Instant Pot Crab Legs

This easy recipe for Instant Pot Crab Legs shows you the best way to cook and steam crab legs with the most flavor. With this method, you can steam crab legs 2-4 minutes using your pressure cooker. You can even cook them straight from frozen!

No need for the oven or a baking sheet! Steaming crab legs in the instant pot will no longer be intimidating when you can make them in your pressure cooker!

The result is perfectly cooked crab meat with minimal effort and clean-up. Great for holidays like New Years and Christmas or for whenever you feel like having a decadent seafood meal.

🦀 Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need

Crab Legs: You could buy these fresh or frozen to make them more budget-friendly. As long as you have 1 ½ to 2lbs they will fit in any standard pressure cooker or instant pot.

Lemon Slices: This is sliced and placed on the bottom so the lemon flavor steams into the crab legs.

Seasoning: A tablespoon of seafood seasoning is necessary to get that classic taste. You can use Old Bay, Zatarains, Tony’s Creole Seasoning, or any Cajun Seasoning you enjoy!

Minced Garlic: All seafood pairs well with garlic, minced garlic is added to the bottom of the instant pot to infuse it with light but fragrant garlic flavor.

Melted Butter or Ghee:  Melt butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Serve with lemon juice or your favorite garlic butter sauce or dipping sauce!

Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker: You can use a standard pressure cooker for this recipe. I like using my Ninja Foodi multicooker.

🍲 How To Steam Crab Legs In The Instant Pot

1️⃣ Pour one cup of water into the bottom of your instant pot.

2️⃣ Stir in 1 tbsp of your favorite seafood seasoning (Old Bay seasoning, Cajun Seasoning, Zatarains). Then stir in minced garlic.

3️⃣ Add trivet to the bottom of the instant pot and place lemon slices on top.

4️⃣ Add fresh or frozen crab leg clusters. Be sure to arrange so that everything is under the MAX line.

5️⃣ Seal the lid and pressure cook on manual HIGH pressure for 2 minutes if fresh or 4 minutes if frozen.

6️⃣ Once the crab legs are finished cooking, do a quick release vent. Use tongs to remove and serve while they are hot.

🍲The Best Crab Legs For Steaming

The best crab legs to steam on the stovetop or in the instant pot are crab legs that are thick and meaty. Try out these different types of crab legs. 

• King Crab Legs
• Alaskan Legs
• Dungeness Crab Legs
• Snow Crab Legs

🧊Instant Pot Frozen Crab Legs

You can pressure cook frozen crab legs in your instant pot with no need to thaw or defrost! The instant pot will heat up according to the contents of the pot making sure that the food will be cooked. It may take a few minutes longer to warm up but they will cook perfectly even straight from frozen!

🥘Using Crab Legs In A Seafood Boil

If you’re making a seafood boil or Low Country Boil, you can absolutely add crab legs along with the corn, sausage, potatoes, and shrimp!

🧊Storage & Reheating

Storing leftovers: Cooked crab legs are best served immediately. If you do have leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheating Crab Legs: The best way to reheat crab legs is to steam them again for a few minutes until they are warmed through. You can also reheat them in the oven on a baking sheet at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.

🍲More Instant Pot Dinner Recipes

• Instant Pot Pork Ribs
• Instant Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken
• Instant Pot Crispy Buffalo Wings
• Instant Pot Hamburger Helper
• Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs
• Instant Pot Steamed Shrimp
• Instant Pot Pasta with Meat Sauce