Baked Crab Legs are such an easy way to cook crab – no worries about bringing a huge pot of water to boil – just toss them in the oven!
Baked Crab Legs (how to cook crab legs)
Crab legs might be my favorite food and baking them in the oven has been my favorite way to cook them for years now! I tried this method for the first time when I didn’t have pot with me big enough to fit my king crab legs … so we tried them in the oven! Over the years I have tweaked my method and it is still my favorite way to cook them!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- No Big Pot of Water: No need to fill a huge stock pot of water anymore! This recipe just calls for a sheet pan and parchment paper!
- Quick: Other than preheating the oven, your involvement is pretty minimal!
- Delicious: I mean, crab legs are pretty much always delicious – aren’t they?
- Snow Crab or King Crab: this recipe works with either type of crab – the cook time just changes a bit since King Crab is thicker.
Why This Recipe Works
Baked Crab Legs work because of the natural amount of water is found in crab legs. By putting them in the oven you are essentially steaming them in their own liquid. They don’t dry out, the flavor is amazing and you don’t have to worry about having a big enough pot to handle your long crab legs!
Do I Need to Thaw Crab Legs Before Baking
Not necessarily. You can cook them from frozen, but the cooking time takes longer and the texture may be more wet. For best results, I recommend thawing them first.
Recipe FAQs and Tips
- Fresh vs. Frozen: Yes, you can definitely still cook crab legs from frozen, BUT the result is the crab shell ends up being a little softer due to all the extra moisture. I would recommend thawing your crab legs for best results.
- Flexible: This recipe is pretty flexible so feel free to add more or less crab legs to the baking sheet, depending upon how many people you are serving (just try not to overlap them as that will impact cooking time).
- How to Thaw Crab Legs: The best way to thaw crab legs is to place them in the refrigerator overnight. If you are short on time, running them under cold water (and then patting them dry) works too.
How to Bake Crab Legs
Place your crab legs on a baking sheet.
For best results try and make sure they aren’t over-lapping very much.
How Long Do You Heat Crab Legs in the Oven
Generally crab legs need to be baked anywhere from 10 – 25 minutes, depending upon what kind of crab you are cooking (snow crab takes less time than king crab) and whether they are fully thawed or not.
How Do You Know When Crab Legs are Done
Crab legs are done when their color has changed to a bright orange and they are hot all the way through. If you are unsure you can always crack open one leg to test. If it isn’t hot through then just cook a bit longer.
What to Serve With Crab Legs
Other Recipes You Might Like
Butter Poached Lobster
Bacon-Wrapped Scallops (oven + grill)
Braised Beef Short Ribs
Fresh Lemon Butter Scallops
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Baked Crab Legs (how to cook crab legs)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 –4 servings 1x
- Category: Seafood
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Baked Crab Legs are such an easy, mess-free way to cook your crab legs!
Instructions
Snow Crab Legs (Fresh/Thawed – preferred method)
- Preheat oven to 375 degree F.
- Place crab legs on a parchment lined baking sheet. Try not to overlap them as this may increase baking time.
- Place in the oven, middle rack, for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove and carefully touch to ensure they are hot to the touch. If they aren’t, simply place back in the oven for 5 minute increments until they are warmed through.
- Serve immediately with ghee or melted butter.
Snow Crab Legs (Frozen)
- Preheat oven to 375 degree F.
- Place crab legs on a parchment lined baking sheet. Try not to overlap them as this may increase baking time.
- Place in the oven, middle rack, for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove and carefully touch to ensure they are hot to the touch. If they aren’t, simply place back in the oven for 5 minute increments until they are warmed through.
- Serve immediately with ghee or melted butter.
King Crab Legs (Fresh/Thawed – preferred method)
- Preheat oven to 375 degree F.
- Place crab legs on a parchment lined baking sheet. Try not to overlap them as this may increase baking time.
- Place in the oven, middle rack, for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove and carefully touch to ensure they are hot to the touch. If they aren’t, simply place back in the oven for 5 minute increments until they are warmed through.
- Serve immediately with ghee or melted butter.
King Crab Legs (Frozen)
- Preheat oven to 375 degree F.
- Place crab legs on a parchment lined baking sheet. Try not to overlap them as this may increase baking time.
- Place in the oven, middle rack, for 18-22 minutes.
- Remove and carefully touch to ensure they are hot to the touch. If they aren’t, simply place back in the oven for 5 minute increments until they are warmed through.
- Serve immediately with ghee or melted butter.
Notes
- Fresh vs. Frozen: Yes, you can definitely still cook crab legs from frozen, BUT the result is the crab shell ends up being a little softer due to all the extra moisture. I would recommend thawing your crab legs for best results.
- Flexible: This recipe is pretty flexible so feel free to add more or less crab legs to the baking sheet, depending upon how many people you are serving (just try not to overlap them as that will impact cooking time).
- How to Thaw Crab Legs: The best way to thaw crab legs is to place them in the refrigerator overnight. If you are short on time, running them under cold water (and then patting them dry) works too.
Kathy Redditt says
First time cooking crab legs. I added some butter pats and seafood seasoning before baking. I thought they would be dry but they were moist and tender! I will definitely use this method again!
Erin says
So glad you enjoyed this one, Kathy!
Trevour says
Best way to prepare crab legs. A+.