Tiếng Việt
ไทยSoft-shell crab is a special seafood that can be eaten whole, with a soft shell, sweet flavor, and high nutritional value. Many first-time buyers often wonder what delicious dishes to make with soft-shell crab that are both easy to prepare and preserve the crab’s natural taste. This article summarizes the 10 most popular dishes ranging from stir-fried, deep-fried, and steamed to salads and soups, along with processing tips and how to choose fresh crab, helping you confidently cook soft-shell crab as delicious as in a restaurant and feel more secure when choosing quality seafood for family meals.
Soft-shell crab dishes
The advantage of soft-shell crab is its soft shell, which does not need to be removed; just clean it and it can be processed immediately. Therefore, soft-shell crab dishes are very diverse, from appetizers to main courses in family meals or seafood parties.
Stir-fried soft-shell crab with butter and garlic
Stir-fried with butter and garlic is the “national” dish when mentioning what delicious dishes to make with soft-shell crab. The richness of the butter combined with the aroma of fried garlic highlights the natural sweetness of the crab.
Ingredients
- Soft-shell crab: 500 g
- Unsalted butter: 30 g
- Minced garlic: 20 g
- Green onions: 2 stalks
- Salt: 1/3 teaspoon
- Ground pepper: 1/2 teaspoon
- Cooking oil: 1 tablespoon
How to make stir-fried soft-shell crab with butter and garlic:
- Wash the crab and drain.
- Fry the garlic with oil until golden and fragrant, then add the butter and melt.
- Add the soft-shell crab and stir-fry quickly for 3-4 minutes over medium heat.
- Season with salt and pepper, toss well, then turn off the heat.
- Sprinkle with chopped green onions and serve hot.
Great tips:
- Do not stir-fry for too long to prevent the crab from releasing water.
- Serving with bread is a perfect match.
Stir-fried soft-shell crab with tamarind
This dish has a balanced sweet and sour taste, is easy to eat, and is very suitable when you are wondering what to cook with soft-shell crab for the whole family.
Ingredients
- Soft-shell crab: 500 g
- Ripe tamarind: 40 g
- Sugar: 1.5 tablespoons
- Fish sauce: 1 tablespoon
- Minced garlic: 15 g
- Minced chili: to taste
- Cooking oil: 1 tablespoon
How to make stir-fried soft-shell crab with tamarind:
- Mash the tamarind with 50 ml of hot water and strain to get the juice.
- Sauté the garlic, then add the crab and stir-fry briefly.
- Pour in the tamarind juice, add sugar, fish sauce, and chili.
- Simmer over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Tips
- Adjust the sweet and sour taste to your liking.
- Eating with white rice is very satisfying.
Grilled soft-shell crab with sate
Grilled soft-shell crab with sate is suitable for BBQ parties, with a spicy and rich flavor.
Ingredients
- Soft-shell crab: 600 g
- Sate sauce: 2 tablespoons
- Oyster sauce: 1 tablespoon
- Honey: 1 tablespoon
- Minced garlic: 10 g
How to make grilled soft-shell crab with sate:
- Mix the sate, oyster sauce, honey, and garlic.
- Marinate the crab for 20 minutes.
- Grill over charcoal or in an oven at 180°C for 10-12 minutes.
>> See more: What delicious dishes can be made with sea crab? Check out the list of 15 super attractive dishes
Fried soft-shell crab with Thai sauce
Fried soft-shell crab with Thai sauce is an attractive dish with a layer of crispy fried crab, blended with a balanced sour, spicy, salty, and sweet Thai sauce. This dish is very appetizing, suitable as a main course or a seafood snack.
Ingredients (2–3 people)
- Soft-shell crab: 400–500g
- Crispy frying flour: 80g
- Cornstarch: 2 tablespoons
- Egg: 1
- Cooking oil: enough for frying
Thai sauce part:
- Minced garlic: 1 tablespoon
- Minced chili: 1–2 teaspoons (depending on spiciness)
- Thai chili sauce: 2 tablespoons
- Fish sauce: 1½ tablespoons
- Sugar: 1½ tablespoons
- Lemon or kumquat juice: 1 tablespoon
Instruction:
- Wash the soft-shell crab and drain. You can cut them in half if the crabs are large.
