!
I lOVED that you included so many different methods for cooking them and that sauce is to die for!
There are so many great ways to cook crab legs (and not everyone has an instant pot). I’m so glad you loved the crab dipping sauce.
I love crab legs! I’ve never tried cooking them on the grill before so I tried that method and they came out perfect! Thanks.
Hi Stephanie, I’m so glad you enjoyed that method. I love that they can go on the grill thawed or frozen.
Thank you for going over all the options! I love trying them different ways because you never know what will end up your favorite. So delicious!
Isn’t it the best! & the flavor is amazing!
I made these this weekend and added them to a sheet pan corn boil with shrimp, sausage, corn, onions, and baby potatoes. What a hit!
I steamed the crab in a regular pot as I don’t have an instant pot. I also made my usual garlic butter (just crushed garlic and butter in a pan) and had Old Bay seasoning, lemon wedges, and Sriracha on the side for company to add to their liking.
I’m so glad you loved the recipe! thanks for sharing your version of the garlic butter with old bay seasoning – that sounds wonderful!
I tried making these in instant pot tonight, followed directions to a T. But my grab came out bone dry. Not sure if it needs more water or less cook time with snow crab legs or not.
Hi Savanna, I’m more than happy to troubleshoot, I haven’t had that experience in the past. Was anything altered? Maybe the settings were off?
I cooked my crab legs for four minutes if thawed. Cook 8 to 10 minutes if frozen. Love the instapot.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us Vicki!
We love crab legs! I love being able to use the instant pot for this recipe.
It’s one of my new favorite ways to use the instant pot – so fast and the meat stays tender and so juicy.
I’ve never made crab legs before! I had no idea it was so easy!
Amazing isn’t it! So much flavor too! Thank you for stopping by!
The perfect recipe for valentines day dinner! This is awesome!
Isn’t it the best! I hope you try this soon!