Description
Classic Crab Cakes are a delicious and easy-to-make seafood appetizer featuring lump crab meat blended with flavorful seasonings and lightly fried to golden perfection. These Maryland-style crab cakes offer a crispy exterior while staying tender and moist inside, perfect for serving with tartar sauce or lemon wedges.
Ingredients
Scale
Crab Cake Mixture
- 1 lb lump crab meat, picked over for shells
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (preferably panko)
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper
- 1/4 cup finely diced green onion
- Salt and pepper to taste
For Cooking
- 2 tbsp butter or vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- Mix Ingredients: In a large bowl, gently combine crab meat, breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, beaten egg, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, parsley, lemon juice, diced red bell pepper, and green onion. Stir just until combined, taking care not to overmix to keep the crab cakes tender.
- Form Patties: Shape the mixture into 8 equal-sized patties and arrange them on a baking sheet. Place the patties in the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes; this helps them hold together during cooking.
- Heat Fat: In a large skillet, heat butter or vegetable oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking.
- Cook Crab Cakes: Fry the chilled crab cakes for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until they develop a nice golden brown crust and are cooked through.
- Drain and Serve: Transfer the cooked crab cakes to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil. Serve them warm alongside lemon wedges, tartar sauce, or remoulade for dipping.
Notes
- For a lighter alternative, bake the crab cakes at 400°F (200°C) for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking.
- Using backfin crab meat is a budget-friendly option that still yields great flavor.
- Be careful not to overmix the crab cake mixture to prevent a dense texture.
- Ensure crab meat is checked thoroughly for shells before mixing.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 crab cake
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 430mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
