Grilled Crab Legs: the easiest recipe for a fast, healthy seafood dish

When the sun's out, and you have the itch to fire up the grill, there's nothing more simple or satisfying than making grilled crab legs. It's a fast, easy way to grill seafood, and there's little mess involved. Grilling the crab legs then serving them with some lemon and melted butter is the perfect way to enjoy the sweet, delicate crab meat.

You can use a variety of fresh or frozen crab legs for this recipe. King crab, snow crab, and Dungeness crab are all fantastic options. It takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish to make grilled crab legs, so it's the ideal dish when you're in the mood to grill up some delicious food quickly.

How to Make Grilled Crab Legs

Even if you're a newbie when it comes to grilling, making grilled crab legs is a cinch. Just spray the crab legs with olive oil, place them on the grill, close the grill lid, and cook them for a total of 14 minutes, making sure to flip the legs halfway through. You don't need to wrap them in foil. The heat of the closed grill is enough to cook them to perfection.

Once they're done cooking, plate the crab legs and serve them with plenty of fresh lemon wedges and melted butter. Serve your grilled grab with other summer favorites like grilled corn, potato salad, roasted veggies, biscuits, or your go-to dipping sauces.

Tips for the Best Grilled Crab Legs

You can use fresh or frozen crab legs. If you've opted for frozen crab legs, place them in a large bowl with cold water for 20 to 30 minutes, then rinse them off. Thawing them before grilling will ensure they cook evenly, so don't skip this step!

Make sure to preheat your grill before cooking the crab legs. Get it good and hot!

Don't overcook the crab legs – they'll take on an unpleasant rubbery texture.

How to Store Grilled Crab Legs

Let the crab legs cool down, then place them in an airtight container and refrigerate them. They'll stay fresh for 3 to 5 days.

More Recipes You'll Like

Crab cakes

Hot crab dip

Grilled spiced prawns

Oysters Rockefeller

Instructions

Preheat your grill to medium-high.

Generously spray the crab legs with olive oil. Arrange the crab legs on the grill.

Cover and cook for 7 minutes. Flip the crab legs and cook for another 7 minutes.

Cut slits in the legs with a sharp knife, so the meat is easy to remove.

Place the crab legs on plates and serve with lemon wedges and a side of melted butter for dipping.

Notes

You can use fresh crab if you prefer.