Sheet Pan Crab Legs

While crab legs aren’t the cheapest protein option and they can be intimidating to cook if you don’t know how, this sheet pan crab legs recipe show you it’s actually pretty straightforward to cook crab legs and these baked crab legs are ideal for any special occasion. Crab legs make a great appetizer or a main course. Consider them as a Valentine’s Day or New Year’s Eve treat and definitely make them if you spot some crab legs on sale!

Flavored with Old Bay, butter, garlic, and lemon, these juicy crab legs are sure to put a smile on everyone’s face. Crab has a distinctive taste and these snow crab legs are always a nice treat.

If you’re in the mood for more seafood dishes, check out this easy campfire shrimp scampi foil packet or this sheet pan blackened tilapia Baja fish nachos. Craving something a little more comforting? This sheet pan honey garlic pork chops is another sheet pan winner or you could make olives with feta as a side or snack.

Why You’ll Love It

It’s so delicious: This mouthwatering snow crab legs recipe boasts just a few simple flavours, namely the Old Bay seasoning, butter, garlic, and lemon, but it’s really tasty, and you can enjoy the wonderful oven baked crab legs flavour without overpowering it with too many other ingredients.
It’s easy to prepare: If you’re concerned about cooking crab legs because you haven’t done it before, don’t worry – this recipe is especially simple. You need to brush the seafood seasoning mixture over the crab and then bake in the oven while you prepare some garlic butter to go on the side. See? Easy!
An impressive appetizer: Choose this snow crab legs dish if you want to present something fancy but you don’t necessarily want to spend hours making something complicated. Seafood such as king crab or snow crab isn’t hard to cook and even a newbie home cook can bake crab legs to perfection for sure.

Ingredients for Easy Baked Crab Legs

The star of this dish is snow crab clusters and you can find frozen crab legs in most large grocery stores and also in some Asian food markets. Olive oil, Old Bay seasoning, melted butter, garlic, and lemon are the only other ingredients you need to prepare crab legs.

How to Make Old Bay Crab Legs on a Sheet Pan

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Prepare crab legs: While you preheat the oven, place crab legs on a rimmed baking sheet, mix the olive oil with half the Old Bay seasoning and brush this over the crab legs.
Cook crab legs: Cook them in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until done.
Make the garlic butter: While the crab legs cook, mix the rest of the Old Bay with melted butter and garlic.
The finishing touches: Serve the cooked crab legs warm, with the garlic butter mixture and some wedges or slices of lemon on the side.

Substitutions and Variations

King crab legs are another option, but they’re more expensive, tougher to crack and you’ll definitely need crab leg crackers (here) to open them.

King crabs have much thicker legs so they come individually rather than in clusters. Also, they’re not as easy to find as snow crab legs, which can usually just be cracked with your hands.

As for the other seasonings, swap the Old Bay for your favourite seafood seasoning if you like, perhaps Cajun seasoning. And if you’re using unsalted butter for the dipping sauce, you might want to add a pinch of salt, but taste it first.

How to Serve Easy Baked Crab Legs

Enjoy this delicious recipe warm from the oven and give everyone their own melted butter dip and a wedge of lemon. It goes well with crusty bread or a simple tossed green salad.

Keep the sides light and simple because the garlic butter is very rich and you’ll want a nice contrast. Mashed potatoes, boiled potatoes or steamed asparagus would also be good on the side.

You might like to cook some other proteins too, such as fresh shrimp or another kind of fresh seafood, or even something different like andouille sausage.

How to Store Baked Crab Legs

Store: The cooked crab should keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Freeze: Cooked crab legs can be frozen for up to 3 months and thawed overnight in the fridge.
Reheat: Reheat crab legs about 12 minutes in the oven preheated to 350 degrees F if the crabmeat is still in the shell, or warm up the crabmeat if it’s out of the shell in a skillet with a splash of oil or a little butter – it will take about 4 minutes. Heat crab legs until they’re quite warm but not piping hot, or else you risk them drying out.

Baked Crab Legs FAQs

Easy Bake Sheet Pan Crab Legs Recipe

Crab legs can be prohibitively expensive at a restaurant, so make this homemade version instead. Baked crab legs make an extra-special dinner, paired with your preferred sides, and they’re much easier to cook than you might have expected. If you’re in a seafood mood, you must make this easy baked crab legs dish.

Other Recipes to Try

• This Dirty Martini Dip Recipe is perfect for parties or casual gatherings.
• For a twist on a classic appetizer, try making Crab Cake Egg Rolls with Fire Sauce.
• Satisfy your seafood cravings with these delectable Crab Cakes and Garlic Lemon Chipotle Aioli.
• Warm up on chilly days with a comforting Slow Cooker Key West Crab and Lobster Bisque.
• This Sheet Pan Garlic Parmesan Roasted Carrots is a simple yet elegant side dish that pairs perfectly with any main course.