42 Crab Recipes for When You’re in the Mood for Seafood

Avocado Crab Boats

These boats are wonderful with tortilla chips, beans or rice. You can also cover them, pack them on ice, and take them to a picnic or potluck. Straight from the oven or cold, they’re always delicious. —Frances Benthin, Scio, Oregon

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Classic Crab Boil

Dig in to Dungeness crab boiled in a special mix of spices. —Matthew Hass, Franklin, Wisconsin

Wasabi Crab Cakes

With wasabi in both the crab cakes and the dipping sauce, this festive appetizer brings its own heat to the holiday party. —Marie Rizzio, Interlochen, Michigan

Avocado Crab Boats

These boats are wonderful with tortilla chips, beans or rice. You can also cover them, pack them on ice, and take them to a picnic or potluck. Straight from the oven or cold, they're always delicious. —Frances Benthin, Scio, Oregon

Hot Crab Pinwheels

I got the recipe for these crabmeat bites from a friend. What amazed me most is that my husband, who hates seafood, couldn't stop eating them. —Kitti Boesel, Woodbridge, Virginia

Apricot Crab Stuffed Acorn Squash

This light squash recipe is quick, simple and bursting with rich flavors. It looks so elegant when served on a lovely platter. —Judy Armstrong, Prairieville, Louisiana

Sweet Potato and Crab Soup

This sweet and savory soup is quick and easy to prepare. You can substitute butternut squash or pumpkin for the sweet potatoes, depending on what you have on hand. —Judy Armstrong, Prairieville, Louisiana

Crab-Stuffed Flounder with Herbed Aioli

If you like seafood, you’ll love this scrumptious flounder. The light and creamy aioli sauce tops it off with fresh tones of chives and garlic. —Beverly O'Ferrall, Linkwood, Maryland

Spicy Crab Salad Tapas

I served these at a party and everyone went wild! These delicious morsels have a crispy flaky outside filled with creamy sweet crab that has a little kick. I used scalloped-edge cookie cutters to cut my pastry, but you can use a small biscuit cutter. —Vanessa Mason, Summerdale, Alabama

Crabmeat Boats

I've been making this recipe for more than 40 years. You can also spread the filling on small rolls and serve them as an appetizer. —June Strang, Grand Blanc, Michigan

Shrimp & Crab Casserole

This quick, easy recipe is truly delicious. The succulent, melt-in-your-mouth seafood flavors and textures make for elegant comfort food. To make ahead, just assemble, cover and refrigerate, then bake when ready. —Jan Bartley, Evergreen, North Carolina

Baked Crab Rangoons

When I'm dining out, crab rangoons are one of my go-to dishes. I decided to create a better-for-you version at home. —Emily Higgins, Wingdale, New York

Cioppino

Is cioppino a soup or a stew? It doesn't matter! This cioppino recipe teems with fish and shellfish swimming in an aromatic tomato broth that calls out for a hunky of crusty bread.

Crab Cake Stuffed Mushrooms

These tender crab-stuffed mushrooms with their crispy golden topping are always popular at parties! The crab filling is a delicious special occasion treat. Serve them while they're warm. —Nancy Aiello, Bloomery, West Virginia

Creamy Seafood Bisque

Savor the flavors of the sea with this creamy seafood bisque, featuring a delicious blend of shrimp, crab and clams in a rich, tomatoey broth.

Seafood Casserole

This baked seafood casserole is simple to put together. Shrimp, crab, vegetables and rice are combined in a single dish, bathed in a rich sauce and topped with crunchy, golden bread crumbs.

Crab and Asparagus Soup

I get rave reviews from family and friends whenever I make this soup, but the biggest compliment was when my son called to ask for the recipe so he could make it for his roommates. —Patti Bogetti, Magnolia, Delaware

Basil-Lemon Crab Linguine

I always add herbs to pasta to really punch up the flavor. This linguine looks and tastes like it's from a five-star restaurant. We love it. —Tonya Burkhard, Palm Coast, Florida

Seafood Lasagna

This rich satisfying dish, adapted from a recipe given to me by a friend, is my husband’s favorite. I usually serve it on his birthday. It’s loaded with scallops, shrimp and imitation crab in a creamy sauce. I consider this the “crown jewel” in my repertoire of recipes. —Elena Hansen, Ruidoso, New Mexico

Creamy Seafood Enchiladas

Shrimp and crab cooked with a flavorful sauce add up to outstanding enchiladas. I made them for an annual fundraiser, and now they’re always in demand. Spice up the recipe to your taste by adding more green chiles and salsa. —Evelyn Gebhardt, Kasilof, Alaska

Aunt Nancy's Cream of Crab Soup

My sister Nancy is one of the best cooks I know. When my daughter was getting married, I put together a cookbook of her favorite family recipes—Nancy's soup was a must-have. Our family often had this with a salad before Christmas Eve services. —Lynne German, Buford, Georgia

