Complementing the Sweetness of Crab: 12 Delicious Flavor Pairings

It’s pretty simple to cook crab at home, but it can be hard to decide what to serve with it. Crab is a treat that many people love, especially during crab season. It has unique flavors and is fun to eat. Not many foods let you crack open and pull out tasty meat to enjoy. The fact that you have to work hard to get to the meat makes it taste even better. You have to earn it. There is not much better than a crab dinner.

First things first, you need a crab recipe. We wrote this post to help you learn how to cook crab so you can make this tasty breakfast.

As good as crab is, deciding what to serve with crab can make or break the meal. Here are some ideas for what to serve with crab.

The most obvious and well known thing is to serve crab with clarified butter. It’s by far the most iconic and widely used. While it is simple, it enhances the crab meat flavor rather than compliments it. The butter transforms them to a new level of delicious. To make this, melt regular butter (not margarine) and let it cool down. This lets the milk solids settle to the bottom. The butter left on top is clarified – which is what you serve. After that, you should make a great dipping sauce by adding fresh lemon juice and garlic to the butter. Other ideas to improve the butter sauce that much more is rosemary, parsley, or Worcestershire sauce.

Pro tip: Clarified butter goes well with warm crab legs. Do not serve this with cold crab legs are it will solidify.

What to serve with crab legs

You definitely want to supply crab crackers, crab forks and if possible, bibs. It can be messy and hard to eat crab, but these tools bring the fun back.

Other than butter, you can create all sorts of sauces to serve with crab. For instance, mustard with dill, mayonnaise, lemon and salt and pepper. Another sauce you can try is spicy diablo dipping sauce. Or perhaps a hollandaise.

You can of course consider the most common and popular of all, cocktail sauce. You can even make this sauce at home by mixing together horseradish, Worcestershire, tabasco, lemon and ketchup. Play with different combinations and add pepper to give it an extra kick.

What to Eat With Crab?

There are countless side dishes that will pair very nicely with crab. We recommend keeping a pretty straightforward side dish so the crab does not get overshadowed. Below are many side dishes we recommend for what to eat with crab meat. You can find many crab side dish recipes for the suggestions below.

Another side option is a lemon rice pilaf. This is a nice comforting dish that complements the crab flavors in a delicate way.

Salad is always a great option as well. Having crab steamed is a nice light meal, and salad is a great way to keep the whole meal light. You can also serve salad with garlic butter roasted crab to balance out the richness of that preparation. An orange and mandarin salad is suggested because it is crunchy, cool, and sweet in the right amounts. This can also be served as an appetizer before the crab to get people excited about what’s to come.

Since vegetables have refreshing and earthy flavors, they are a nice complement to the sweet meat of crab. Not all veggies are created equal, though. Some of the best vegetables to pair are asparagus, broccoli, bell peppers and onions. Roasting them will caramelize them and bring out the natural sweetness that will pair so well with crab. This side dish can be served with warm or cold crab.

Another type of vegetables that is a really fun pairing is steamed artichokes. For this food, you should use your hands to pull it apart, eat the meat, and throw away the rest. It’s a great accompaniment once you’re already messy and letting your guard down.

First off, everyone loves mashed potatoes. Literally. I’ve never met anyone who actively dislikes mashed potatoes. Can you say, ultimate crowd pleaser? Any preparation of potato, really, pairs well with crab. But we know that mashed potatoes are that much of a widely loved fan favorite.

Another absolute crowd winner is, you guessed it, French fries. They’re absolutely delicious and super convenient to eat. Everyone loves them. And, you can even serve garlic fries to contrast steamed crabs or to complement garlic roasted crab.

Any type of corn can pair nicely with Crab. But to enhance the hands on eating experience, we recommend corn on the cob. Fresh and messy to eat, both of these things are great. You can cook corn on the cob in a lot of different ways, such as by grilling, steaming, boiling, or even microwaving it.

This one is the most obvious. Wine so clearly pairs incredibly well with crab. Especially white wine. Pinot gris, chardonnay and dry Riesling are the top recommendations for wine pairing.

Yes, crab tastes sweet and delicious. But, it is light. Light enough that you’ll still have room for dessert when you’re finished devouring your crustacean. To keep with the light and refreshing theme you can go with a lemon cheesecake. Or of course go for the classic chocolate cake.

All you need to know about Dungeness Crab, Snow Crab, and King Crab.

What Spice goes well with crab?

Ginger is a unique spice that can add a subtle, slightly sweet flavor to crab. It pairs well with other spices like garlic and black pepper and can be used in a variety of crab dishes. Paprika is a spice that is made from dried peppers and can add a sweet, smoky flavor to crab.

Are coconut crabs healthy to eat?

Crabs are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, protein, vitamins like riboflavin and minerals like selenium, copper, phosphorus. Coconut crabs are not known to be poisonous. The fat in the abdomen and the egg inside the female are the delicious edible parts. It is prepared by steaming or boiling them in coconut milk. Consuming coconut crab along with sea mango, cerbera manghas may make the coconut crab toxic due to the presence of cardiac cardenolides(cardiac active steroids). This causes electrolyte imbalance that affects the electrical conductivity of the heart.

Do spices add flavor to crab?

Enhance Flavor: Spices can enhance the natural flavor of crab. By adding the right spices, you can bring out the sweetness and richness of the meat. Add Complexity: Spices can add complexity to your dishes. By using a blend of spices, you can create a unique flavor profile that will make your crab dishes stand out.

What goes well with crab legs?

Crab legs go nicely with mustard sauce, which has a tart flavor. Common ingredients include mustard, lemon juice, mayonnaise, and various spices, including paprika and garlic. The mayonnaise gives the sauce a creamy, smooth texture, while the mustard gives it a strong, somewhat spicy taste.