- Mix the crispy frying flour, cornstarch, and egg until slightly thick. Dip the crab in the batter and deep-fry over medium heat until golden brown and crispy, then remove and drain.
- Sauté the garlic with a little oil, then add the chili sauce, fish sauce, and sugar, stirring well. Cook over low heat until the sauce thickens, turn off the heat, and add the lemon juice.
- Add the fried crab to the sauce pan and toss quickly so the sauce coats the crab evenly. Serve hot.
Soft-shell crab salad
Soft-shell crab salad is a refreshing appetizer, highlighting the soft and sweet soft-shell crab meat that doesn’t need its shell removed, combined with fresh vegetables and a balanced sweet and sour dressing. This dish is very suitable for seafood parties or days when you want a light, easy-to-eat change of flavor.
Ingredients (2–3 people)
- Soft-shell crab: 400g
- Onion: 1 small bulb
- Carrot: 1 small root
- Cucumber: 1 fruit
- Vietnamese coriander: 20g
- Fried shallots: 30g
- Roasted peanuts: 30g
Salad dressing:
- Fish sauce: 2 tablespoons
- Sugar: 1½ tablespoons
- Lemon or kumquat juice: 2 tablespoons
- Minced garlic: 1 teaspoon
- Minced chili: 1 teaspoon (adjust to taste)
Instruction
- Wash the soft-shell crab, blanch quickly in boiling water with a few slices of ginger for about 30–40 seconds until just cooked, remove and soak in ice water to maintain sweetness, then cut in half or leave whole.
- Thinly slice the onion and soak in ice water to reduce the pungency. Shred the carrot and cucumber, then drain. Wash and chop the Vietnamese coriander.
- Mix the fish sauce, sugar, lemon juice, garlic, and chili until completely dissolved, tasting for a balanced sweet and sour flavor.
- Place the soft-shell crab, onion, carrot, and cucumber in a large bowl, pour the dressing over, and toss gently. Add the Vietnamese coriander and mix one last time.
- Arrange the salad on a plate, sprinkle with fried shallots and roasted peanuts, and serve immediately.
Soft-shell crab soup
Soft-shell crab soup is a nutritious appetizer, with the natural sweet taste of soft-shell crab blended with a smooth, thick soup base, making it easy to eat and suitable for both adults and children. This dish often appears in family parties or guest treats thanks to its light yet sophisticated flavor.
Ingredients (3–4 people)
- Soft-shell crab: 300g
- Chicken or pork bones: 500g
- Dried shiitake mushrooms: 5 heads (or 120g fresh mushrooms)
- Sweet corn: 1 cob
- Quail eggs: 10 eggs
- Egg: 1
- Tapioca starch: 2–3 tablespoons
- Green onions, cilantro: 20g each
- Salt: 1 teaspoon
- Seasoning powder: 1 tablespoon
- Ground pepper: ½ teaspoon
- Sesame oil: 1 teaspoon
Instruction
- Wash the soft-shell crab, blanch quickly in boiling water for 1 minute, remove to cool, then separate the meat and cut into bite-sized strips. Blanch the bones briefly and wash them clean. Soak the shiitake mushrooms until soft and slice them. Remove the corn kernels. Boil the quail eggs and peel them.
- Put the bones in a pot with 1.5 liters of water, simmer for 30–40 minutes, and strain to get the clear broth. Add the shiitake mushrooms, corn, and quail eggs to the pot, bring to a boil, and season with salt and seasoning powder.
- Add the soft-shell crab meat to the pot and stir gently. Mix the tapioca starch with 100ml of water and pour slowly into the pot until the soup reaches the desired thickness. Beat the egg and pour slowly into the pot in a circular motion to create beautiful threads.
- Season with pepper and sesame oil, then turn off the heat. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with green onions and cilantro.
Soft-shell crab soup is best served hot, with a natural sweet taste and no fishy smell, suitable as an appetizer or a light nourishing dish.
