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simple soft shell crab recipe sautéed without flour, in a frying pan
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4.58 from 76 votes

Simple Soft Shell Crabs (Sautéed without Flour)

Soft shell crabs briefly cooked in a little bit of butter and oil look unreasonably fancy for a quick lunch or easy dinner. But serve two of these honorable creatures o
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Fish + Shellfish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baked soft shell crab, broiled soft shell crab, sautéed soft shell crab recipe without flour, sautéed soft shell crab without flour
Calories: 250kcal
Author: Carolyn Gratzer Cope

Ingredients

  • 4 cleaned soft shell crabs
  • 1 tablespoon butter oil
  • 1 tablespoon safflower oil

Instructions

  • In a heavy, wide skillet, heat the butter and oil over medium-high heat until butter is melted.
  • Place the crabs into the pan in a single layer, shell sides down. Cook undisturbed for about five minutes, until the underside is crispy and red with a few browned spots
  • Flip crabs and cook on the other side until cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes more. Serve right away.

Notes

  1. Soft shell crabs are the same little folks you normally crack out of their hard shells. They're a figment of a moment in time, right after they've grown out of their old shells and before their new ones harden. You can eat the whole darn thing (once cleaned), and it's just the absolute best. I prefer to have the fishmonger clean them for me. Here's how to do it on your own.
  2. With so few ingredients, use the best ones you can get your hands on. I use a cultured, salted, grass fed butter. This sounds fancy but doesn't have to be. Kerrygold, for example, is sold at many supermarkets. If you need to avoid butter for any reason, you can double the oil.
  3. Safflower oil is my high-smoke-point, neutral-tasting vegetable oil of choice. You can substitute another oil that has similar properties, such as canola, sunflower, peanut, corn, or vegetable oil blend. If you prefer, you can use olive oil or another oil that suits your diet.
  4. This recipe takes a mere few minutes to make, and the crabs will be at their best shortly after cooking. So I wouldn't recommend going out of your way to make this recipe in advance.
  5. That said, leftovers will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for three to four days. Reheat on the stovetop or wrapped in foil in the oven, or much on them cold. No judgment.
I first published this recipe here in 2015. Post and recipe have been updated for clarity.

Nutrition

Calories: 250kcal | Protein: 40g | Fat: 8g