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I LOVE crab legs! Thanks to my mom for introducing me to seafood at a young age. They are a delicacy for me and definitely a real treat when I can splurge on a nice dinner or catch them when they are on sale. Cooking crab legs can be a challenge and if you don’t do it right, you can definitely ruin them. Here is how to cook crab legs in the oven whether they are fresh or frozen.
There is nothing better than succulent crab legs that are buttery and moist. Am I right or am I right?
I have tried so many different recipes and it can be hard to find the perfect one. Our crab legs would either turn out too dry and overcooked or just tasted straight up terrible. For a seafood that is costly, you really don’t want to mess them up. I finally found the perfect method for re-heating crab legs in the oven while preserving the amazing garlic buttery taste.
This recipe works on frozen or thawed crab legs. Mine were partially thawed but still a little icy. It’s all about cooking it for the perfect amount of time.
We love eating our crab legs with some homemade sourdough bread and homemade starter. All you need is flour, water and salt to make sourdough bread!
How to Cook Crab Legs in the Oven
I bought four packs of frozen crab legs that were on special at my local health food grocery store. Two of the packs looked a little more brown on the crab leg shells while the other two were nice and bright pink and orange. When purchasing crab legs, definitely go with the more vibrant colored ones. The shells that had some brown color did not turn out well for us.
What you need to cook crab legs in the oven:
- Frozen or thawed crab legs
- Large glass baking dish
- Butter
- Organic minced garlic
- Fresh or dried organic parsley (optional)
- Water
- Aluminum foil
Directions for cooking crab legs in the oven:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- Add 1/2 inch of water to the glass baking dish, so that 1/2 inch of water fills the entire bottom of the glass dish. This is an important step. If you do not add water, chances are your crab legs will dry out.
- Add your crab legs to the baking dish.
- Brush with melted butter, minced garlic and parsley.
- Wrap the top of the baking dish with aluminum foil so that it is enclosed and can “steam” in the oven. This is also important. If you do not cover it, the water will evaporate and dry out the crab legs.
- Cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes, depending on the size and whether they are frozen or thawed. 15 minutes is better for thawed and 20 or so minutes is better for frozen crab legs. Check them at 20 minutes to make sure they aren’t getting dried out. If they still feel cold inside, cook them for a few extra minutes at a time until they are nice and warm in the middle.
- Serve with drawn butter or brush more butter, garlic and parsley on top.
These crab legs cooked in the oven turned out so delish! If you are a crab snob like me, I think you will like this recipe too!
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Can I use a metal baking pan?
Hi Kelley,
Hm I haven’t tried cooking crab legs in a metal pan before. Let me know if you try it out and how they turn out!
Best,
Tabitha