Carolina Crab Boil

This pot is a fun way to feed a crowd for a tailgate. You can serve it two ways: Drain the cooking liquid and pour out the pot on a paper-lined table so folks can dig in, or serve it as a stew in its liquid over hot rice. —Melissa Pelkey Hass, Waleska, Georgia

Cheese & Crab Brunch Bake

Who doesn't love an easy, cheesy seafood casserole that can be pulled together in 30 minutes, refrigerated overnight and baked up the next morning? —Joyce Conway, Westerville, Ohio

Crab Crescents

This recipe is so good, no one will guess how quickly you put it together. These little bites are delicious and decadent! —Stephanie Howard, Oakland, California

Spicy Shrimp & Crab Cocktail

This seafood starter is so good that it makes me love a food I usually don't—radishes! This recipe also calls for spicy V8, but Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix works just as well. Serve the cocktail straight up, with tortilla chips or on a bed of butter lettuce. —Heidi Knaak, Liberty, Missouri

Maryland Crab Soup

Maryland crab soup is packed with chunky crabmeat, vegetables and seasonings in a vegetable broth. Start preparing this recipe several hours before you want to eat, then let the slow cooker work its magic.

Coastal Carolina Muffin-Tin Frittatas

Incorporating the flavors of a low country South Carolina crab boil, these tasty frittatas are easy to make and fun to eat. If you have leftover cooked potatoes (roasted or boiled), try dicing them and substituting them for the refrigerated shredded potatoes in this recipe. —Shannon Kohn, Summerville, South Carolina

Cajun Crab Poppers

My brother moved to New Orleans, and I love visiting him and his family whenever I can. These easy jalapeno poppers remind me of my time there. They are stuffed with crab, Cajun seasonings and bacon. —Elizabeth Lubin, Huntington Beach, California

Crab Crescent Triangles

When friends who love crab were planning a party, I created this recipe just for them. These comforting baked bundles wrap up a cheesy seafood filling in convenient crescent roll dough. —Noelle Myers, Grand Forks, North Dakota

Crab & Shrimp Stuffed Sole

The most casual cookout will seem elegant when it stars this delicate fish combined with seafood stuffing and a lemony sauce. Just add a salad and baguette. —Bryn Namavari, Chicago, Illinois

Slow Cooker Hot Crab Dip

One batch of this slow-cooker appetizer isn’t enough for my family so I often double the recipe. Bits of sweet onion give the creamy dip a bit of crunch.—Terri Perrier, Simonton, Texas

Crab Egg Foo Yong

Enjoy a classic Chinese takeout without leaving your home. This makes a quick dinner and is as delicious as what you would get in any restaurant. —Beverly Preston, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin

Cajun Crab Burgers

Here's my take on the traditional crab cake. I like to top my sandwiches with Cajun remoulade and pile spicy baked sweet potato fries on the side. —Athena Russell, Florence, South Carolina

California Roll in a Jar

I'm a big sushi fan, but I don't always have time to make those intricate rolls at home. This jar is layered with my favorite California roll ingredients, so I can get the flavor I love without the fuss. —James Schend, Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin

Herbed Seafood Casserole

When I wanted a seafood dish for my annual Christmas Eve buffet, my friend gave me a wonderful recipe. This is a rich, creamy casserole loaded with shrimp, scallops and crab. —Donna Schmuland, Westaskiwin, Alberta

Baked Crab Dip

We enjoyed this exquisite dip at my grandson's wedding reception. It looks fancy but is easy to make. You can even make this crab dip recipe ahead of time by filling the bread bowl early in the day and chilling it until serving. Just remove it from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. —Marie Shelley, Exeter, Missouri

Crab-Topped Fish Fillets

These fillets are elegant enough for company but truly no trouble to make. Fish is abundant here in South Florida, and we like to get together with friends in the afternoon, so I often need to whip up a quick dinner when we get home. This special dish is one of my husband's favorites. —Mary Tuthill, Fort Myers Beach, Florida

Gruyere and Crab Palmiers

I keep these little bursts of flavor in my freezer so they can be pulled out and popped into the oven at a moment's notice. Crab, pancetta and Gruyere make an elegant appetizer, and you can make your own variations of the filling. Try chicken and pesto, or a Mediterranean version with spinach and feta. —Grace Voltolina, Westport, Connecticut

Crab Louie Lettuce Wraps

Party guests can mingle and enjoy these tasty portable lettuce wraps without having to juggle plates and forks. — Michael Watz, Normal, Illinois

Blend of the Bayou

My sister-in-law shared this recipe with me when I first moved here. It's been handed down in my husband's family for generations. It's quick to prepare, nutritious and flavorful. I've passed it on to my children too.—Ruby Williams, Bogalusa, Louisiana