Seafood Recipes

Sautéed Soft-Shell Crabs With Lemon-Butter PanSauce

Crisp sautéed soft-shell crab in a garlic, lemon and caper butter pan sauce, finished with parsley.

Sautéed Soft-Shell Crabs With Lemon-Butter Pan Sauce
2 People
Serves
5 Mins
Prep Time
15 Mins
Cook Time
Medium
Difficulty
Australian
Cuisine
ABOUT THIS

About This Recipe

Sautéed soft-shell crabs are a delicious delicacy, cooked to crispy perfection and paired with a zesty lemon-butter pan sauce. The crabs are lightly seasoned, then sautéed to achieve a crispy texture on the outside while remaining tender on the inside. This dish is perfect for a light, yet indulgent meal. Try our recipe and order soft-shell crabs online from Pearl Seafoods, with fast delivery across Sydney.

Ingredients

  1. 2 soft-shell crabs, cleaned
  2. 8 tablespoons (120g) butter, divided
  3. 1/4 cup plain flour
  4. Salt
  5. Black pepper
  6. 1 garlic clove, minced
  7. 2 tablespoons capers, drained
  8. 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  9. 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  10. 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Method

  1. In a shallow bowl, season the flour with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the crabs in the seasoned flour.
  2. In a large stainless steel skillet, melt half the butter (4 tablespoons/60g) over medium-high heat until foamy. Add the crabs, shell-side down, and cook until browned and crisp, about 3 minutes; be careful, as soft-shell crabs sometimes pop in the pan. Flip and cook until crisp and golden on the other side, about 3 minutes. Transfer to paper towel-lined plates and season lightly with salt.
  3. Add the remaining butter and garlic to the skillet. Lower the heat to medium and cook for about 1 minute, until the garlic is fragrant, then continue until the butter turns a light golden-brown.
  4. Add the capers and cook until lightly crisped, about 1 minute. Add the lemon juice and zest, swirl to combine, and remove from the heat.
  5. Stir the parsley into the pan sauce and season with salt if needed. Transfer the crabs to a serving platter, spoon the sauce on top, and serve right away.
From Our Kitchen

Chef's Tip

Sautéed soft-shell crab is all about crisp texture, rich flavour, and simplicity. Lightly coating the crabs in seasoned flour creates a delicate golden crust while keeping the inside tender and juicy. The lemon-butter pan sauce adds richness, brightness, and a touch of acidity that perfectly balances the natural sweetness of the crab, creating a seafood dish that feels indulgent, fresh, and full of flavour.

FEATURED

Featured Product

Sale
Whole frozen soft-shell crab displayed on black slate with crushed ice and lemon

Frozen Softshell Crab

1kg

Whole softshell crab, cleaned and ready to fry or grill...

$35.00 kg
$38.00 $35.00 kg
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NUTRITION

Nutrition Per Serving

  • Calories 370 kcal
  • Total Fat 29.0 g
  • Total Carbohydrate 9.0 g
  • Protein 19.0 g
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