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It’s a shame to limit yourself to only eating Crab Cakes when you’re at a restaurant. Make this recipe at home and enjoy crispy Panko-coated crab cakes anytime!

Crab cakes topped with sauce and fresh herbs

Homemade crab cakes are SUPER LOADED with crab and easy, too!

cookbook author erin clarke of well plated

Crab cakes are one of those dishes I often order at restaurants, but never think to make at home. And that means I only have crab cakes a few times a year, which is a shame—good crab cakes are utterly delightful with their crispy exterior and flaky crab meat.

Now bad crab cakes are another story. When a crab cake is lackluster, it’s usually because it’s made with too much filler and binder, which means the flavor of the crab doesn’t shine through.

My recipe is LOADED with crab. Let’s call it crab-centric (crab-forward? crabby?). It does make them more delicate to handle, but it’s worth it! (Love crab? Try my Crab Salad and Hot Crab Dip too.)

Serve these crab cakes with a dipping sauce for an appetizer or pile them onto a soft roll with remoulade and slaw for a mouthwatering meal.

Key Ingredients

You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.

  • Eggs. Essential for helping hold the crab cakes together and give them structure.
  • Green Onions and Celery. Dice these very finely! This distributes their flavor more evenly and helps your patties stay intact.
  • Plain Greek Yogurt. Or mayonnaise, for a more traditional option.
  • Dijon Mustard. My go-to for adding a pop of flavor to any recipe.
  • Worcestershire Sauce. For some umami depth.
  • Old Bay Seasoning. This seasoning is so often paired with crab, it’s almost hard to untangle their separate flavors.
  • Dry Breadcrumbs and Panko. Both? Yes, both! The dry breadcrumbs act as a binder while the Panko is perfect for forming that crispy coating. 
  • Lump Crab Meat. Pick this over to remove the shells. Refrigerated crab meat will also work, but don’t use canned.
  • Oil. You’ll need one that has a high smoke point like canola or grapeseed. 
  • Dipping Sauce. Optional, but fabulous. I just stir together some Greek yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon, hot sauce, and herbs, as seen in this recipe for Salmon Croquettes.

How to Make Crab Cakes

Mix the Binder. Beat the eggs in a large bowl, then add the green onions, celery, parsley, yogurt, mustard, Worcestershire, Old Bay, salt, pepper, and cayenne with 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs. Stir until the mixture is smooth.

Add the Crab. Fold the crab into the binder. If the mixture seems too wet or loose, add more breadcrumbs until it reaches a nice consistency that will hold together.

Form the Patties. Shape the crab mixture into 3-inch patties and coat them in the Panko. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Make the Dipping Sauce. While you wait for the crab cakes to chill, whisk together the dipping sauce and then refrigerate that too.

Cook. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the crab cakes, being careful not to crowd the pan. I like to place them on a spatula and then slide (or nudge) them into the oil to keep them intact. Cook until they’re golden, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. 

Keep Warm. Once cooked, you can either place the crab cakes onto a paper-towel-lined plate or set them on a baking sheet in a 250ºF oven to keep them warm until all the patties are ready to serve.

Finish. Plate with the dipping sauce and ENJOY!

Fork cutting into crab cake on plate

Make Ahead Tips

Crab cakes are a great option for making ahead since they need to be chilled anyway. After placing them on the parchment-lined baking sheet, cover them with plastic wrap and store them in the refrigerator for up to a day.

What to Serve with Crab Cakes

Crab cakes are often served as an appetizer with a dipping sauce or just a squeeze of lemon, but if you want to make them a meal, here are some ideas.

  • Salads. You can serve these patties alongside or on top of a salad. This Arugula Salad is a great blank slate!
  • SlawHealthy Coleslaw is a crisp and creamy accompaniment.
  • Pasta. Add crab cakes to a simple pasta dish like Lemon Pasta.

Crab Cakes

5 From 3 reviews . Help us out! Review HERE.Help out & review HERE


Servings: 4 servings
Super loaded with lump crab meat, these crispy pan-fried crab cakes have a Panko-coated exterior and are easy to make at home!

Ingredients
  

For the Crab Cakes

  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 finely chopped green onions about ½ cup
  • 1 finely diced celery stalk about ⅓ cup
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt or mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs divided
  • 1 pound lump crab meat picked over to remove shells
  • ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • ¼ cup canola oil or grapeseed oil or similar neutral cooking oil

For the Dipping Sauce (Optional):

  • ½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • Pinch kosher salt
  • 2 to 3 dashes hot sauce optional
  • ½ tablespoon chopped fresh parsley cilantro or basil (optional)

Instructions
 

  • To keep the crab cakes warm between batches, preheat the oven to 250°F.
  • In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the green onions, celery, parsley, yogurt (or mayo), Dijon, Worcestershire, Old Bay, salt, black pepper, cayenne, and 2 tablespoons of the dry breadcrumbs. Stir to combine.
  • Add the crab meat. Fold it in gently, being careful not to break up the meat too much.
  • Judge the consistency; if the mixture is too wet and loose to form into patties, add 1 to 2 more tablespoons of the dry breadcrumbs as needed.
  • Spread the Panko breadcrumbs into a wide, shallow bowl.
  • Shape the crab mixture into 8 patties. Lightly coat in the Panko breadcrumbs, transferring them to a parchment-lined baking sheet as you go. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Make the dipping sauce: stir together the yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon, salt, hot sauce, and parsley. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  • Line a large plate with paper towels and set near the stove. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot (but not smoking), carefully lower in the crab cakes in a single layer, ensuring they do not touch. Cook until golden on the first side, 3 to 4 minutes, then flip and continue cooking on the other side until golden and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes more. Transfer to the paper towel lined plate.
  • Repeat with the remaining crab cakes, transferring them to the oven to keep warm as desired. Serve with the dipping sauce.

Video

Notes

  • TO STORE: Refrigerate leftover crab cakes in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
  • TO REHEAT: Warm leftovers in a 300ºF oven or in a skillet over medium-low heat. You can also eat them cold or at room temperature.
  • TO FREEZE: Store cooked or uncooked crab cakes in the freezer for up to a month. Thaw in the refrigerator and either reheat them or cook them according to the recipe instructions.

Nutrition

Serving: 2(of 8)Calories: 337kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 30gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 131mgPotassium: 454mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 450IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 158mgIron: 3mg

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Erin Clarke

Hi, I'm Erin Clarke, and I'm fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that's affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. I'm the author and recipe developer here at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. WELCOME!

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  1. Hi Erin, I stumbled upon your site on Pinterest and am now a follower. This crab cake recipe is seriously amazing. I’ve always been intimidated by making crab cakes at home, but this recipe made it so simple, and the results were incredible! I really appreciated how the recipe let the crab meat be the star without adding too much filler. They had just the right balance of seasoning, and the crispy edges made them irresistible. Thank you so much!5 stars

  2. I made the crab cakes today and they turned out really good. I forgot to get the Worcestershire sauce but even without it it tasted really good. I was pleased and the dip tasted awesome too. Thank you for the recipe.5 stars

  3. Both my husband and I loved this recipe! It was my first attempt at making crab cakes, so I followed the directions exactly, and they came out so good we are planning to serve them to our friends when they come over next time!5 stars

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