26 Delicious Recipes For Side Dishes With Crab Legs

Crab legs are a sure dish to bring out the gourmet in you. You will love their sweet and delicate taste, which comes with a tender texture. Cooking crabs at home is a breeze, even for a novice.

To choose the most perfect and delicious crab legs, look out for king crab or snow crab legs. You will get them in a grocery shop. 

Snow crabs are cheaper than king crabs, and you can work it into a small budget too. 

The distinct taste of this sea food is enhanced with the right-side dishes. So here are the best dishes that complement a meal of crab legs perfectly-

Quick Table: Best Side Dishes For Crab Legs

Recipes	Calories Per Serving	Preparation Time
Brussels Sprouts	43	25 Mins
Roasted sweetcorn	124	40 Mins
Caesar Salad	44	30 Mins
Coleslaw	152	25 Mins
Clarified butter	123	15 Mins
Cheddar Bay biscuits	160	25 Mins
Lemon Rice	175	25 Mins
Deviled eggs	160	40 Mins
Sauteed Green Beans	28	15 Mins
Steamed Artichokes	60	40 Mins
Brandy Mayonnaise dip	112	10 Mins
Garlic mashed potatoes	120	40 Mins
Sweet potato fritters	168	40 Mins
Zucchini squash casserole	17	1 Hour
Roasted asparagus	20	25 Mins
Lemon garlic dipping sauce	25	10 Mins
Mac and cheese	164	45 Mins
Garlic bread	350	25 Mins
Coconut fried shrimp	277	30 Mins
Casserole	300	50 Mins
Spanish Mussels	160	1Hr 30 Mins
Carolina Gold Rice	85	25 Mins
Crudite platter	50	30 Mins
French fries	312	20 Mins
Beurre Blanc sauce	260	20 Mins
Calamari	175	30 Mins

1. Brussels Sprouts

Sauteed or roasted Brussels sprouts are a great addition to your plate of crab legs. If done correctly, they will be crispy and charred on the outsides with a caramel-like, meaty taste inside. 

If you get this dish right, you will become addicted to it, as long as you cook it right.

It just needs slight seasoning with pepper and salt before it is put in the oven and baked to a crunchy golden texture. 

The flavor and texture of sautéed Brussels sprouts will be on your tongue long past consumption.

The high oven temperature makes their flavor caramelized and full. Get this dish done with basic ingredients, a straightforward recipe, and exceptional results. 

Calories Per Serving: 43 

Preparation Time: 25 Mins

2. Roasted Sweet Corn 

Crab meat and roasted corn on the cob are a classic duo. They both taste sweet, but in different ways. Roasted sweetcorn is easy to make, and you can use your hands with this dish.

Corn is available round the year and can be grilled, steamed, roasted in the oven, or microwaved to serve an unforgettable side dish for succulent crab legs. 

Roasted corn takes 30 minutes to make, which is helpful for busy moms. While the oven heats up, mix parsley, butter, rosemary, and garlic. Add to it a pinch of salt, pepper, and thyme. 

Coat the corn bread with this mixture and wrap it in aluminum foil. You should be having some darn good-looking roasted cobs in just a while.

Calories Per Serving: 124

Preparation Time: 40 Mins

3. Caesar Salad

With rich Vitamin C and fiber dosing, and anchovies bursting with protein and omega 3 acids, you can never go wrong with the Caesar salad.

Made with raw eggs, garlic, olive oil, and your customary anchovies, you will have the perfect accompaniment to freshly cooked crab legs. 

You only need 10 minutes to prepare Caesar Salad; if you have almonds, toss in some. It makes for a trendy dish to go with your crab claws. Not only does the salad taste good, but it is healthy to boot. 

Calories Per Serving: 40 

Preparation Time: 30 Mins

4. Coleslaw

This creamy, super crunchy, and sharp salad is your ticket to health. Coleslaw can either be a small accompaniment or a side dish by itself when you go for crab legs. It introduces the element of cream, which makes it super tasty.

To lay out this fantastic salad, use a shredded mix of coleslaw, high-quality mayonnaise, vinegar, and honey. Ensure that you toss the dressing to make an even coat. 

