Garlic Butter Crab Toasts (Printable)
Golden toasts topped with seasoned crab in garlic butter—an impressive yet simple starter perfect for entertaining.
# 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, 1/2 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 chives, finely chopped
09 - 1/4 tsp sea salt
10 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
11 - Pinch cayenne pepper
→ Garnish
12 - Extra chopped chives or parsley
13 - Lemon wedges
# How To Make It:
01 - Turn on oven broiler or preheat oven to 425°F for optimal toasting temperature.
02 - Combine softened butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, chives, salt, black pepper, and cayenne in a small bowl. Mix until completely smooth and incorporated.
03 - Gently fold crab meat into the garlic butter mixture, being careful to maintain the lump texture of the crab.
04 - Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet. Broil or bake for 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp throughout.
05 - Spoon crab mixture generously onto each toasted slice. Return to broiler for 1–2 minutes just until heated through, taking care not to overcook the seafood.
06 - Remove from oven, sprinkle with additional fresh herbs, and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The contrast between warm, buttery crab and crunch of perfectly toasted bread creates the most satisfying bite
- Everything comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like something from a proper restaurant
02 -
- Overcooking the crab makes it tough and rubbery, so watch closely during that final broil
- Rubbing the toasted bread with a raw garlic clove adds an extra layer of flavor that people will notice but not be able to identify
03 -
- Pick through your crab meat carefully to remove any shell fragments before mixing
- Room temperature butter blends better and coats the crab more evenly than cold butter