>> See now: What delicious dishes can be made with crab? 15 attractive crab dishes suggestions, love at first bite
Crispy fried soft-shell crab
Crispy fried soft-shell crab is an attractive dish with a golden, crunchy outer layer and naturally sweet, soft crab meat inside. Due to the characteristic of soft-shell crab not needing to be peeled, this dish is very easy to eat, suitable as a snack, an appetizer, or served with hot rice.
Ingredients (2–3 people)
- Soft-shell crab: 400g
- Crispy frying flour: 80g
- Cornstarch (or tapioca starch): 30g
- Egg: 1
- Minced garlic: 1 teaspoon
- Salt: ½ teaspoon
- Ground pepper: ½ teaspoon
- Cooking oil: enough for frying
How to make crispy fried soft-shell crab:
- Wash the soft-shell crab and drain. You can cut them in half or leave them whole depending on their size. Marinate lightly with salt and pepper for about 10 minutes to absorb.
- Mix the crispy frying flour, cornstarch, egg, and minced garlic. Add about 80–100ml of water and stir well until the mixture is moderately thick, neither too thick nor too thin.
- Heat the oil in a deep frying pan. Dip the soft-shell crab into the batter, making sure it is evenly coated, then drop it into the hot oil. Deep-fry over medium heat until the crab is golden and crispy on both sides.
- Remove the crab and place on paper towels to drain the oil. Serve hot with chili sauce, mayonnaise, or salt, pepper, and lemon.
Crispy fried soft-shell crab is best when eaten immediately; the outer shell is crunchy but not hard, while the inside still retains the characteristic softness and sweetness of soft-shell crab.
Steamed soft-shell crab with lemongrass
Steamed soft-shell crab with lemongrass is a simple dish that preserves the full natural sweetness of the crab. The light aroma of lemongrass helps eliminate the fishy smell and highlights the soft, sweet, and easy-to-eat crab meat, making it very suitable for family meals or when you want to enjoy seafood in a light way.
Ingredients (2–3 people)
- Soft-shell crab: 500g
- Lemongrass: 4–5 stalks
- Ginger: 1 small root
- Chili: 1–2 fruits (optional)
- Salt: ½ teaspoon
Dipping sauce:
- Lemon salt and pepper or green chili salt
- Ginger fish sauce can also be prepared if desired
Instruction
- Wash the soft-shell crab gently and drain. If the crabs are large, they can be cut in half to ensure even cooking.
- Crush the lemongrass and cut into sections. Slice the ginger. Arrange the lemongrass and ginger at the bottom of the pot and sprinkle with a little salt.
- Place the soft-shell crab on top of the lemongrass and ginger layer and cover. Steam over high heat for about 6–8 minutes until the crab is just cooked and the meat turns opaque white.
- Remove the crab to a plate and add a few chili slices for garnish. Serve hot with lemon salt and pepper or ginger fish sauce.
Steamed soft-shell crab with lemongrass is best when eaten immediately; the crab meat is soft and sweet, with a light lemongrass scent, perfect for those who like the original taste of seafood.
Steamed soft-shell crab with beer
Steamed soft-shell crab with beer is a rustic but very popular dish thanks to the light beer aroma, which helps the crab cook evenly and brings out its natural sweetness. Soft-shell crab meat is tender and requires no peeling; serving it with a rich dipping sauce is enough to make it enticing for family meals or gatherings with friends.
Ingredients (2–3 people)
- Soft-shell crab: 500g
- Beer: 1 can (330ml)
- Lemongrass: 3–4 stalks
- Ginger: 1 small root
- Chili: 1–2 fruits (optional)
Suggested dipping sauce:
- Lemon salt and pepper
- Green chili salt or ginger fish sauce
Instruction
- Wash the soft-shell crab and drain. If the crabs are large, they can be cut in half to ensure even cooking.
- Crush the lemongrass and cut into sections. Slice the ginger. Place the lemongrass and ginger at the bottom of the pot and pour in the beer.
- Arrange the soft-shell crab on top of the lemongrass and ginger layer and cover. Steam over high heat for about 6–8 minutes until the crab is cooked and the meat turns pinkish-white.