If you want the cabbage to be crunchy, serve immediately. Otherwise, you can fridge it for 10 minutes.

Calories Per Serving: 152

Preparation Time: 25 Mins

5. Clarified Butter

You can easily make clarified butter at home to go with your meal of crab legs. Butter is one of the iconic additions to crab meat, making it succulent and sweeter. 

To make clarified butter, melt some butter in a pan and cool. Then, spoon the top layer of clear, clarified butter and apply it generously to the crab meat. 

If you are feeling adventurous, add garlic and lemon juice. This juice will serve as a mouth-watering sauce along with the clarified butter. 

A notch above, Worcester sauce with spices and herbs will complete your well-thought Recipe. Always serve with warm crab legs.

Calories Per Serving: 123

Preparation Time: 15 Mins

6. Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Rich and cheesy, these biscuits can be made in a short time, and you do not need to be an expert in baking to make them. Cayenne Pepper adds a nice flavor to the biscuits. 

Make sure you select shredded and sharp cheddar cheeses for this Recipe. 

If you want a nice topping, go for a mix of parsley, butter, and garlic powder to coat the biscuit tops, but of course, this dish has to be served immediately if you want to enjoy its taste to the hilt. 

Calories Per Serving: 160

Preparation Time: 25 Mins

7. Lemon Rice

Lemon rice is a popular companion to seafood, especially crab meat. Pair your crab leg dish with a generous portion of jasmine-scented rice to unlock your taste buds for a dining experience like no other. 

This creamy and delicious dish refreshes you at the end of a day at work. Saute the onion and the garlic well to get the perfect taste. To get the best flavor out of the lemon, stir the rice with it after cooking. 

Calories Per Serving: 175

Preparation Time: 25 Mins

8. Deviled Eggs

This is a classic side dish with perfectly cooked crab legs. Popular at parties and holidays, it has a heavy and full-bodied flavor that contrasts nicely with the taste of crab meat.

You only need a few essential ingredients to make this signature dish, which is deceptively simple. With pepper and mustard, this is a savory, spicy food. To enhance its flavor, add paprika sprinkles. 

Other ingredients like shallot, bacon, and jalapeno are unusual but equally delicious. You can even add basil or dill for an herb flavor. 

Calories Per Serving: 160

Preparation Time: 40 Mins

RELATED: 27 Imitation Crab Recipes Cooked With Delicacy & Ease

9. Sauteed Green Beans

Sauteed green beans taste the best when you add garlic to them. To speed things up, you can boil and clean the beans before storing them in a fridge. Then, add the garlic a couple of minutes before serving. 

Jazz up this dish with mushrooms, onions, or fresh asparagus for a perfect side for juicy and full-bodied crab legs. Check for the desired tenderness of the beans when you cook.

This dish is without bells and whistles, but it can be made in a trice and are good for you nutritionally. 

Calories Per Serving: 28 

Preparation Time: 15 Mins

10. Steamed Artichokes 

Good old artichokes are another delicious companion to your tasty crab claws, and their herby and earthy flavor add to the taste. The heart of the artichoke is the most flavorful, so eat your heart out!

Add garlic, bay leaves, and lemon slices to the hot water to imbue the artichokes with additional flavor. The artichoke thorns go soft with steaming, and you will not have a problem removing them. 

Artichokes are a healthy food choice to go with crab legs. You need to serve it hot, and a mayonnaise dip will set the tone perfectly. 

Calories Per Serving: 60 

Preparation Time: 40 Mins

11. Brandy Mayonnaise Dip 

This is a preparation of the times and what makes it unique is that the balance of spices in the dip is just right. It is a fabulous dip for tastefully cooked crab legs. 

This dish can be made in 10 minutes flat, making it a go-to for different seafood. 

The Dijon mustard lends sourness, and the mayo brings in the cream element. The ketchup and sour cream also ensure that this famous dip tastes perfect with crab.

Calories Per Serving: 112

Preparation Time: 10 Mins

12. Garlic Mashed Potatoes

If you eat fast, you get seconds, and that is precisely the deal with this mouth-watering spread that makes your crab dish more special. You will get the best taste if you use Yukon Gold potatoes. 

