Crab meat is a versatile and delicious ingredient that can elevate a variety of dishes. With its sweet, briny flavor and tender texture crab meat makes an excellent addition to appetizers main courses, and even desserts. But to truly make crab meat shine, it’s important to pair it with complementary flavors and textures.
Here are 10 delicious pairings that go great with crab meat:
1. Lemon
Tangy lemon is a classic pairing for crab meat. The brightness of the lemon cuts through the richness of the crab, creating a refreshing flavor profile. Try squeezing fresh lemon juice over chilled crab meat for an easy appetizer or adding lemon zest and juice to hot crab dip. Lemon also pairs well with crab cakes, pasta, and risotto.
2. Butter and Cream
Rich, fatty ingredients like butter and cream highlight crab meat’s natural sweetness Drawn butter is the simplest way to enjoy steamed or boiled crab. For more complex flavors, turn to lemon butter, garlic butter, or creamy sauces made with crème fraiche or mascarpone. The richness balances the delicate crab perfectly
3. Fresh Herbs
Bright herbs add flavor and vibrancy to crab dishes. Delicate herbs like dill, chives, parsley, chervil, and tarragon work nicely with crab meat’s mild flavor. Use them in crab salad, steaming liquid, or mixed into crab cakes. Bold herbs like rosemary, thyme, and sage can stand up to richer crab preparations.
4. Garlic
Pungent, savory garlic is another natural pairing for sweet crab meat. Use it roasted, sautéed, or raw in crab dishes. Aioli, the classic garlic mayonnaise, makes a popular dipping sauce. Rubbing crab with garlic butter before broiling or grilling adds tons of flavor.
5. Chili Peppers
The sweetness of crab meat beautifully balances the heat of chilies. Add minced jalapeños or serranos to crab cakes and dips for a kick of spice. Chili-garlic sauces like sriracha make flavorful complements to simply prepared crab. For aromatic spice, use dried peppers like ancho chile in simmering crab soups or stews.
6. Corn
Sweet corn and crab are a classic summertime pairing. The corn’s versatility allows it to be creamed, grilled, or turned into fritters as a crab accompaniment. They’re also delicious together in salads, tacos, chowders, and bisques. For the ultimate crab and corn combo, try a low country boil.
7. Tomatoes
Juicy tomatoes offer bright acidity and sweetness that pairs perfectly with briny crab meat. Use cherry tomatoes in crab salad or sauté larger varieties as a topping for crab cakes. For a creamy crab and tomato pairing, incorporate sun-dried tomatoes into dips and sauces.
8. Citrus
Beyond lemon, other citrus fruits like lime, grapefruit, and orange make tasty partners for crab. Lime adds Caribbean flair, grapefruit is nice with rich crab dishes, and orange complements crab salads. Use citrus juices and zests to marinate, bake, or garnish crab meat dishes.
9. Avocado
The rich, creamy texture of avocado balances the delicate crab beautifully, especially when chilled. Turn them into crab salad or use avocado slices as a topping for crab cakes and tacos. Pureed avocado makes a lush addition to cold crab soups and dips.
10. Old Bay Seasoning
For classic crab flavor, Old Bay seasoning can’t be beat. The blend of spices including mustard, paprika, celery salt, and pepper adds comforting warmth and savoriness. Sprinkle it on steamed crab, stir it into crab dip, or add it to crab boil for infused flavor. A dash of Old Bay amplifies the crab’s brininess.
Beyond these base pairings, don’t be afraid to get creative with flavors that you enjoy. Crab meat works in many global cuisines, so try seasoning it with harissa, curry paste, or miso. Crab’s versatility means the possibilities are endless for tasty pairings.
Just keep in mind a few basic guiding principles. Let the crab flavor shine by using high quality, fresh meat. Look for complementary flavors that highlight, rather than mask, the crab. And consider the dish as a whole, ensuring the crab meat textures and flavors work in harmony with the other components. Follow these tips and you’re sure to create crab dishes that become new favorites.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pairing Ingredients with Crab Meat
Still have questions about cooking with crab and pairing flavors? Here are answers to some commonly asked questions.
1. What are the best wines to pair with crab?
White wines are usually the best choices, as they won’t overpower the crab’s delicate flavor. Dry wines like Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis, Pinot Grigio, and Champagne make excellent pairings. For richer crab dishes, try a buttery Chardonnay. Sparkling wines are also a fun, celebratory match.
2. What kind of crab meat works best in different recipes?
Jumbo lump crab meat is ideal for dishes where texture is key, like crab cocktails or cakes. Backfin lump crab has smaller pieces that are great in salads, dips, and pastas. Claw meat has more intense flavor for stews, soups, and stuffings. Special crab meat is very affordable and works well in casseroles.
