What to Serve with Crab Legs

As a kid growing up near a river in New Jersey, we always had a bountiful blue crab population nearby. And while I liked the flavor, I always found the amount of crab meat small compared to the amount of work it required to ‘extract’

As I got older, I was exposed to more types of crab, including Snow Crab. However, King Crab Legs are my absolute favorite type of crab.

But whether I am preparing a meal consisting of Snow Crab Legs or King Crab legs, I always have a little trouble deciding what to serve with my crab legs.

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So you don’t run into the same ‘dilemma’, I have prepared a list of my favorite side dishes for you to choose from the next time your seafood cravings have you preparing your favorite seafood recipe.

What to Serve With Crab Legs – 12 Easy Sides You Will Love

There is no right or wrong side dish below, but just so you know – I did order these in order of my personal favorites.

Melted Butter

Liquefied golden goodness! Melted – or drawn (clarified) butter – is my favorite accompaniment to almost any type of seafood and it just enhances the flavor of crab so much that I had to put it at the top of the list.

Melt two whole sticks of butter over medium heat in a small stainless steel butter warmer saucepan like this one and call it a day!

I cannot eat crab legs without dipping them in melted butter! Ok, I can – but I don’t want to. And I think most crab lovers would agree!

Corn on the Cob

Growing up, we always had corn on the cob whenever we ate crab. In part, because crab was mostly a summer treat – when corn was freshest. We also ate outside a lot whenever we had crab.

And since, crab legs are both messy AND delicious, I guess it was only natural to pair it with another side dish that is both messy and delicious – corn on the cob.

More specifically, we had half-cobs. They were a little easier to eat and more economical!

But if you are going for the full ear of corn, try out these handy corn cob holders (so cute)!

Cole Slaw

Another traditional side-dish to serve with seafood, Cole Slaw is especially light and refreshing in the summer!

French Fries

Do I even need to say anything here? LOL! Who doesn’t love french fries – with anything?? Add some coarse sea salt and enjoy!

Potato Salad

Another carb! Is it okay to have two carbs in a row? Am I violating some type of unwritten rule of healthy food blogging? Look, I love sharing seasonally inspired, low-carb recipes, but even I get the carb cravings sometimes.

Plus, I am only suggesting potato salad (and french fries) as possible sides for your crab leg feast. My suggestion is to choose one or the other.

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And combine one high-carb side (like potato salad) with another low-carb side like grilled asparagus (assuming you are going to have two side dishes with your crab legs).

One neat trick is to sprinkle Old Bay Seasoning right on top of your potato salad to give it a traditional crab fare flair!

Either way, if you are all carbed-out already, you can definitely keep it healthier with these next few suggestions!

String Beans

Also known as green beans, string beans are a healthy side-dish that are delicious and full of nutrients. I prefer my string beans steamed, but you can prepare them any way you like.

Since green beans can be somewhat bland, you can kick the flavor up a notch with some nice ground Cayenne Pepper – if you are adventurous!

Grilled Asparagus

One of my favorite vegetables to grill, asparagus is a healthy side that pairs nicely with many different seafood dishes. It holds up very well to being grilled over a very high heat and is readily available in the summer (which is when my mom used to make us eat this messy food outside!)

I love eating this fresh off my outdoor grill and right onto my plate!

Rice

Sometimes a nice starch tastes wonderful with seafood. I like a nice wild rice mix or lemon rice. Yum!

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Stuffed bell peppers are another of my favorite side dishes to serve with my Alaskan King Crab legs. There are a number of ways to prepare stuffed bell peppers – with rice, or without rice. I also like them stuffed with a cheesy-garlic mix when pairing them with seafood.

Are you enjoying some of these side-dish recommendations?

If so, please check out my article What to Serve With Chili – 13 Creative Sides – I think you might also like those suggestions!

Brussels Sprouts

I have to admit, for as much of a ‘foodie’ as I consider myself, brussels sprouts are not at the top of my list of favorite vegetables! However, I do enjoy them if they are prepared a certain way: Lightly grilled with lemon and sea salt or Old Bay Seasoning.

Cheesy Garlic Biscuits

Look, I have to give credit where credit is due and I certainly give credit to The Red Lobster restaurant chain for introducing everyone to just how awesome cheesy garlic biscuits go with seafood!

I love serving biscuits with crab legs and the more cheese and garlic I can add to these biscuits, the better.

I like a combination of cheddar and grated Parmesan cheese in my seafood biscuits.

And, of course, you can always dip your biscuit into the melted butter for a truly decadent side-dish!

Greek Salad

Okay, okay – so not the most common recommendation on this list…but I’ve found that a nice simple Greek salad is a great side dish. I really like the tartness of Greek salad combined with the briny, rich flavor of King crab !

Now for the next question…

What To Drink with Crab Legs?

So many other food bloggers suggested white wine or a nice dry white wine as a great pairing with crab legs. Now, I love white wine, and red wine, and….oh yeah, back to the article!

And white wine pairs nicely with seafood, but I tried to keep these side dish suggestions a little more ‘traditional’.

But I didn’t want to just skip over some excellent drink ideas that go nicely with crab legs, too.

Beer (especially a nice IPA)

As much as I love wine with food, and white wine in particular, I am mainly a beer guy (sorry wine-lovers).

When it comes to crab-anything, my beverage of choice is beer!

My favorite beer to drink with crab legs is Corona, Blue Moon or even any nice IPA.

Iced Tea (with lemon wedges)

In keeping with the summer theme, I really enjoy a nice unsweetened iced-tea with lemon. It is such a refreshing drink and it reminds me of being a kid.

Chardonnay

I give in! I have to admit that a nice Chardonnay tastes really wonderful alongside steamed King Crab legs. So, even though I am a beer guy at heart, this white wine is my favorite crab accompaniment – IF I am in the right mood.

What to Serve With Crab Legs – Quick Recap

• Melted Butter
• Corn on the Cob
• Cole Slaw
• French Fries
• Potato Salad
• String Beans
• Grilled Asparagus
• Wild Rice
• Stuffed Bell Peppers
• Grilled Brussels Sprouts
• Cheesy Garlic Biscuits
• Greek Salad

What Do You Think?

So, seafood lovers, there you have it – my 12 favorite side dishes to serve with crab legs! The next time you are struggling to decide what to make with your summertime crab leg dinner or special occasion, please refer to this article for some yummy side-dish suggestions.

Please Share

Are these the best sides? Do you have any suggestions yourself? If so, please leave them in the comments below and I will respond. There is no right or wrong answer and this is one of the things I love about food – everybody has their own personal favorites!

If you need some more inspiration, check out Coastal Wandering for some common and creative sides to serve with your crab legs and be sure to enjoy your next summertime seafood picnic!