How to Make the Most Delicious Sauces for Crab Legs

Crab legs are delicious on their own, but the right sauce can take them to a whole new level of flavor. A flavorful sauce enhances the sweet taste of the crab meat, adds another dimension, and makes the crab legs even more irresistible. Whether enjoying a casual crab boil at home or indulging in a seafood feast at a restaurant, crab legs paired with a creamy, spicy or tangy sauce is a match made in heaven.

In this article, I’ll share 10 of my favorite sauces for crab legs along with recipes so you can make them at home. We’ll cover everything from basic garlic butter to spicy cocktail sauces to complements like aioli and mustard dipping sauces. With this guide, you’ll have endless options for jazzing up crab legs any night of the week. Let’s get saucy!

Garlic Butter Sauce

Garlic butter sauce is a simple classic that should be in every seafood-lover’s repertoire. It’s easy to make with just a few ingredients, takes only minutes to prepare, and packs a ton of flavor. Melting buttery with minced garlic creates a decadent dipping sauce that brings out the inherent sweetness of the crab meat. Here’s my go-to recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
3. Stir in the parsley, pepper, and salt. Allow the mixture to heat until bubbling.
4. Add the cooked crab legs to the pan and toss to coat in the sauce.
5. Simmer for 5-6 minutes until the crab is heated through.
6. Serve the crab legs hot with the garlic butter sauce for dipping.

I like to use snow crab legs for this recipe since they have a mild sweet flavor that pairs perfectly with garlic butter. The sauce soaks right into the meat, making each bite juicy and full of flavor. It takes just 20 minutes start to finish!

Homemade Cocktail Sauce

Cocktail sauce is another essential dipping sauce for crab legs. The ketchup and horseradish provide a sweet tangy and spicy flavor that complements the rich crab meat. Making your own allows you to tweak it to your tastes and yields a sauce far superior to anything from a store-bought bottle.

My homemade cocktail sauce comes together in just 5 minutes. All you need is

• 1 cup ketchup
• 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1⁄2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1⁄4 teaspoon hot sauce (I like Tabasco)

Just mix everything together in a bowl until smooth and you have a bright, zingy dipping sauce ready to pair with hot crab legs The lemon juice adds some welcome acidity to balance the sweetness of the crab while the horseradish and hot sauce provide a nice little kick I like to add extra horseradish if I want an extra spicy sauce. Serve it alongside steamed snow crab, king crab or Dungeness crab for a classic pairing.

Garlic Aioli

Aioli is a creamy emulsion sauce originally from the Provence region of France made primarily from olive oil, egg yolks, and garlic. It has a rich, indulgent texture and works beautifully as a dip for sweet, succulent crab meat. Adding lemon imparts some brightness.

My quick garlic aioli recipe requires just:

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup olive oil

Whisk the egg yolk, lemon juice, garlic and salt together vigorously. Then slowly drizzle in the olive oil while continuing to whisk constantly until the sauce emulsifies and thickens. Add more lemon juice to taste if needed.

The key to a smooth aioli is whisking vigorously when adding the oil. This helps suspend the oil molecules in the emulsion. Aioli can break if you add the oil too quickly.

Serve this garlicky aioli with crab legs for dipping or add it to crab cakes or sandwiches for extra richness. It also pairs well with boiled shrimp, artichokes and vegetables.

Spicy Cocktail Sauce

If you like some heat with your seafood, try this spicy variation on classic cocktail sauce. The addition of horseradish, hot sauce and cayenne pepper gives it a fiery kick that plays well against the sweet crab meat.

For this easy recipe, you’ll need:

• 1 cup ketchup
• 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Mix all the ingredients together until thoroughly combined. Let the sauce sit for 10-15 minutes for the flavors to meld.

Use this spicy sauce sparingly as it packs some punch. It’s excellent with king crab legs, snow crab and Dungeness crab. The lingering heat keeps you going back for more bites of the tender crab. Just beware of dripping it on your fingers!

Wasabi Cocktail Sauce

For another fun spin on cocktail sauce, try mixing in some wasabi paste or powder. This adds a sinus-clearing kick and lovely green hue. It’s inspired by the wasabi-laced sauces you often find paired with sushi.

Simply combine:

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
• 1 tablespoon wasabi powder mixed with 1 teaspoon water
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

The wasabi wakes up your tastebuds while the horseradish brings the heat. The sweet and salty flavors of the ketchup and soy balance out the spice. Rice wine vinegar adds mellow acidity.

I like using fresh wasabi root for the most authentic flavor. But powdered wasabi works too, just be sure to mix it first with a bit of water to form a paste before adding to the sauce.

Serve this bright green horseradish-wasabi sauce with snow crab legs, shrimp and lobster tails for something deliciously different. It also makes fish tacos and fried seafood pop with flavor.

Lemon Garlic Butter

Here’s a simple variation on basic garlic butter that adds bright lemon for extra zing. The tangy citrus flavor pairs perfectly with sweet crab meat.

Melt together:

• 1 stick salted butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1⁄2 lemon

Let the garlic sizzle in the hot melted butter for 1-2 minutes until soft and fragrant. Turn off the heat then stir in the lemon zest and juice.

Use this lemony garlic butter for dipping freshly steamed crab legs – either chilled or warm. The sauce soaks into the meat, making each bite bursting with buttery garlic lemon flavor. It’s also fantastic brushed on fish, shrimp and lobster before broiling or grilling.

Ginger Sauce

For a flavorful Asian-inspired sauce, try mixing up a simple ginger sauce to serve with crab legs. The combination of ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar and sesame makes a tasty complement to the sweet crab.

Simply combine:

• 1⁄4 cup soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Bring everything to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer for 2-3 minutes to meld the flavors.

The ginger’s spicy heat pairs perfectly with the briny crab meat. The soy and sesame add some salty, nutty flavor. And the vinegar contributes a nice bright acidity.

I like to mix up a big batch since this sauce keeps for up to 2 weeks refrigerated. It’s great not only for dipping crab legs but also as a marinade or drizzle for chicken, fish and vegetables.

Mustard Sauce

For crab leg fans who like a little tang with their seafood, a creamy mustard sauce is a tasty choice. The subtle heat from the mustard complements the natural sweetness of the crab meat.

My homemade recipe includes:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Pinch of cayenne pepper

Whisk everything together until smooth and creamy. Let the sauce chill for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to blend.

The mayo and mustard create a rich, tangy base while the honey lends subtle sweetness. Lemon juice, Worcestershire and cayenne add flavor depth.

This easy mustard sauce can be tweaked to taste by adjusting the ratio of mayo to mustard or adding more cayenne for extra zing. It’s delicious not only as a