You don’t have to live near the water to enjoy a homemade crab cake recipe at home. Skip the shelling fuss, and combine crabmeat with pantry ingredients, like mayonnaise, bread crumbs and spices. For a crispy exterior, saute or broil the cakes; it’s really as simple as making any other breaded patty like with baked salmon patties or zucchini patties.
Best of all, our crab cake recipe is easy to adjust. Tone down the vegetable fillings if you love the simplicity of Maryland crab cakes, or add extra herbs if you prefer a Charleston-style cake. Serve them to your guests as delightful appetizers, or make crab cakes the main course. For best results, add a tasty dipping sauce and dine al fresco.
The Best Type of Crab for Crab Cakes
Crab cakes are adaptable to whatever type of crabmeat is available in your area. When fresh crab is in season, you can use jumbo lump, claw or white crabmeat. In the off-season, look for frozen crab. You can even use canned crab for a straightforward crab cake recipe. It’s not necessary to buy live crabs for crab cakes, although some of our other favorite crab recipes (including the famous crab boil!) are better with live crab.
How to Make Crab Cakes
- Stir the crabmeat with finely chopped vegetables, spices and binding ingredients.
- Shape the mixture into even crab cakes.
- Broil, saute or bake the crab cakes until golden brown, crispy and hot.
Ingredients for Crab Cakes
- Crabmeat: If you’re far from the coast, consider frozen crab for the freshest flavor. If using canned crab, make sure to clean out any shell or cartilage. Skip imitation crab; it doesn’t have the right texture for these cakes.
- Bread crumbs: While most bread crumbs are lightly toasted for extra flavor and dryness, soft bread crumbs are made from fresh or slightly stale bread. Simply tear bread with a fork, or use a blender or food processor to break it into fluffy crumbs. Soft bread crumbs almost melt into the crab mixture, making them a useful binder that won’t mute that coveted crab flavor.
- Binders: The protein in the egg strengthens the crab cake mixture, helping it bind together so it won’t crumble when cooked. Along with mayonnaise and lemon juice, it also provides moisture to prevent the delicate cakes from drying out.
- Seasoning: Classic crab cakes almost always include seafood seasonings like Old Bay seasoning, which combines a few types of pepper with salt, celery salt and other aromatics. (If you buy a can, we have many Old Bay recipes to help you use it up.) Some crab cakes, like Charleston-style cakes, rely on fresh herbs rather than the spice mix for flavor. This recipe also calls for fresh parsley, prepared mustard, pepper and hot sauce.
- Aromatics: Crab cake fans tend to have strong opinions about fillings! This recipe calls for minced onion, celery and green pepper for flavor and crunch. A few reviewers found the green pepper too wild and preferred to stick to celery. It’s up to you: Go as veggie-forward as you like, or stick to a pared-back filling that centers on crab.
- Worcestershire: Smoky, funky, savory Worcestershire sauce delivers an incomparable umami note to the crab cakes. This recipe only calls for a teaspoon, so don’t skip it. The bottle will keep for a very long time in the fridge.
Directions
Step 1: Make the crab mix
In a large bowl, combine the crab, bread crumbs, egg, mayonnaise, celery, green pepper, onion, lemon juice, seafood seasoning, parsley, Worcestershire, mustard, pepper and hot pepper sauce.
Editor’s Tip: Stir just until the ingredients come together in a uniform mix. Overworking the crab mixture can result in crumbly cakes.
Step 2: Shape the cakes
Shape the crab mixture into eight flat patties, roughly equal in size.
Step 3: Broil or saute the cakes
Broil the patties in a cast-iron or other broiler-safe skillet. Or, if you prefer, cook them in oil in a skillet on the stovetop. You might need to cook them in batches. Cook until golden brown, about four minutes on each side. Serve warm with lemon, if desired.
Recipe Variations
- Make Maryland-style crab cakes: Dial down the vegetables for Maryland-style crab cakes, which generally include Old Bay seasoning, a small amount of bread crumbs, egg, mayo, mustard and parsley flakes.
- Make Charleston-style crab cakes: Add chopped fresh dill, tarragon and parsley for fresh-tasting Charleston-style cakes. Serve them with a dash of hot sauce.
- Switch up the bread crumbs: You can use any bread crumbs here, including panko or gluten-free bread crumbs.
How to Store Crab Cakes
Leftover crab cakes should be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for two to three days. Reheat them in a skillet or in the oven at 325°F until warmed through.
Can you freeze crab cakes?
Yes, crab cakes freeze well. Allow the cakes to cool completely, then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet in the freezer. Once frozen, the crab cakes can be stacked in a freezer-safe container, separated by waxed paper. They’ll keep well for up to three months.
To reheat, defrost the crab cakes in the refrigerator overnight or heat them straight from the freezer. Bake the crab cakes on a baking sheet in a preheated 325° oven until they’re heated through.
Crab Cake Tips
What is the best seafood seasoning for crab cakes?
Our favorite seafood seasoning is Old Bay, a classic spice blend with a nice balance of savory, spicy and sweet flavors. Many other seafood seasonings contain similar ingredients, including celery salt, pepper, paprika and dried herbs. You can find great salt-free options or even make your own seafood seasoning if you’re watching your salt intake.
Is it better to fry or bake crab cakes?
You can fry, broil or bake crab cakes. Each method has advantages and drawbacks, but any way you cook ’em you’ll be rewarded with delicious crab cakes. Broiling is quick, splatter-free, and ensures a brown, crispy exterior. Just keep an eye on the cakes; you don’t want the outside to cook too fast, leaving the inside cold. Frying results in a tasty, rich golden exterior, but be careful not to flip the cakes until the bottom browns, otherwise they may fall apart. Lastly, baking results in an evenly heated crab cake that’s also lower in fat since they’re not cooked in oil. To bake these crab cakes, set them on a cooking oil-sprayed baking sheet and bake them at 350° for about 20 minutes on the middle oven shelf.
How do you keep crab cakes from falling apart?
The key to a solid crab cake is in the binding ingredients: the egg and the bread crumbs. The protein and liquid in the egg serve as the glue that keep the crab and vegetable mix together, while the bread crumbs absorb excess liquid and create a uniform texture that holds well. If your crab cakes feel flimsy or loose when you’re shaping them, try putting them in the fridge for half an hour before cooking; that will help the mixture solidify. Adding extra binding ingredients can dilute the delicious crab flavor.
What should you serve with crab cakes?
Crab cakes love a good dipping sauce, like cocktail sauce, remoulade or tartar sauce. For a fuller meal, classic side dishes include hush puppies and any of our favorite cornbread recipes. If you’re serving crab cakes as an appetizer, consider serving them with other classic seafood recipes or quick summer dinner ideas.
