Stop Loading Your Crab Dishes Up With Tons Of Toppings

There's nothing like cracking into a freshly caught steamed crab. Lobster gets all the hype, but I don't think it has even half the flavor that crab does — and it usually costs multiple times more.

Not that you can avoid spending a pretty penny on crab either, as most shellfish are pretty costly. However, if you are going to treat yourself to a crab dinner, you want to make sure that the shellfish really shines as the star of the meal. There is no use in doling out all that cash for all the sweet crab flavor to get lost under a heap of other ingredients. Otherwise, you might as well save yourself some money and use a good imitation crab — which is also great, but isn't really crab at all. Even beloved crab rangoon is rarely made with real crab, and doesn't need to be with all that cream cheese and sweet chili sauce.

But, if you are going for a delicious crab dinner, you should try to go minimal on the fixings. Soft shell crab is delicious battered and fried, but keeping the flavors simple in other crab preparations will lend the purest shellfish experience.

Take crab cakes for an example of how crab really shines in simplicity. A good crab cake is all killer, no filler; lump crab meat with just enough egg and breadcrumbs to keep everything together. If you've ever taken a bite of a crab cake that was mostly filler and seasonings, you know that certain kind of disappointment.

Ignoring the jokes about unseasoned dishes for most other foods, crab doesn't need the addition of any flavors to make it crave-worthy. The subtly sweet meat and briny essense of the sea does not — and should not — need to be covered up with too many spices or aromatics. There's a reason why king crab legs are served only with drawn butter and lemon wedges to let the flavors sing.

A sprinkle of Old Bay seasoning in a crab boil works since the spice blend is specifically designed to accompany crab, but too much can easily overpower all the delicate flavors of my favorite crustacean. Personally, I am fond of a basic crab salad with a bit of mayonnaise to add creaminess, a smidge of chopped celery for texture, and lemon for brightness. More substantial dinners like a crab pasta need little more than melted butter, garlic, and a sprinkle of fresh, chopped parsley to make an unforgettably crabby meal. There are some veggies that pair well with crab; I love the sweetness corn lends in a crab and corn chowder, but it is always important to make sure your sides compliment your crab, not overpower its unique flavors.