12 Succulent Blue Crab Recipes

Crispy Salt-and-Pepper Soft Shell Crabs — Photo:
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Barrett Washburne

Blue crabs are named for their colorful shells that only add to the flavor when cooked, but also known as savory swimmers, or Callinectus sapidus as a species. The delicacy is often served whole in the Chesapeake Bay and Maryland, while the lump crabmeat is used on the Gulf Coast. Here are a dozen recipes from the two U.S. regions where blue crabs are best, from seafood starters to snacks and stew.

01 of 12

Seafood Gumbo

Succulent blue crabs make Tiffany Derry's satisfying gumbo recipe a seasonal seafood supper.

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02 of 12

Blue Crab Beignets

Beignet batter thinly coats a creamy, warm crab filling with a crispy, light crust in this 30-minute recipe from New Orleans chef Justin Devillier.

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03 of 12

Sweet & Sour Crab Claws

Chef Kristen York of Seaworthy in New Orleans takes prepared cocktail crab claws and marinates them in a sauce made of umami-rich gochujang, lightly sweet rice wine vinegar, and ketchup for a messy but delicious party appetizer.

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04 of 12

Louisiana Lump Crab Cakes

Cajun Crab Cakes Recipe | Mosquito Supper Club — Denny Culbert

New Orleans chef Melissa Martin says her aunt Christine taught her how to use leftover boiled shrimp as a binder instead of breadcrumbs for crab cakes. This recipe makes eight — you can freeze them ahead if needed.

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05 of 12

Crispy Salt and Pepper Soft Shell Crabs

We’re always excited when soft shell crabs come in season in spring, especially with recipes like this one from Andrew Zimmern that plays up the tender crabmeat while frying the shells to a crisp.

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06 of 12

Leah Chase's Okra Gumbo with Blue Crabs and Shrimp

The legendary New Orleans chef calls for shrimp and live blue crabs for this Creole recipe, and if those aren't available in your area, it's worth the splurge to get them shipped overnight from a fishery in Louisiana to revel in the distinctive flavor of Gulf Coast seafood.

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07 of 12

Maryland-Style Crab Cakes

“I can’t overemphasize how important it is to use fresh, carefully processed meat from blue crabs,” says chef Spike Gjerde of Baltimore's Woodberry Kitchen on this recipe, which is heavy on glorious hunks of crab, light on breadcrumbs.

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08 of 12

Crisp Cayenne-Spiced Crab Cakes

Growing up in Silver Spring, Maryland, DeeAnn Budney attended all-day Chesapeake blue crab feasts organized by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. The flavor works well for her fantastically spicy crab cakes.

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09 of 12

Soft-Shell Crab Sandwiches with Pancetta and Remoulade

Layer hefty soft-shell crab with salty slices of pancetta, slabs of tomato, and a remoulade made with store-bought mayonnaise to make a simplified version of Chicago chef Bruce Sherman's sandwich.

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10 of 12

Crispy Soft-Shell Crabs with Bangalore-Style Dipping Sauce

Andrew Zimmern spent years studying, cooking, and eating soft-shell crabs while working with them in Maryland. Here he serves them fried with a bright, spicy, herbal dipping sauce that he inherited from the owner of the largest crab processing facility in India.

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11 of 12

Crab and Avocado Toasts

Gerard Craft grew up in Washington, D.C., eating lots of Maryland blue crab. Here, he creates a very simple and delicious starter by tossing sweet crabmeat with fresh mint and lime juice, then spooning it over mashed avocado on toast.

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12 of 12

Open-Faced Crab Empanadas

José Andrés combines the traditional Basque txangurro (crab simmered with tomato) with a Galician empanada using one of his favorite American ingredients: blue crab.

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