3. How do I prevent crab cakes from falling apart?
Using binders like breadcrumbs, egg, and mayonnaise helps hold them together. Letting the mixture chill for 30 minutes firms it up. Avoid over-mixing, as it can make crab cakes dense. Finally, handle cakes gently when forming and cooking to maintain their delicate texture.
4. What are some ways to use imitation crab meat?
Imitation crab lacks real crab’s flavor nuances but can be an affordable alternative. Use it in highly seasoned dishes like seafood salad, sushi rolls, or crab Rangoon where its mild flavor won’t be as noticeable. Avoid recipes where crab is the star ingredient.
5. What are good vegetarian substitutes for crab meat?
Hearts of palm, shredded jackfruit, and artichoke hearts can provide a similar texture. Season generously with Old Bay, seaweed, lemon, and smoked paprika for flavor. Silken tofu makes an excellent substitute in cold crab dips and mousses.
6. How can I tell if packaged crab meat is still fresh?
Look for crab meat that is snowy white in color with no gray, yellow, or brown spots. It should have a mild, sweet smell – nothing fishy. The texture should be firm yet still moist. Always check expiration dates and packaging seals.
7. How long does cooked crab meat last in the fridge?
Cooked crab meat will keep 2 to 3 days refrigerated. Store it in an airtight container to prevent drying out. Make sure you don’t see any signs of spoilage before eating, such as an off smell or sliminess.
Pairing ingredients with crab meat opens up endless possibilities. With a few simple guidelines, you can create crab dishes that impress. Focus on flavors that complement, experiment with new pairings, and above all, highlight the natural sweetness of the crab.
What to serve with crab legs
You definitely want to supply crab crackers, crab forks and if possible, bibs. Eating crab is messy and can take a lot of work but these tools make it much more pleasant.
Other than butter, you can create all sorts of sauces to serve with crab. For instance, mustard with dill, mayonnaise, lemon and salt and pepper. Another sauce you can try is spicy diablo dipping sauce. Or perhaps a hollandaise.
You can of course consider the most common and popular of all, cocktail sauce. You can even make this sauce at home by mixing together horseradish, Worcestershire, tabasco, lemon and ketchup. Play with different combinations and add pepper to give it an extra kick.
What to Eat With Crab?
There are countless side dishes that will pair very nicely with crab. We recommend keeping a pretty straightforward side dish so the crab does not get overshadowed. Below are many side dishes we recommend for what to eat with crab meat. You can find many crab side dish recipes for the suggestions below.
Another side option is a lemon rice pilaf. This is a nice comforting dish that complements the crab flavors in a delicate way.
Salad is always a great option as well. Crab is a nice light dish when steamed and thus salad is a wonderful accompaniment to keep the whole meal light. You can also serve salad with garlic butter roasted crab to balance out the richness of that preparation. One recommendation is a mandarin orange salad since it is a nice combination of crunchy and refreshing with a bit of sweetness. This can also be served as a first course before the crab to prepare the taste buds for what is to come.
Since vegetables have refreshing and earthy flavors, they are a nice complement to the sweet meat of crab. Not all veggies are created equal, though. Some of the best vegetables to pair are asparagus, broccoli, bell peppers and onions. Roasting them will caramelize them and bring out the natural sweetness that will pair so well with crab. This side dish can be served with warm or cold crab.
Another type of vegetables that is a really fun pairing is steamed artichokes. This food is along the same lines of use your hands, pull it apart, eat the meat, and discard the rest. It’s a great accompaniment once you’re already messy and letting your guard down.
First off, everyone loves mashed potatoes. Literally. I’ve never met anyone who actively dislikes mashed potatoes. Can you say, ultimate crowd pleaser? Any preparation of potato, really, pairs well with crab. But we know that mashed potatoes are that much of a widely loved fan favorite.
Another absolute crowd winner is, you guessed it, French fries. They’re absolutely delicious and super convenient to eat. Everyone loves them. And, you can even serve garlic fries to contrast steamed crabs or to complement garlic roasted crab.
Any type of corn can pair nicely with Crab. But to enhance the hands on eating experience, we recommend corn on the cob. Both elements are refreshing and take hands to eat so once you’re messy and getting in there, why not? You can prepare corn on the cob many ways like grilling it, steaming, boiling or even microwaving.
This one is the most obvious. Wine so clearly pairs incredibly well with crab. Especially white wine. Pinot gris, chardonnay and dry Riesling are the top recommendations for wine pairing.
Yes, crab tastes sweet and delicious. But, it is light. Light enough that you’ll still have room for dessert when you’re finished devouring your crustacean. To keep with the light and refreshing theme you can go with a lemon cheesecake. Or of course go for the classic chocolate cake.