• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • HOME
  • About
  • Contact
  • Recipes
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
JOZmahal
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • Work with Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Contact
    • Work with Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Quick And Easy

    Soft Shell Crab Sandwich

    Published: May 12, 2019 · Modified: Apr 16, 2021 by Jocelyn | JOZmahal· This post may contain affiliate links and generates income via ads · 2 Comments

    Please share @JOZmahal on social. Thank you!

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Email
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Breaded soft shell crab sandwich in a brioche bun with lettuce and tomato slices.

    It's Soft-Shell Crab season! And guess what I love to make this time of year? You guessed it! I have here for you a soft-shell crab sandwich recipe that is sweet, savory, crispy, and juicy! It is very easy to make and cooks in just 12 minutes.

    Breaded soft shell crab sandwich in a brioche bun with lettuce and tomato slices. this recipe for later

    And you don't have to live in Maryland to enjoy soft-shell crabs. I found some here at my local seafood store and they were already cleaned. My trusted resource for all things seafood is Franco's Pescheria. Tell them I sent you!

    Table of contents

    • Why We Love This Dish
    • Ingredients Needed
    • Key Ingredients Notes
    • How To Make This Dish
    • Expert Tips
    • FAQ about Soft Shell Crabs
    • Other Seafood Recipes You May Like

    Why We Love This Dish

    • It's simple to make and cooks in minutes. 12 minutes to be exact (for 4 soft shell crabs)
    • Soft shell crab sandwiches are easier to eat. No hard shells to contend with.
    • Since they are soft shells you eat the whole crabs and there's no need in having to pick the meat and figure out what you can and cannot eat.

    Ingredients Needed

    • Soft shell crabs (cleaned) 
    • Flour
    • Cornmeal (I used Bobs Red Mill Organic Cornmeal)
    • Old Bay seasoning
    • Herbes de Provence seasoned salt 
    • Black Pepper
    • Low-fat milk
    • Olive oil
    • Butter
    • Brioche buns
    • Tomato
    • Green Leaf Lettuce
    • Lemon
    • Mayonnaise, Mustard and/or Tartar Sauce

    Key Ingredients Notes

    Soft-shell crabs while you can find them in your local grocery store during the months of May through September, I get them from my trusted local seafood place. An added bonus, they pre-clean them which makes for quick prep.

    Soft shell crabs on a plate

    How To Make This Dish

    • Rinse in cool water then dry the soft shell crabs with a paper towel and set aside.
    • Combine the dry ingredients: flour, cornmeal, Old Bay seasoning, seasoned salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. 
    • In a separate bowl, pour the milk and season it with a dash or two of Old Bay seasoning.
    • Coat the crab on all sides with the flour mixture. Then dip the crab in the milk mixture. Then dip the crab back in the flour mixture one last time.
    • Set the crabs on a plate then refrigerate for 20 minutes.
    • On medium-high heat, add olive oil to cover the bottom of the frying pan.  Fry the crabs one at a time for 2 but no more than 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb the oil.
    • Toast the brioche buns if you'd like.
    • Spread the buns with mayonnaise, mustard, and/or tartar sauce. Add the crab then top with lettuce and tomato.
    Soft shell crab sandwich on a brioche bun with lettuce and tomato with slice of lemon and tartar sauce served on a white plate

    Expert Tips

    • To prevent from getting the dry and wet mixture from collecting on your fingers, do the three-step dredging process. That is DRY, WET, DRY.
      • First, use your right hand, thoroughly coat the crab on all sides with the flour mixture.
      • Next, use your left hand, dip the crab in the milk mixture.
      • Finally, using your right hand again, dip the crab one more time in the flour mixture.

    FAQ about Soft Shell Crabs

    What time of the year do you get soft shell crabs?

    May through September is the most productive months for live soft shell crabs.

    How long can you keep soft shell crabs in the fridge?

    Store cleaned crabs wrapped in plastic wrap in the coldest part of the refrigerator for up to two days. Note that it is best to buy them on the same day you will be cooking them.

    Can you reheat soft shell crabs?

    Yes. Reheat the soft shell crabs by sautéing them in hot oil and butter.

    Other Seafood Recipes You May Like

    • Caramelized Shrimp with 7 UP
    • Sautéed Opo Squash
    • Grilled Salmon on Cedar Plank with Maple Dijon Glaze
    • The Best Garlic Butter Shrimp With Sprite Recipe
    Did you make this recipe? Please leave a rating below. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Let's be taste buds and follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

    Breaded soft shell crab sandwich in a brioche bun with lettuce and tomato slices.

