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.
Crab is one of the most decadent and delicious types of seafood there is. With its sweet, succulent meat and satisfyingly tactile shell-cracking experience, it’s no wonder crab is such a coveted delicacy.
But what should you serve alongside this crustacean treat to make a complete and well-rounded meal? Here are 12 amazing side dishes that perfectly complement freshly cooked crab.
Clarified Butter
The buttery richness of clarified butter is a classic pairing with crab. Melted clarified butter is ideal for dipping juicy crab meat morsels into, enhancing their sweet brininess. For an extra zing of flavor, you can mix in some lemon juice, garlic, fresh herbs like parsley or dill, or a dash of hot sauce. Clarified butter works well with chilled crab, like crab cakes, or warmer preparations like steamed crab legs.
Fresh Bread or Rolls
A simple loaf of crusty bread or soft rolls are crab’s best friend The bread acts as the perfect vehicle to soak up every last drop of the butter and natural crab juices Choose a high-quality artisanal bread and tear off pieces with your hands for a satisfying tactile experience reminiscent of cracking crab shells, Fresh bread also allows the natural sweetness of the crab to take center stage without strong competing flavors,
Coleslaw
A tangy, creamy coleslaw adds crunch and acidity to balance out rich crab. The cool crispness of the cabbage also contrasts nicely with hot steamed crab for an exciting interplay of temperatures and textures. Try experimenting with different coleslaw styles, like classic mayo-based or apple cider vinegar-based. Just avoid anything too sweet, which will clash with natural crab flavors.
Pasta Salad
Chilled crab meat makes for an indulgent addition to pasta salads. Pair crab with pasta shapes that will cradle and collect chunks of crab, like rotini or farfalle. Then toss it in a light dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, fresh herbs, and a bit of mayo or sour cream for added richness. Some crumbled feta or bacon bits can provide a nice salty crunch too. The options for creative pasta-crab salads are endless!
Rice Pilaf
Fluffy rice pilaf is a pleasantly mild base that absorbs the crab’s juices beautifully. It provides the satisfaction of carbs and fills out the meal without overpowering the crab. Using aromatic basmati rice and seasoning the pilaf with a bit of garlic, lemon zest, or saffron can add nuanced complementary flavors. Steamed white rice or even risotto can make a simple yet effective bed for serving crab.
Roasted Vegetables
The sweetness of roasted vegetables naturally pairs well with the briny sweetness of crab meat. Roasting also adds satisfying caramelization and richness. Opt for vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, or Brussels sprouts. Toss them in olive oil, season generously with salt and pepper, add fresh herbs if desired, and roast in a hot oven until browned and tender. The veggie flavors nicely offset the rich crab.
Dinner Salad
A crisp green salad adds brightness and acidity to balance the rich crab flavors. Using a combination of leafy greens like arugula, spinach, and romaine along with fresh veggies provides a variety of tastes and textures. Top with a light vinaigrette, citrus segments, or a creamy dressing for a cooling contrast to hot steamed or sautéed crab. Salad also aids digestion after a protein-heavy crab-centric meal.
Corn on the Cob
Sweet summer corn is a match made in heaven for crab. The simplicity of corn on the cob allows the natural sweetness of both corn and crab to shine. The juicy kernels and tactile eating experience also parallel the joy of cracking into crab legs or shells and pulling out the meat. Grill the corn or boil it for a few minutes until tender, then serve alongside hot crab with some melted butter for dipping.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Smooth, creamy mashed potatoes make a comforting pairing for crab. The potatoes provide a hearty base and their mild flavor lets the crab take center stage. Whip the potatoes with butter, cream or milk, and minced garlic. For extra decadence, mix in some grated cheddar cheese. You can also top your crab with a heaping spoonful of the potatoes.
Macaroni and Cheese
For the ultimate indulgence, try baked macaroni and cheese with crab. Fold cooked crab meat into cheesy mac and bake until bubbly and golden. The rich, creamy cheese sauce complements the briny crab beautifully. Feel free to spike the mac and cheese with mustard, hot sauce, or Old Bay seasoning for more flavor. Crab mac and cheese makes for an incredible (yet easy) main course.
Dipping Sauces
Serve an array of dipping sauces alongside your crab to satisfy any craving. Classic seafood pairings like lemon aioli garlic butter, and tangy cocktail sauce are always crowd-pleasers. Branch out with dips like sweet chili sauce, ranch honey mustard, or curry mayo for exciting new flavor combinations. Let guests explore their favorites or offer pre-cracked crab with sauces in small dipping bowls.
Crusty Bread Bowl
For an interactive meal, serve cracked crab pieces or crab dip piled into a freshly baked bread bowl. Hollowed-out sourdough or French bread bowls hold the crab perfectly and allow for tearing off pieces of bread to soak up the juices. The edible bowl cuts down on dishes to wash too. Offer a side of clarified butter or garlic butter for spreading onto the warm bread.
Crab Cakes
Crispy crab cakes are heavenly when served alongside a fresh, vibrant salad. The hot and cold contrast makes for a multidimensional meal. The salad’s acidity cuts through the rich crab cake while the crab cake provides protein and satisfying crunch. Serve with a creamy dressing like remoulade or tarragon aioli to balance out the crab cake’s crispy exterior.
No matter which pairing you choose, you simply can’t go wrong when eating delicious crab. Just steer clear of strong, overpowering flavors that will mask the crab’s subtle brininess. What are your favorite sides to serve with fresh crab?
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.
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.