Food and Recipes Seafood Crab 27 Crab Recipes to Make This Summer and Beyond By Southern Living Editors Southern Living Editors Since 1966, the editors of Southern Living have been carrying out the mission of the brand: to bring enjoyment, fulfillment, and inspiration to our readers by celebrating life in the South. We inspire creativity in their homes, their kitchens, their gardens, and their personal style. We are a friend they can trust, a guide to the seasons, a helping hand during the holidays, and a relentless champion of the Southern way of life. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on June 28, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox The approach of summertime gets us itching for all that the season implies. With our freshly painted porches ready and our pollen-covered cushions a mere memory, we're prepping our menus and lighting up our lanterns in preparation for a long summer of porch suppers. First up on the menu? Seafood, of course. No matter if our melamine platters are serving up savory treats by the sea, lake, or backyard sprinkler—we just can't imagine a summertime meal without an impressive spread of flavorful sea creatures. Not to play favorites, but a buttery, savory crab sure does hold a special place in our hearts—and stomachs. And although we're firm believers that every at-home chef should master the art of the perfect crab cake, classic recipes such as that are only the beginning. (Don't worry, though: We have seven crab cake recipes on this list alone). We recommend kicking summer off right by cooking your way through these next-level crab recipes—from Deviled Crab Melts to Cheesy Crab Dip and Sea Island Crab Fried Rice—one at a time. And good news: If you're in the South, you can get your hands on fresh crab after summer's end and keep going. Just be sure to do your research about where to get it and when! 01 of 27 Crab Boil with Beer and Old Bay Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Crab Boil with Beer and Old Bay If you haven't already, it's time to make this a summertime tradition. Andouille sausage, corn, and potatoes make a full meal on one pretty platter. 02 of 27 Crab Pie Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Crab Pie Meet the other savory pie you need to make this summer. Step aside, tomatoes. 03 of 27 Deviled Crab Melts Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Deviled Crab Melts These open-faced sandwiches have dinner alfresco written all over them. Serve with something iced cold to drink. 04 of 27 West Indies Crab Salad Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: West Indies Crab Salad This fresh and light salad is simply dressed, but still manages to pack in all the flavor. 05 of 27 Crab Cake Bites with Old Bay Mayo, Chives, and Lemon Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Crab Cake Bites with Old Bay Mayo, Chives, and Lemon A good crab cake is nothing without an equally good sauce. This Old Bay mayo amplifies the flavors in the delicious cake. 06 of 27 Crab-and-Bacon Linguine Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Crab-and-Bacon Linguine Kick-up your weeknight summer dinners with this light linguine recipe. It's best served with plenty of crusty bread and white wine. 07 of 27 She-Crab Soup Southern Living Recipe: She-Crab Soup Top off a creamy bowl of this iconic Charleston soup with a spoonful of sherry. 08 of 27 Crispy Soft-Shell Crab Sandwiches Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Crispy Soft-Shell Crab Sandwiches If you've never made homemade remoulade before, you're missing out. Crispy, perfectly fried soft-shell crabs are nestled within a bun and slathered with our top-notch version of the must-have seafood condiment. 09 of 27 Hot Crab and Shrimp Dip Recipe: Hot Crab and Shrimp Dip If one kind of seafood isn't enough, we upped the ante with a crab and shrimp combo that is bound to make you weak in the knees. Sprinkle with toasted almonds and serve with crostini. 10 of 27 Hot Crab-and-Artichoke Dip Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Margaret Monroe Dickey Recipe: Hot Crab-and-Artichoke Dip If you're a fan of crab, Old Bay seasoning, and artichokes (who isn't?) this is the dip for you. Bake until it's hot, bubbly, and begging for you to dig right in. 11 of 27 Deviled Crab Recipe: Deviled Crab This Lowcountry dish is a true regional classic. If you're fortunate enough to get your hands on fresh, whole blue crabs for use in this recipe, forgo the individual tins and serve Deviled Crab in the shells themselves. 