    Breaded Soft Shell Crab Sandwich

    Soft Shell Crab Sandwiches are to die for! You get the sweet, savory, crispy, and juicy goodness all packed in a sandwich! 
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Add to Collection Go to Collections
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 12 minutes
    Total Time: 32 minutes
    Course: Seafood
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: soft shell crabs, soft shell crabs sandwich, soft shell crabs sandwich recipe
    Servings: 4 Sandwiches
    Calories: 496kcal
    Author: Jocelyn | JOZmahal
    Cost: $15
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • Olive oil
    • Butter
    • 4 soft shell crabs cleaned
    • ¼ cup flour
    • ¼ cup cornmeal
    • 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
    • ¼ teaspoon Herbes de Provence seasoned salt
    • ¼ teaspoon pepper
    • ¼ cup low-fat milk
    • 4 Brioche buns lightly buttered and toasted
    • 1 to mato sliced
    • 4 Green Leaf Lettuce
    • Lemon
    • Mayonnaise Mustard and/or Tartar Sauce

    Instructions

    For Soft Shell Crabs

    • Gently clean, rinse then dry the soft shell crabs with a paper towel and set aside.
    • In a small mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, cornmeal, Old Bay seasoning, seasoned salt, and pepper.
    • In a separate bowl, pour the milk and season it with a dash or two of Old Bay seasoning.
    • Do the three-step dredging (dry, wet, dry) for the crabs. First using your right hand, thoroughly coat the crab on all sides with the flour mixture. Using your left hand, dip the crab in the milk mixture. Last, using your right hand again, dip the crab one more time in the flour mixture. Shake off any excess flour. Repeat this process for all remaining crabs. Set the crabs on a plate then refrigerate for 20 minutes.
    • On medium-high heat, add olive oil to cover the bottom of the frying pan.  Fry the crabs two at a time for 2 but no more than 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb the oil.

    For the Soft Shell Crab Sandwiches

    • For the buns, I like mine slightly toasted. It adds an extra crunch to the sandwich and keeps the buns from getting soggy from the condiments. 
    • Butter the flat-side of the buns then bake them in a 350-degree oven for a few minutes just to brown them slightly. Option to also lightly toast the flat-side of the buns on a warm skillet. Your choice!
    • Spread the buns with mayonnaise, mustard, and/or tartar sauce. Add the crab then top with lettuce and tomato.

    Notes

    • For quicker prep, get the soft shell crabs already cleaned.
    • You can use any type of buns to make the sandwich, but my favorite is a brioche bun. They are best toasted for this recipe.
    • For added flavoring, squeeze a lemon and/or a dash of Old Bay Seasoning on top of the crab.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 496kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 144mg | Sodium: 494mg | Potassium: 842mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 27690IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 211mg | Iron: 5mg
    Did you make this recipe?Please give a star rating below and tag us on Instagram! We'd LOVE to see your photo @JOZmahal / #JOZmahal

    more Quick And Easy recipes

    • Leftover Roast Chicken Soup Recipe
    • Steak Fried Rice Recipe
    • Filipino BBQ Beef On A Stick
    • Pancit Guisado (Stir-Fried Egg Noodles)

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Joel Cruzada

      May 20, 2019 at 8:24 am

      5 stars
      Love all the recipes you’ve posted! Can’t wait to see and try out more!

      Reply
      • Joz

        May 21, 2019 at 9:16 am

        Thanks Joel!

        Reply

    Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a rating and/or review. Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Rate this Recipe!




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    smiling picture of girl named Jocelyn

    Hello and Welcome! I'm Jocelyn, Joz for short. I am the recipe creator, food photographer, and food stylist here at JOZmahal ❤️ a Filipino-American kitchen. My passion for cooking earned me a college degree in Food & Nutrition. I love to cook all types of food, and you’ll see many Filipino-inspired recipes here. My goal is to create recipes that are healthy without sacrificing flavors and with easy-to-follow instructions. Living in the States for many, many, years, I have learned to get creative with cooking and use ingredients that are easy to find, (thank you Amazon!) So bookmark my site, subscribe to my newsletter, and I will help you create quick, easy, tasty, healthy, and delicious meals that you, your family, and your friends will LOVE. ❤️ Get to know me and my style of cooking! And thank you for being here!

    Featured in:

    Decorative image only.

    Winter Favorites

    • How To Store Chicken Stock
    • How To Make Chicken Stock Concentrate
    • Beef Kare Kare Filipino Peanut Stew (Easy Recipe)
    • Chicken Tinola Recipe (Tinolang Manok with Chayote)
    • Leftover Roast Chicken Soup Recipe
    • Easy Roast Chicken for Sunday or Christmas Dinner

    Trending Recipes

    • Filipino Garlic Fried Rice (Sinangag)
    • Beef Nilaga (Bulalo) Instant Pot
    • Filipino Chicken Curry
    • Pork Sinigang (Pork Belly)
    • Sautéed Opo Squash
    • Chicken Wing Adobo (Instant Pot)

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign me up! for new recipes

    Contact

    • Media Kit
    • Copyright

    Copyright © 2023 JOZmahal. All rights reserved.

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Protected by Copyscape