While everyone coming to your dinner might love crab, you know you don't want to only serve them crab claws with nothing on the side. Crabmeat tastes rich and slightly sweet, so you want to pick the best sides that won't overpower the taste of the meat.
But with so many sides to choose from, how do you know what sides to pick that will best complement the crab?
From traditional sides to sides you can make in a hurry, our guide has you covered. Below are some of the best sides to pair with crab so you can make the perfect lunch or dinner.
Classic Sides
If you're an enthusiast of cooking crab, then you're sure to have eaten or heard of the classic sides that you can eat with crab.
One classic side for crab is dipping sauce. Usually, this type of dipping sauce would be clarified butter. But to add extra flavor, you can add lemon and garlic to the mix. Feel free to add black pepper and herbs like rosemary and thyme to add even more flavor.
Keep in mind that you need to serve this sauce warm as the butter will solidify at room temperature. So, this sauce is best served with warm crab dishes for the best experience.
Next, you can serve roast vegetables with your crab meal. Vegetables that go well with crab include carrots, asparagus, and Brussels sprouts. These earthy flavors offer a delicious balance to the slight sweetness of the crab.
If you have a grill or a barbeque, you can grill the vegetables to give them a smoky flavor. If you don't have a grill, you can broil the vegetables on the top rack of your oven to achieve a similar effect.
Plus, don't be afraid to combine crab meat with whatever vegetables are in season where you live. For example, you could combine squash with crab to give your meal a hearty flavor, while you could make a roasted bell pepper side dish in the summer for lighter fare.
Finger Food
Crab claws make for excellent finger food, especially on a summer's day. And since you'll be eating crab by hand, why not make some finger food sides that your guests can enjoy too?
Not only does this eliminate the need for washing lots of cutlery, but it'll make for a simpler dinner experience for your guests.
Any side dish you can comfortably eat with your hands would be a great option for finger food. This includes potato or yam fries, vegetable crudités, and a charcuterie board with some of your top picks of meats and cheeses.
If you want to serve potatoes but don't want to make fries, then you can get small potatoes like fingerling potatoes.
All you have to do is cut these in half and roast them with a bit of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and spices. These are easy to prepare and will make a delicious finger food accompaniment to your crab dish.
And if you have rice, you can make crispy risotto cakes, which are perfect for serving as a side or on top of an arugula salad that you can serve with your main crab dish.
Quick Sides
If you've only got enough time to buy crab before your guests arrive, you'll need a few go-to sides you can make in a hurry.
You also want to have these options available if you want to enjoy crab after a long day at work.
One example of a quick side would be french fries. You can make these on your own by cutting potatoes into thin strips or wedges. Then, coat them in olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and any spices you'd like.
But if this is too time-consuming, you can keep a bag of frozen fries in your freezer. Remember that you can still add herbs and spices to frozen fries, so you can still make this a delicious side dish while cutting down on prep time.
Another quick side is to serve the crab with steamed vegetables. Good options include carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower. You can also toss these steamed vegetables in olive oil, salt, and dried herbs like thyme for extra flavor.
You could also sauté some green beans with garlic and black pepper for a quick yet upscale side.
Fancy Fare
For those evening dinner parties, you'll want to have a few options for good side dishes to serve with stone crabs.
If you bought frozen crab, for example, then you can spend time cooking side dishes that take a bit more time to prepare.
These include making a fancier salad, such as a hearty Caesar salad with sliced almonds and croutons that you bake yourself.
Other types of salads that are a bit more unusual (yet still upscale) include fall apple salads or salads with grilled fruit like peaches.
You can also experiment to create your signature cocktail sauce. Start out with the basic cocktail sauce (ketchup, horseradish, Worchestershire, lemon, tabasco).
Then, add in your personalized touches, like black pepper, mayonnaise, lemon, and other spices to come up with your own version of the classic cocktail sauce for your guests to love.
Make an Even More Delicious Crab Dinner With the Best Sides
The best sides to eat with crab are plentiful, and there's a recipe out there sure to suit your schedule and the ingredients you already have.
Whether you choose a quick side of vegetables or an elaborate cheese board, the best crab meal starts with the freshest crab.
At Captain Stone Crab, we have the freshest stone crab claws in the country. No matter what size of crab claw you need, we've got the perfect crab for your next dinner.
Take a look at our sustainable stone crab options and order today so you can make your next favorite crab meal.