Garlic Butter Sautéed Crab
Tender crab cooked in a rich garlic-butter sauce with lemon and fresh herbs delivers a simple, elegant seafood dish ideal for dinner or special occasions.
Equipment
- 1 large skillet or sauté pan
- 1 paper towels for drying crab
Ingredients
- 2 to 2½ pounds crab pieces claws, or crab legs
- 3 to 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh parsley or cilantro chopped
- Optional: pinch of red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Rinse crab pieces under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
- Melt butter with olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant, avoiding browning.
- Add crab to the skillet, season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using, and toss to coat.
- Pour in lemon juice and sprinkle lemon zest over the crab. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, tossing occasionally until heated through and fragrant.
- Remove from heat and stir in fresh parsley or cilantro.
- Serve warm with extra lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
- For a richer sauce, stir in extra butter at the end.
- Add cayenne or chili flakes for mild heat.
- Serve with crusty bread, rice, or buttery noodles to soak up sauce.
- Store leftovers refrigerated up to 2 days; reheat gently with lemon juice.