Crabmeat Sauté With Herbs

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 11/11/21
Crabmeat saute with tomatoes on plate
Diana Rattray
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 35 mins
Servings: 6 servings

This sautéed crabmeat makes a tasty main dish or appetizer. Chunks of crabmeat team up with a variety of fresh herbs, garlic, and lemon juice. The combination makes a delicately flavored topping for toast points, fresh salad greens, or puff pastry shells. Or spoon a small amount over baguette slices and serve them from an hors-d'oeuvre tray. Or use it as a filling for small hollowed out tomatoes for a special luncheon.

Jumbo lump—aka colossal—crabmeat is a great choice for the sauté, especially if it is to be served as a main dish. The chunks are large and sweet in flavor and perfect for a special meal. If you're using the crab saute as an appetizer, consider regular lump—or backfin—crabmeat or a third grade, special. Both grades are just as flavorful as the jumbo lump. Lump crabmeat has smaller lumps than the jumbo lump, and the "special" grade includes small chunks of lump crabmeat and flaked meat from the body. Plus, lump crabmeat and special crabmeat are both cheaper than jumbo lump.

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Ingredients

  • 1/4 pound butter

  • 1/2 clove garlic, minced

  • 1 green onion, minced

  • 1 pound fresh crabmeat (preferably jumbo lump or lump)

  • 1 tablespoon chives, minced

  • 1 tablespoon parsley, minced

  • Juice of 1/2 lemon

  • Toast points, puff pastry shells, salad greens, rice, or croutons, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat.

  3. Add garlic and green onion to skillet and cook for about 3 minutes. Do not let garlic brown. Stir frequently.

  4. Add crabmeat to skillet and toss with garlic and green onion. Cook while stirring gently until thoroughly heated.

  5. Sprinkle crabmeat mixture with chopped chives and parsley. Drizzle with lemon juice.

  6. Serve crabmeat sauté on a salad or fresh greens, on toast points or baked puff pastry shells, or spoon it over hot cooked rice.

Tips

  • Unless you buy fresh crabs, you'll most likely use pasteurized crabmeat, which comes in sealed containers. Always check the "best by" date when you buy pasteurized crabmeat. Pasteurization simply means that the crabmeat has been heated and cooled using a special process to destroy any harmful pathogens. Pasteurized crabmeat has a long shelf, but it must be kept refrigerated. Once it has been opened, however, it should be eaten within 2 days. If the crabmeat has been cooked, refrigerate leftovers and eat within 3 days.
  • The price of the crabmeat depends on the grade. Jumbo lump is the most expensive grade, with lump, special, and claw following with lower price points.
  • Shelf-stable crabmeat is usually inferior when compared to fresh or pasteurized. Miller's Select brand offers canned jumbo lump, special white, and claw, and their products get consistently good reviews. If you have a favorite brand of canned crabmeat, feel free to use it instead of pasteurized or fresh.

 

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
212 Calories
16g Fat
4g Carbs
14g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 212
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g 20%
Saturated Fat 10g 49%
Cholesterol 114mg 38%
Sodium 421mg 18%
Total Carbohydrate 4g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 14g
Vitamin C 18mg 88%
Calcium 83mg 6%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 263mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)