12 of 27 Sea Island Crab Fried Rice Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Sea Island Crab Fried Rice Crab rice, a popular dish throughout the Lowcountry, but particularly in the Gullah Greechie communities, features a delicious medley of flavors that can work as either a main dish or a side. Bacon, crab meat, onions, and green bell pepper flavor rice with the type of goodness begging for an "mm-hmm.." from the very first bite. 13 of 27 Chesapeake Bay Crab Cakes Southern Living Recipe: Chesapeake Bay Crab Cakes Don't overmix this crab cake recipe so you get the most out of your lump crabmeat. Tossing until the ingredients are just combined will give the cake more texture and flavor. 14 of 27 Crab Imperial Southern Living Recipe: Crab Imperial This hot dip turned casserole is a Maryland classic. It takes lump crabmeat and pairs it with an irresistibly creamy sauce that's loaded with flavor. You can make these in individual ramekins or a larger casserole dish. Serve with a side salad to make it a complete meal—oh, and don't forget the white wine. 15 of 27 Gulf Crab Cakes with Lemon Butter Iain Bagwell Recipe: Gulf Crab Cakes with Lemon Butter One of many crab cake recipes on this list, this iteration is special because it's straight out of coastal Texas. The main difference? It's made exclusively with Gulf crab, and you can officially count us as fans. 16 of 27 Creamy Crab Dip Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Creamy Crab Dip A creamy cold dip with a hint of nostalgia is just what your table is missing. Gently stir together the ingredients, then serve with celery, crostini, or toast points. 17 of 27 Seafood Gumbo Recipe: Seafood Gumbo This gumbo is packed with seafood, including crabmeat, shrimp, and oysters, too. 18 of 27 Deviled Crab Dip Eva Kolenko Recipe: Deviled Crab Dip Garnish this hot crap dip with benne seeds for a little crunch. It's great for serving a crowd. 19 of 27 Cornbread Crab Cakes Recipe: Cornbread Crab Cakes How to make crab cakes ultra-Southern? Swap the breadcrumbs or panko for cornbread crumbs, of course. 20 of 27 Crab Cake Hush Puppies Oxmoor House Recipe: Crab Cake Hush Puppies Serve these Crab Cake Hush Puppies with your favorite rémoulade or cocktail sauce for tasty appetizers. Hush puppies, a Southern classic made by deep-frying a cornmeal batter gets a seafood makeover. Served with a creamy, thick dipping sauce, these salty critters are a great option for a meal or an appetizer that aims to impress. Freeze any leftovers and defrost up to 3 months later. 21 of 27 Lump Crab Mornay Iain Bagwell Recipe: Lump Crab Mornay If there was ever a dip that was holiday-worthy, this is it. Gruyère cheese, dry sherry, and lump crabmeat bring the magic to a cream sauce that's perfectly smooth with a little dash of heat. Be sure to keep the dip warm in either a slow cooker or chafing dish. 22 of 27 Herbed Crab Cakes with Green Goddess Dressing Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Recipe: Herbed Crab Cakes with Green Goddess Dressing Looking for a light and fresh lunch? Whip up this recipe. Trust us: Green never tasted so good. 23 of 27 Mini Crab Cakes with Cajun Sauce Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Mini Crab Cakes with Cajun Sauce These mini creations make for great, bite-size appetizers. Toss them on some gem lettuce (for crunch and a vessel for holding), then top with this creamy sauce (for flavor and a welcome dose of hot sauce). 24 of 27 Christmas Crab Cakes Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Christmas Crab Cakes Yes, crab cakes can be served in December. This holiday recipe is a true testament to crabs being in season year-round in the South. 25 of 27 Hot Cheesy Crab Dip Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Hot Cheesy Crab Dip Think of this recipe as next-level cheese dip, dressed up with jumbo lump crabmeat, cream cheese, mayo, cheese, and hot sauce. 26 of 27 Crab-and-Corn Chowder Will Dickey; Prop Styling: Christina Daley; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners Recipe: Crab-and-Corn Chowder There's something special about starting a meal with a warm cup of chowder. This recipe works as a soup course, of course, but we'd argue that it's also hearty enough (thanks to the lump crabmeat) for lunch or dinner on its own. 27 of 27 Best-Ever Crab Cakes with Green Tomato Slaw Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Best-Ever Crab Cakes with Green Tomato Slaw Yes, they really are the best-ever. Make up a batch or two and don't skimp on the slaw. 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