Garlic Butter Crab Toasts (Print View)
Succulent crab meat in rich garlic butter on crisp toasted bread, ready in 25 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Seafood
01 - 7 oz fresh or canned lump crab meat, drained and picked over
→ Bread
02 - 8 slices baguette or sourdough, about ½ inch thick
→ Garlic Butter
03 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
04 - 2 large garlic cloves, finely minced
05 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
06 - 1 tsp lemon zest
07 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
08 - 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
09 - ¼ tsp sea salt
10 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
11 - Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
→ Garnish
12 - Extra chopped chives or parsley
13 - Lemon wedges
# Method:
01 - Preheat oven broiler or set oven to 425°F.
02 - Combine softened butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, chives, salt, black pepper, and cayenne in a small bowl. Mix until smooth and well combined.
03 - Gently fold crab meat into garlic butter mixture, taking care not to break up the lumps.
04 - Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet. Toast under broiler or in oven for 2–3 minutes per side until golden and crisp.
05 - Spoon crab mixture generously onto each toast. Return to oven and broil for 1–2 minutes until just warmed through.
06 - Remove from oven and garnish with extra herbs and lemon juice. Serve warm with lemon wedges.
# Insider Tips:
01 -
- The garlic butter amplifies the natural sweetness of crab without overwhelming it
- They come together in under 30 minutes but taste like something from a proper restaurant
02 -
- Overcooking the crab makes it tough and rubbery, so just warm it through under the broiler
- The bread needs to be completely crisp before topping, or the butter will make it soggy
03 -
- Rub the hot toasted bread with a raw garlic clove before topping for an extra aromatic layer
- Pick through the crab carefully to remove any shell fragments before mixing