By Melissa Clark
- Total Time
- 25 minutes
- Rating
- 4(58)
- Notes
- Read community notes
For easy weeknight meals, I dry my cleaned crabs thoroughly so they don’t steam, then sauté them in plenty of butter or oil. You could use a breading like flour or cornmeal to augment the crunch factor, but it also impedes the sweetness of the meat. And good crabs don’t really need it.
The trick is to know when to take them off the heat. As soon as they turn from gray-brown to rust and white, the texture goes from soft to taut and they are ready.
Soft-shell crabs don’t need much adornment; a squirt of citrus and some freshly ground black pepper offset the funky sea flavor beautifully. But a little garlic and something green and sprightly (here, a combination of arugula and chives) can make them even better.
Featured in: Soft-Shell Crabs in Balance
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Ingredients
Yield:4 servings as an appetizer, 2 as a main course
- ¾cup arugula leaves, stems trimmed
- 8tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1tablespoon finely chopped chives
- 2garlic cloves, minced
- ½teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed
- ¼teaspoon black pepper
- 4soft-shell crabs, cleaned and patted dry
- 4half-inch-thick slices country-style bread
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
303 calories; 24 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 213 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Finely chop ¼ cup of the arugula. Combine in a bowl with the butter, chives, garlic, salt and pepper.
Step
2
Heat 4 tablespoons of the arugula butter mixture in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the crabs and cook, without moving, until crisp and golden, 2 to 3 minutes a side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt.
Step
3
Preheat the broiler. Place the bread on a baking sheet and run under the broiler until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. (Watch carefully to see that they don’t burn.) Spread the toasted bread with the remaining butter and each slice with a crab. Thinly slice the remaining arugula and sprinkle on top of each serving.
See AlsoButternut Squash Soup Recipe
Ratings
4
out of 5
58
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Cooking Notes
Lauren
Delicious. Quick. Easy.Used half the salt and a little extra arugula.Did not add salt at the end as Melissa suggested. Instead a very light squirt of lemon.It may be due to high altitude but I needed to cook the soft shell crab for 3 min per side to get that perfect browning.For the bread just lightly smeared leftover butter from pan before putting under the broiler for 45 seconds. Crunchy and perfect with the crab.Will certainly make this again when soft shell crab are in season.
Bob
Just. Delicious. And easy. A real fan favorite.
Sean
Delicious. I prefer shallots to garlic, so did that substitute. Making it again. Easy, worth it.
jaco
Wow this was such a good recipe! I had fresh arugula and chives in the garden so the butter combination was perfect. I picked up 4 soft shell crabs from Bon Air seafood near Richmond, Va on my way home from work. Then searched NYT cooking for some recipes and landed on this one from Melissa. So good! And easy to make. I just toasted a couple of slices of sourdough bread and added the arugula butter. Then two crabs on top! And a little squeeze of lemon.
Kwp
Living near the Maryland coast, I am grateful that Melissa agrees with my never coating soft-shells….anytime Im tempted to “dress them up”, I reread her instructions!My go-to technique is to throw almonds in the pan until lightly browned, adding juice of a lemon and pouring this onto the cooked crabs. Summertime delight. Will try adding chopped arugula and garlic tonight!
Selina
Added roasted sungold tomatoes to the crostini for a little acid and sweetness. Delicious!
Bob
Just. Delicious. And easy. A real fan favorite.
Lauren
Delicious. Quick. Easy.Used half the salt and a little extra arugula.Did not add salt at the end as Melissa suggested. Instead a very light squirt of lemon.It may be due to high altitude but I needed to cook the soft shell crab for 3 min per side to get that perfect browning.For the bread just lightly smeared leftover butter from pan before putting under the broiler for 45 seconds. Crunchy and perfect with the crab.Will certainly make this again when soft shell crab are in season.
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