Crab Cakes - Best Melt-in-your-Mouth Recipe - Everyday Dishes (2024)

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by Cheryl Najafi on Dec 14, 2014 7 comments »

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If you’re serving crab to your company, we wouldn’t have it any other way than to set you up with a recipe for melt-in-your-mouth crab cakes.

Our recipe uses a minimal amount of ‘binder’ so you get the full savory flavor of the crab. We also pre-mix the ingredients before adding the crab meat—since crab meat can be on the expensive side, we like to have big lumps of crab visible in the cakes.

This dish is absolutely fabulous served with a side of lemon and tartar sauce or on a bed of fresh greens, accompanied by a light vinaigrette dressing.

Crab Cakes Recipe Tips

  • The key to this recipe is to handle the crab meat gently. This will keep the patties light and perfect for frying while keeping the large chunks of meat intact!
  • Want to make this recipe lower carb? Use crushed pork rinds instead of crackers!

Crab Cakes - Best Melt-in-your-Mouth Recipe - Everyday Dishes (1)

Crab Cakes Recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 10 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

Melt-in-your-mouth crab cakes are easier to make than you think! This simple recipe makes crab cakes an entertaining staple.

Ingredients

Yield: 8 crab cakes

4.23 from 81 ratings

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Instructions

  • Transfer crabmeat into a colander then set aside to drain excess liquid. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir together egg, mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce (optional), garlic powder, paprika and salt until completely combined. Add bell pepper, green onion and parsley then stir to combine.

  • Gently fold in drained crabmeat until well coated. Once the crab is moistened, add cracker crumbs, gently folding until the crumbs are completely mixed in. Try to leave crab chunks as intact as possible. Cover mixture then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

  • Form patties using ⅓ cup of the mixture at a time. When forming the patties, compress the mixture well, but don’t mash them together or they will become too dense. The mixture will be moist, but should hold together. If the mixture does not hold together, just add a bit more cracker crumb.

  • Place a large skillet over medium heat then add just enough oil to barely cover the bottom of the pan. Heat oil until it is shimmering, then gently place crab cakes into the pan. Do not overcrowd the pan and work in batches if necessary.

  • Fry crab cakes until dark golden brown, about 3–5 minutes per side. Remove from pan then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to remove excess oil. Serve piping hot with a wedge of lemon and your favorite tartar sauce. Enjoy!

Notes

The key to this recipe is to handle the crab meat gently. This will keep the patties light and perfect for frying while keeping the large chunks of meat intact!

Author: Cheryl Najafi

Course: dinner

Calories: 121kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 38mg, Sodium: 672mg, Potassium: 38mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g

Tried this recipe?Mention @EverydayDishes or tag #everydaydishes!

Crab Cakes - Best Melt-in-your-Mouth Recipe - Everyday Dishes (2)

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originally published on Dec 14, 2014 (last updated Nov 3, 2023)

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7 comments on “Crab Cakes”

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  1. Rachel

    Love this recipe. I’ve been using it for years. And it’s spoiled me so much I can’t eat store bought /restaurant crab cakes anymore!

  2. Lindsay Viker

    Absolutely! I really like to vacuum seal any food I’m freezing if possible to keep it as fresh as possible.

  3. Dave

    Since there are only 2 of us, if I make the whole recipe can I freeze them once made but not cooked? I saw the recipe reduction but I figure I have to use the crab anyway.
    Thanks!

  4. Divya s

    Hi,

    I was googling around for the content about the seafood. On this page, I found your fantastic resource. Just wanted to let you know how much your page has helped me.

    We provide fresh fish, blue crab, crab cake, alaskan crab legs, shrimp, shellfish, seafood soup, and more. If you want to check it, you may find it here: https://www.cameronsseafood.com/

    Please have a look at this. Perhaps we might collaborate to write a blogpost or promote one another through any other referral source.

    In any case, thanks for compiling your resource list and have a great day!

    Talk Soon,

    Divya
    [emailprotected]

  5. Lindsay Viker

    Oh definitely! You don’t want them to dry out so you’d probably want to use it up within about 2-3 days and store it in an airtight container.

  6. Cindy

    I’m wondering if this can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge? If so bow soon sho yo ld it be used up? Thank-you!

  7. Deborah Williams

    Made them for the first time came out great thanks

Leave a Reply

Crab Cakes - Best Melt-in-your-Mouth Recipe - Everyday Dishes (2024)

FAQs

What pairs well with crab cakes? ›

Nothing complements the sweet and savory flavors of tender crab meat better than grilled vegetables, so if you're making crab cakes, go ahead and serve them with some grilled corn, asparagus, or onions for a splash of color and nice smokey and charred taste.

