I love soft shell crab—the sweet, delicate crab meat and the light crunch you get without having to pick out any meat. Soft shell crab is seasonal: during a few weeks in summer, blue crabs molt and their hard exoskeleton is shed, leaving a soft carapace that can be eaten whole. This simple recipe for soft shell crab with savory butter and herbs highlights their natural sweetness and is quick to prepare.
On a recent East Coast trip from Washington, D.C. to Nantucket, my daughter and I set out to sample as much local seafood as possible during soft shell crab season. We ate them in restaurants and cooked many at home. The best ones were the crabs we prepared ourselves—fresh, simply seasoned and cooked just right.
Many restaurants deep-fry soft shell crabs to get a crunchy exterior, but that can mask the crab’s natural flavor. For this recipe I bought raw, cleaned soft shell crabs from a reputable fishmonger on Nantucket. A trusted market that will clean the crabs for you makes the process much easier. This pan-fried method produces juicy, flavorful crabs finished with butter, garlic and herbs so the crab flavor shines through.
Tips for making soft shell crab with savory butter and herbs
Choose and prepare your crabs
Buy soft shell crabs from a reputable fish market. If possible, have the market clean them for you—this is worth the extra care. Since soft shell crabs are often sold by piece rather than weight, check that the crabs have all their claws and legs intact. Pat the cleaned crabs dry with paper towels before cooking to help the dredge adhere and to promote a crisp exterior.
Cleaned soft shell crabs ready for cooking.
Ingredients
This recipe is straightforward: olive oil for frying, all-purpose flour for dredging, herbes de Provence (or similar herb blend), sea salt, fresh minced garlic, butter, and fresh lemon or lime juice to finish.
Dredging the crabs
Mix all-purpose flour with salt and herbes de Provence on a shallow plate. Dredge each crab in the flour mixture so they are evenly coated. The flour helps the exterior crisp and soaks up pan juices for better flavor.
Dredge the crabs in the flour mixture to create a light crust.
Pan-frying the soft shell crabs
Heat a cast-iron skillet until hot, then add a tablespoon or so of olive oil. Place the crabs in the skillet with the carapace (top shell) side down. Fry for about 3 minutes, until the crab changes color and the underside develops a light crust.
After flipping, add butter and minced garlic so the aromatics infuse the crab without burning.
Flip the crabs and add butter and chopped garlic to the pan. Adding the butter and garlic after flipping keeps the garlic from burning and lets the butter coat the crab. Spoon the melted garlic-butter over the crabs as they cook for another 2–3 minutes, until the crabs turn orange and the flavors are absorbed.
Allow the crabs to finish cooking and take on a bright orange hue.
Cooked crabs should be orange in color. Squeeze fresh lime or lemon over them just before serving and serve immediately while hot and juicy.
Soft Shell Crab with Savory Butter & Herbs
An easy, delicious way to prepare soft shell crabs—ready in about 15 minutes.
Ingredients
- 3 soft shell crabs, cleaned
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp herbes de Provence
- 1 1/2 Tbsp butter
- 3 cloves fresh minced garlic
- 3 Tbsp olive oil (for frying)
- 2 Tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice
Instructions
- Pat the cleaned soft shell crabs dry with paper towels.
- Combine the flour, sea salt and herbes de Provence on a shallow plate.
- Dredge each crab in the flour mixture, shaking off excess.
- Preheat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil.
- Place the crabs in the skillet with the carapace side down. Cook about 3 minutes until the underside is lightly crisp and the crab begins to change color.
- Flip the crabs, then add the butter and minced garlic to the pan. Spoon the melted garlic-butter over the crabs as they cook.
- Cook an additional 2–3 minutes, until the crabs turn orange and are cooked through.
- Remove from the pan, sprinkle with fresh lime or lemon juice, and serve immediately.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 303 kcal; Carbohydrates: 9 g; Protein: 30 g; Fat: 16 g; Sodium: 684 mg.
Notes
Use a hot skillet and dry crabs for the best crisping. Add the butter and garlic toward the end so the garlic doesn’t burn. Serve right away to enjoy the crabs at their juiciest.