- Remove the crab to a plate and add a few chili slices for decoration. Serve hot with the prepared dipping sauce.
Steamed soft-shell crab with beer is best when eaten immediately; the sweetness of the crab blends with the subtle beer scent, making it very suitable as a light snack or a refreshing main course.
Hong Kong salt-toasted soft-shell crab
Hong Kong salt-toasted soft-shell crab is a rich, fragrant dish with a crispy golden salt layer evenly coated on the outside and naturally soft and sweet crab meat inside. The moderate saltiness, light spiciness, and characteristic aroma of Hong Kong-style toasted salt make this dish very “rice-consuming” and also perfect as a drinking snack.
Ingredients (2–3 people)
- Soft-shell crab: 500g
- Crispy frying flour: 70g
- Cornstarch: 30g
- Egg: 1
- Minced garlic: 1 tablespoon
- Chopped green onions: 20g
- Minced chili: 1 teaspoon (to taste)
- Cooking oil: enough amount
Hong Kong toasted salt:
- Grain salt: 2 tablespoons
- Sugar: ½ teaspoon
- MSG: ½ teaspoon
- Ground pepper: ½ teaspoon
- Garlic powder or ground fried garlic: 1 teaspoon
Instruction
- Wash the soft-shell crab and drain. Mix the crispy frying flour, cornstarch, and egg, then add about 80–100ml of water to create a moderately thick mixture. Dip the crab in the batter and deep-fry over medium heat until the crab is golden and crispy, then remove to drain the oil.
- Put the grain salt into a pan and toast over low heat until dry and slightly colored. Add the sugar, MSG, pepper, and garlic powder, toss well, and then turn off the heat.
- Sauté the garlic with 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, add the fried soft-shell crab to the pan, sprinkle the Hong Kong toasted salt over it, and toss quickly so the salt coats evenly. Add the chili and green onions, toss for another 30 seconds, and turn off the heat.
- Arrange the crab on a plate and serve hot.
Hong Kong salt-toasted soft-shell crab is best when eaten immediately; the outer layer is salty and fragrant, while the inside remains soft and sweet, making it hard to stop eating.
>> Delicious dishes to refer to:
Tips for choosing and preserving fresh soft-shell crab
To ensure that soft-shell crab dishes achieve their natural sweetness and are not fishy, the selection and preservation stage plays a very important role. Below are practical experiences that are easy to apply when going to the market or buying frozen seafood.
How to choose fresh soft-shell crab:
- Observe the color: Fresh soft-shell crab has a natural light gray or light blue color, a moist surface, and is not dry or yellowish.
- Check the softness: Standard soft-shell crab has a soft body; when gently pressed, it feels elastic and not mushy.
- Smell: Fresh crab has a light sea scent, without any foul or strange odors.
- Uniform size: You should choose crabs of medium, equal size so that they cook simultaneously, avoiding some being tough and others soft.
- For frozen soft-shell crab: Prioritize quick-frozen products where the crab still has its original shape, is not crushed or broken, and does not have thick ice buildup.
How to preserve soft-shell crab correctly
- Live soft-shell crab:
- Should be processed within the day.
- If not used immediately, wrap tightly and store in the refrigerator’s cool compartment (0–4°C) for a maximum of 12–24 hours.
- Frozen soft-shell crab:
- Store in the deep freezer (-18°C).
- When using, defrost slowly in the refrigerator for 6–8 hours, avoiding defrosting at room temperature to prevent the crab from becoming mushy and losing its sweet taste.
- Do not re-freeze: Defrosted crab should not be re-frozen as it will make the meat mushy and reduce the quality of the dish.
Applying the above tips correctly will help you maintain the full sweetness, softness, and natural flavor of soft-shell crab, whether processed by steaming, frying, or salt-toasting, it will be as delicious as at a restaurant.
We hope the article has helped you fully answer the question what delicious dishes can be made with soft-shell crab. If you love seafood and want to explore more easy-to-apply recipes, you can visit the Ola Squid Culinary Corner to see more articles, knowledge, and high-quality seafood products like dried squid for your daily meals.
