Roasted Crab with Kale
Prep
20 mins
Cook
25 mins
Servings
4
Difficulty
Medium
Sweet, succulent crab meat paired with crispy roasted kale chips and finished with a zesty lemon-garlic butter sauce creates an elegant yet simple coastal-inspired dish.
Ella x
Ingredients
- 1 kgfresh crab legs(thawed if frozen)
- 227 gkale(stems removed, torn into bite-sized pieces)
- 4 tablespoonsunsalted butter
- 4garlic cloves(minced)
- 3 tablespoonsfresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoonsea salt
- ½ teaspoonblack pepper
- ¼ teaspoonred pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoonfresh thyme(chopped)
- 1 teaspoonlemon zest
Detail level
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Pat the crab legs dry with paper towels and arrange them on a large baking sheet.
Tip: Dry crab legs will roast more evenly and develop better color.
- 2
In a small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in lemon juice, thyme, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Tip: Don't let the garlic brown or it will become bitter.
- 3
Brush the crab legs with half of the garlic-lemon butter mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until the shells are bright red and meat is heated through.
Tip: Crab legs only need gentle heating as they're typically pre-cooked.
- 4
While the crab roasts, toss the kale pieces with olive oil, 0.5 teaspoon salt, and 0.25 teaspoon black pepper on a separate baking sheet.
Tip: Spread the kale in a single layer for crispy results.
- 5
Add the kale to the oven on a different rack during the last 8-10 minutes of the crab's cooking time.
Tip: Kale will crisp up nicely in the remaining time without burning.
- 6
Transfer the roasted crab legs to a serving platter. Scatter the crispy kale around the crab.
Tip: The warm crab will continue cooking slightly even after removal from the oven.
- 7
Warm the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle the reserved garlic-lemon butter sauce over the plated crab and kale.
Tip: Warm butter distributes the flavors more evenly than cold.
- 8
Serve immediately with extra lemon wedges on the side and encourage guests to crack open the crab legs and dip the meat into the pan juices.
Tip: Provide small forks or seafood picks to help extract the tender meat from the shells.
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