Roast the garlic head initially to make sure its flavor seeps through. This Recipe makes for rich and creamy mashed potatoes. Use green onions as toppings to get a crunchy and tangy angle in this Recipe.

Finish your cooking with the addition of some sesame seeds for flavor.

Calories Per Serving: 120

Preparation Time: 40 Mins

13. Sweet Potato Fritters

This is a perennial favorite and perfect for house parties or watching games. For the fall flavor, the fritters are sprinkled with cinnamon, ginger, and fennel. 

When you mix the potato pieces, the dough should not be lumps.

When you fry the fritters, make sure the fritters don’t touch one another. Each side of the fritter needs 3 minutes of cooking, and the desired texture is golden brown and crispy.  

Use a layer of paper towels to drain the fritters and serve warm along with succulent crab legs. 

Calories Per Serving: 168

Preparation Time: 40 Mins

14. Zucchini Squash Casserole

This is a delicious squash casserole that takes the cake as the tastiest. 

There are layers of sauce, cheese, zucchini flavor, and squash that make even picky eaters munch away. This casserole is perfect, along with crab legs.

If you want your casserole to be juicy, you must make a thick cream sauce, and the results justify the effort. Use a large skillet to sauté the vegetables and stir frequently. 

The casserole is layered and finished with cream sauce, mozzarella cheese shavings, and Parmesan cheese. 

Calories Per Serving: 17

Preparation Time: 60 Mins

15. Roasted Asparagus

Imbibed with a woody flavor, roasted asparagus is a heady side for crab legs. However, it can be prepared quickly and needs flavoring to bring out the best taste. 

When you put the asparagus in the oven, aim for crispy tips. Roasted asparagus is a great side dish to your serving of crab legs, and it’s easily made. 

It’s a good idea to let the asparagus sit out in the oven, a technique used to remove the bitterness in the stalks. 

The baking should be as long as it takes to pierce easily through with a fork. Add cheese and serve. 

Calories Per Serving: 20 

Preparation Time: 25 Mins

16. Lemon Garlic Dipping Sauce

Lemon garlic dipping sauce infused with butter is an irresistible dip for your crab legs. The butter seeps into the chicken tender and sweet crab meat, giving it a silky flavor with a signature essence. 

The lemon and the garlic lend their distinctive tones to this marvelous sidekick for crab claws. The sauce looks bright and has a fragrance to it. Choose a good quality olive oil to make this dip. 

Calories Per Serving: 25

Preparation Time: 10 Mins

17. Mac And Cheese

This is much-loved comfort food and goes well with crab leg meat. A good Mac and Cheese will be cheesy and creamy, made with melted cheese, butter, and milk. 

The seasoning choice is yours, and you have a wide range of spices and herbs. Ingredients like black pepper and nutmeg always make this dish special. 

Add bread crumbs as toppings for that extra crunch.

Calories Per Serving: 164

Preparation Time: 45 Mins

18. Pan-Seared NY Steak

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A seared NY steak will be a lavish and easy-going meal, and its advantage is its short preparation time. First, you must look for a golden-brown color and get that perfect sear. It should take you 15 to 20 minutes. 

Add a side of sautéed green beans or potato with a generous dosage of butter; your crab legs never tasted better than with prime steak recipes, medium rare.

After being done to perfection, the outside will caramelize and sear while all the juice remains within. You can impress guests easily with this easy but delicious pairing with crab legs.

Calories Per Serving: 117 

Preparation Time: 15 Mins

19. Garlic Bread

Garlic bread tastes good with any meat dish, especially one as good as crab legs. You will need toasted slices of French and Italian bread with olive oil. 

Cover with garlic and butter and broil right at the end for a crispy toast. 

For a soft toast, the bread has to be wrapped in foil before baking. Either way, this savory dish plays magic with your taste buds.

Calories Per Serving: 350

Preparation Time: 25 Mins

20. Coconut Fried Shrimp

The shrimps are crunchy and crisp, making for an excellent appetizer with crab legs. With the coconut coating shrimp, you have a sweet flavor. 

You can also add a sauce of honey and marmalade for that extra taste of sweetness. 

The coconut has to be shredded finely for a uniform coating of the shrimps with batter. Fry until the shrimps are golden-brownish in color. 