Is it better to fry or bake crab cakes? ›

Are crab cakes better baked or fried? You can either bake or fry these crab cakes. My personal preference is to bake them because it's easier (no risk of them falling apart when you flip them) and they are less prone to drying out (it's easy to overcook the crab cakes when frying them in a pan).

Can you eat crab cakes on a diet? ›

Bake Instead of Fry

You can further lower your healthier concerns by eating crabcakes if you bake them rather than fry the crabcakes. If you prefer fried crabcakes, use olive oil. Box Hill Crabcakes recommends incorporating vegetables for more health benefits. We recommend carrots or celery for your crabcakes.

What is the best way to eat crab cakes? ›

8 Ways to Serve Crab Cakes
  1. With Russian dressing. Follow Andrew Zimmern's example and serve cold Baltimore-style crab cakes with Russian dressing and tomato.
  2. With horseradish cream. Make a punchy combo of sour cream, mayonnaise, and horseradish. ...
  3. With gazpacho. ...
  4. On a po' boy. ...
  5. As burgers or sliders. ...
  6. In a salad. ...
  7. With mango puree.
Jun 12, 2017

What food Cannot mix with crab? ›

Tea and persimmon contain tannins, which have been found to make protein harder to digest. So when tea and persimmon are eaten with crab, which is rich in protein, we might experience indigestion.

What is the best side dish for crab? ›

Vegetables are a traditional side dish that pairs well with crabs and consists of broccoli, asparagus, carrots, zucchini, Brussel sprouts, corn, and others. Raw, grilled, boiled, steamed, and roasted vegetables complement crabs' savory taste, creating a well-balanced and sophisticated meal.

How do I keep my crab cakes from falling apart? ›

Refrigerate Your Crab Cakes

There's actually a pretty easy fix for this common problem. Simply stick your crab cakes in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. The time they spend there will allow the crab cakes to solidify their shape.

How do I get crab cakes to stick together? ›

You can refrigerate the crab mixture for 30 minutes in the fridge before forming into patties. This will not only give the crab meat a chance to meld together with all the other flavors, but it will also hold together better when shaping into cakes.

What is the best crab meat to buy for crab cakes? ›

If you can, we highly recommend buying jumbo crab meat for your crab cakes. This meat comes from two large muscles, and is known for its bright white color and superior taste.

Are crab cakes bad for high cholesterol? ›

Crabcakes are sky high in fat. They're often made with mayonnaise, which contains lots of saturated fat. Like cholesterol, saturated fat has been linked to the development of cardiovascular disease, stroke and even some cancers.

Are crabs healthy for weight loss? ›

Like other seafood, crab is a low-fat, healthy source of protein that gives you energy and increases your metabolism. In fact, crab has about the same amount of protein per 100 grams as other meats, but without all the saturated fat.

Do crab cakes have a lot of cholesterol? ›

Crab Cakes, Maryland Style Premium: (4 oz.) calories 240, calories from fat 140, total fat 16g, saturated fat 3.2g, trans fat 0g, cholesterol 140mg, sodium 811mg, total carbohydrate 8g, dietary fiber 0g, sugars 0g, protein 16g, vitamin a 4%, vitamin c 2%, calcium 11%, iron 8%.

Should I refrigerate crab cakes before cooking? ›

Cover and chill until ready to serve. Make-Ahead Instructions: The crab cakes can be formed, covered, and refrigerated a day ahead of time before cooking. The tartar sauce can be made and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance. Note: If you can only find jumbo lump crab meat, you may need to break the pieces up a bit.

Why are my crab cakes mushy? ›

Use too little filler and the crab cakes will fall apart. Too much, however, leaves them mushy and tasting like filler. Crab is something that should be treated simply. Don't over-season or add too many ingredients.

What dessert goes with crab cakes? ›

Try sorbet, key lime pie, and lemon meringue pie.

What flavors go best with crab? ›

vegetal and green notes. Cooked crab's vegetal aroma is most dominant and best described as being similar to that of cooked potatoes, which makes it a complementary pairing for potatoes (of course), but also eggplant, asparagus, cabbage, chicken, fish sauce, kaffir lime leaves and even kimchi.

What is the best type of crab for crab cakes? ›

Lump: Lump crab meat is also off-white, but a bit smaller than jumbo lump. It's still very sturdy and flavorful. It comes from the body of a crab and is ideal for chunky crab cakes. Backfin: Backfin crab meat, also known as flake crab meat, is off-white too.

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