Crab Cakes Recipe
My crab cake recipe is all about the fresh crab meat, minimal filler, and a whole lot of flavor! My recipe is inspired by classic Maryland-style crab cakes and features juicy jumbo lump crab meat, a touch of lemon, and cayenne pepper. The crabcakes are pan-fried in just 10 minutes (25 minutes total with prep) with a simple baked option and a homemade remoulade included.
Servings: 4 (makes 8-9 crab cakes)
Calories: 480kcal
Ingredients
- 1 lb lump crab meat
- 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs use gluten free if needed
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp fresh minced parsley
- 1/2 lemon zest
- 1 small lemon - juice only
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2-3 tbsp canola oil for cooking
Remoulade sauce:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp spicy mustard
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp pickle juice preferably from sweet pickles
- 1 tsp horseradish
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
Instructions
- Check every lump of meat by carefully feeling around for any leftover shell fragments. You don’t need to break it apart, just check around the lumps.
- Mix all ingredients for crab cakes except for the crab meat in a bowl and whisk well.
- Add crab meat and mix it well. Break up some of the lumps and leave others in chunks.
- Use an ice cream scoop to spoon out equal amounts of crab mixture. Shape the patties but don’t press them tight, just enough to form the shape of a patty.
- Place them all on a parchment paper covered baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to a couple of hours, to help firm up the binding so the crab cakes don't fall apart. (You can even refrigerate overnight)
Cooking Crab Cakes:
- Preheat the pan first over medium to medium-high heat and add the oil.
- Let oil heat up until hot and add crab cakes. Do not move them after you place them in the pan until ready to flip. Cook crab cakes for 4-5 minutes per side.
- Mix all the ingredients for Remoulade sauce and serve it on the side of crab cakes. Alternatively, you can also serve them with tartar sauce or cocktail sauce.
Alternate Baking Method:
- Preheat the oven to 425℉ and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place crab cakes on the prepared baking sheet, giving them a little space in between each one. Bake the crab cakes for 15-20 minutes, depending on thickness, until golden brown.
Alternate Air-Fryer Method:
- I highly recommend lining the air fryer basket with specialized parchment paper liners (they are perforated). Or grease it before adding the crab cakes.
- Place crab cakes into the basket in one single layer, with a little space between each one. Cook at 375℉ for 10-12 minutes, flipping half way through.
Video
Notes
- Gluten Free: Gluten-free bread crumbs are a perfect substitution for Panko because it also tends to be light and airy in texture.
- Storing: Store cooked crab cakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: it’s best to freeze crab cakes before cooking. Shape the patties and place them on a parchment paper-lined cutting board. Freeze for about 2 hours. Once frozen, wrap each crab cake individually in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped patties into an airtight freezer bag or container, label, and freeze for up to 2-3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 480kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 1955mg | Potassium: 323mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1044IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 2mg