Low Sugar Garlic-Style Butter Crab Legs
Steamed snow crab legs drenched in a glossy, garlicky butter sauce feel like a restaurant splurge you can pull off right in your own kitchen. The sauce builds serious depth from garlic-infused oil, dry white wine reduced down to concentrate its flavor, and a finishing hit of smoked paprika and red pepper flakes — all without a single gram of added sugar in sight. That matters more than you might think, because plenty of store-bought seafood sauces and seasoning blends sneak in sweeteners that have no business being near good crab. Here, every ingredient earns its place. Bright lemon zest and juice cut through the richness of the butter, while fresh parsley and sliced scallion tops keep things lively and fresh. The technique of adding butter one tablespoon at a time creates a sauce that's genuinely silky and emulsified rather than greasy, so every crack of the shell rewards you with something worth dipping into. Serve it straight from the skillet with lemon wedges and something to soak up the extra sauce, because you will absolutely want to.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the crab
- 3 lb snow crab legs, thawed if frozen
For the butter sauce
- ¼ cup garlic-infused oil
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 4 scallion green tops, thinly sliced
For serving
- lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Fill a large pot with about 2 inches of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Set a steamer insert or colander above the water. Arrange the crab legs in the steamer in a single layer (work in batches if needed), cover tightly, and steam for 5–6 minutes, until the shells are heated through and the meat is opaque and hot at the thickest joint.
- 2
While the crab steams, heat the garlic-infused oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the scallion green tops and cook, stirring, until softened and bright green, about 1–2 minutes.
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