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17 Crab Recipes For When You Want to ‘Treat Yourself’

These crab recipes are the best excuse we have for buying the really good stuff.

By Bon Appétit

July 4, 2017

Image may contain Dish Food Meal and Fried Chicken

From soup to fritters to pasta these are the recipes that make crab season worth the wait.

Alex Lau
1/17
Crab Cakes with Roasted Tomatillo Mayo
Try not to pack the crab mixture too tightly; you want these to just hold their shape so they fry up light and airy. And remember: Crab cakes are only as good as the crab you use; buy the best you can afford.
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Randy Harris
2/17
The Slipway Crab Roll
Like a lobster roll…but crabbier.
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Alex Lau
3/17
Fried Soft-Shell Crab Sandwich
These babies are fried whole. Ask your butcher to prep (i.e.: kill) them for you.
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Peden & Munk
4/17
Crab with Romaine, Dill Sauce, and Sunflower Seeds
Sprouting and frying the sunflower seeds completely transforms their flavor. But just using salted, roasted sunflower seeds would also work fine. This recipe is from Staplehouse, America's Best New Restaurant 2016.
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Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott
5/17
Garganelli with Crab and Broccolini
This pasta is excuse to buy the really good crab.
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Danny Kim
6/17
Crab Toasts with Spicy Yogurt
Used in place of mayonnaise, yogurt brings tang and brightness to these crostini.
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7/17
Blue Crab Beignets
We'll never say no to a beignet—and definitely not one made with crab.
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8/17
Tomato and Crab Soup
Have a crusty baguette or two close at hand—you'll want it for mopping.
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Photo by Christopher Testani
9/17
Crab Toast with Lemon Aioli
The aioli is light and bright, making it a perfect match for sweet crab meat.
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10/17
Potted Crab with Meyer Lemon
Have plenty of toasts, crackers, or flatbreads on hand.
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11/17
Linguine with Crab, Lemon, Chile, and Mint
This dish is made infinitely better with fresh mint—don't substitute it for dried.
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Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Stevie Stewart, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams
12/17
Baltimore Crab Cakes
Baltimore knows their crab cakes. And now so will you.
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13/17
Avocado and Crab Soup
Creamy and sweet, this is summer in a bowl.
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14/17
Crab Toast
Don't be stingy with the sliced jalapeños.
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15/17
Tomato, Fennel, and Crab Soup
All of the flavors of a classic seafood stew.
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16/17
Crab, Chile & Mint Crostini
The sweet crab is the perfect foil for the heat of the chiles.
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17/17
Blue Crab Gratin
Diet food, this ain't. Embrace the cream. Embrace the cheese. Embrace the crab.
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