To make the sauce, heat the honey and the marmalade till they blend. 

You can pair this dish with a dip and serve it with freshly cooked, tender crab legs. 

Calories Per Serving: 277

Preparation Time: 30 Mins

21. Casserole

You can make many casseroles that pair perfectly with a good and warm serving of crab legs. Make sure the vegetables are fresh and crunchy. 

 Use generous cheese and cream, and you should do just fine. 

You can also opt for the chicken casserole and use a lot of mayonnaise with cream and cheese to make it super soft and delicious. 

The superior taste is sweet, refreshing as well as crunchy.

Calories Per Serving: 300

Preparation Time: 45 Mins

22. Spanish Mussels

If you want a non-fried option, you will do great with tender and sweet Spanish mussels. Serve it up with a sauce of wine that is seasoned to perfection. 

Spanish mussels look great on your dinner table, especially when crab leg is on the menu. Mussels are the perfect appetizer and do well with all kinds of seafood. 

The sauce for it is easily made and has an intense flavor.

Spanish mussels are full of flavor; you can even drink the broth after you are done with the mussels. It is made from tomatoes, wine, garlic, paprika, and saffron and tastes heavenly. 

Calories Per Serving: 160

Preparation Time: 90 Mins

23. Beurre Blanc Sauce

This is a sauce that has noodles of cream and flavor. It is an excellent addition to a dish like crab legs. The garlic and shallots lend their unmistakable flavors to the sauce. 

The vinegar imparts the acidity, and the creaminess comes from cream and butter. 

Season it with champagne, white pepper, and kosher salt if you want the perfect sauce. 

There is a certain velvety richness, and its sweet and tangy taste is the perfect accompaniment for crab legs. 

Leave the shallots in the sauce for extra texture instead of straining them out. 

Calories Per Serving: 260

Preparation Time: 20 Mins

24. Crudite Platter

This is a big bowl of raw vegetables to accompany your tasty crab legs. It will taste great and help you appreciate the richness of the crab meat with every bite. 

Crudites are raw vegetable pieces served with a dip and traditionally eaten as an appetizer. 

Also, it is an easy dish to make, so you can hit those gym workouts without thinking about how long before you eat again. 

Most of these trays have a selection of processed and raw vegetables. Served at a party, they will be empty in seconds.

Calories Per Serving: 50 

Preparation Time: 30 Mins

RELATED: 31 Perfect & Delicious Dishes To Serve With Crab Meat Recipes

25. French Fries 

Recognizable by their distinctive taste and aroma, French fries are a crowd favorite and will go down incredibly well with a dish of crab legs. 

In perfect French fries, the crispiness of the exterior will be offset by the soft interior. 

The interior needs to be fluffy and intact and retain the strong taste and flavor of the potato. The color of the fries should ideally be even and golden blond. 

Calories Per Serving: 312

Preparation Time: 20 Mins

26. Calamari

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This squid is found in the Mediterranean and Southern Europe regions. Small shops sell fried calamari as a matter of course there.

When done perfectly, the squid will be batter coated and deep fried to the right texture. 

Calamari is also famous in the USA and is a popular side dish for crab legs. It is an appetizer and will whet your appetite as you indulge in your crab meat meal. 

It has a mild, sweet taste that should make your taste buds tingle. 

Calories Per Serving: 175 

Preparation Time: 30 Mins

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Crab Meat Is There In A Crab?

Weighing at an average of 1/3 of a pound, crabs offer low yield; at max, a crab can offer 2 ounces of crab meat.

Which Crabs Are Tasty?

The tastiest crabs are Chesapeake blue crab, snow crabs, Jonah crab, Cancer Pagurus, and European Green Crab.

Is Crab Meat Easy To Digest?

Crab meat does not have connective tissue, making them easily digestible for all age groups. Additionally, protein from crab meat is of the best quality.

Which Parts Of The Crab Can You Eat?

You can eat the white meat in the claws and the meat in the body. The shell is made of rich brown meat and can be eaten too.

Why Are Crab Legs So Good?

Crab has a high amount of protein and helps in muscle maintenance. It also contains selenium, omega 3 fatty acids, and Vitamin B12. These have a significant role to play in the improvement of general health.