by Ari Laing Leave a Comment
Crab cakes are a beloved classic from the Chesapeake Bay area, particularly renowned in Baltimore for their succulent flavor and delicate texture. Made with sweet and tender lump crab meat, seasoned with a blend of herbs and spices, and bound together with just enough filler to hold them together, these Baltimore Crab Cakes are one of my all-time favorite seafood recipes ever.
They’re delicate with a crisp exterior, yielding a tender crab-filled center. Infused with Old Bay seasoning and a touch of Dijon mustard, they’re just perfect! In fact, this has been my go-to crab cake recipe for years! I use it for everything from Crab Cake Sandwiches to crowd-pleasing Crab Cake Benedicts with homemade hollandaise sauce.
For more delicious ways to enjoy crab, try one of these recipes next: Easy Crab Stuffed Salmon, 20-Minute Spicy Crab Pasta, or my Cheesy Hot Crab Dip.
Table of Contents show all
What’s In Crab Cakes?
- Jumbo lump crab meat: Be sure to pick through the canned crab for any cartilage or shells. You could pick the crab meat yourself, but canned is so much easier.
- Crab cake filling: I go light on the filler, using juuuust enough to bind the crab cakes together. You’ll need an egg, mayonnaise, chopped fresh herbs (I like parsley, dill, and tarragon!), Dijon mustard, Old Bay seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, lemon zest, Kosher salt, and black pepper.
- My binder of choice is Ritz crackers. Place 20 Ritz crackers in a resealable bag, seal tightly, then crush with a rolling pin until finely ground. These add a delicious buttery taste that I adore! You could also use saltines!
Ingredient Substitutions
- Ritz crackers: These delicious buttery crackers are perfect with crab cake. You can substitute withregular or homemade bread crumbs. Even saltine crackers are a good option! I do not recommend usingpanko breadcrumbs.
- Instead ofmayo, you could useGreek yogurt, but it doesn’t have the same tangy taste. Crème fraîche would also work.
- Thefresh herbsyou choose are up to you. Yes, you can use dried instead if need be, simply use about 1 tsp total of dried herbs in place of 4 Tbsp fresh.
How To Cook Crab Cakes
- First, make sure you pick through the crab meat for any cartilage or shells.
- Next, combine the crab cake filler ingredients in a medium bowl (everything except the crab and the crackers), then whisk well. I like to add the crabmeat and cracker crumbs to the mayonnaise mixture at the end to ensure I don’t overwork the mixture.
- Use a large cookie scoop to portion the crab mixture into 7 equal-sized crab cakes. Use your hands to gently press down into flat disks.
- Optional: refrigerate! If you have the time to spare, a quick 30 minute chill in the fridge will help ensure the crab cakes keep their shape while pan frying. If not, you can just go ahead and cook them.
- Heat a little butter or oil on a stovetop (cast-iron skillet, nonstick skillet, griddle — anything works here!). When hot, add the formed crab cake patties, then pan sear for a couple minutes on each side. That’s it! They’re ready to enjoy!
Crab Cake Sauce
While delicious on their own, I highly recommend a sauce for crab cakes. Specifically, homemade tartar sauce or remoulade sauce. Both are quick, easy, and mayonnaise-based.
The latter has a slightly spicy taste (it’s got Creole mustard, horseradish, and Cajun seasoning!), while tartar sauce is more subtle, highlight the crunch from relish and shallots (or onion) without any added heat. Both sauces take just 5 minutes to make!
FAQs
Is canned crab meat ready to eat?
Yes! Just be sure to drain it well before using and pick through for any lingering shells.
What can I use in place of Ritz crackers?
Traditional breadcrumbs are a great alternative! If you’re looking to make gluten-free crab cakes, you can use crushed gluten-free crackers or even finely ground almond meal as a substitute for breadcrumbs.
Can I use claw meat instead of lump crab meat?
Yes, claw meat is a more affordable option, but it will have a slightly different texture and is generally less sweet than lump crab meat.
What’s the best way to reheat crab cakes?
The gentlest way to reheat leftover crab cakes is in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-12 minutes, or until warmed through.
I don’t have Old Bay seasoning. What can I use instead?
If you don’t have Old Bay seasoning, you can substitute a mixture of paprika, celery seed, dried thyme, and black pepper.
Ari’s Best Tips!
After making this Old Bay crab cake recipefor years now, I’ve learned a few things that I think are really helpful:
- Make sure topick through the crabmeat for cartilage and shellsbefore using!
- It’s a bit more expensive, but if you can swing it, go tojumbo lump crab meat. It’s larger,sweeter, and will yield a lighter, more delicate crab cake recipe.
- Please oh pleasedo not leave out the Old Bay Seasoning!
- Be gentle when mixing the crab cake ingredients to avoid breaking up the crab meat too much.
- Refrigerating the formed crab cakes before cooking helps them hold their shape better during frying.
- If enjoying at a party (crab cakes make theperfect hors d’oeuvres!), portion into1-2 tablespoon patties then pan-fry over medium-heat for1-2 minutes per side.
- Fresh herbs will addmuch more flavor than dried. Worth it to get fresh!
Make-Ahead, Storage, & Reheating
- Make-ahead: You can prepare the crab cake mixture up to a day in advance and store it covered in a fridge. Shape and cook the crab cakes when ready to serve.
- Leftover crab cakes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat them in a skillet over medium heat until heated through, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- While crab cakes are best enjoyed fresh, you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Wrap each crab cake individually in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil before freezing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
If you made a crab cake sauce, particularly one that is mayo-based, I don’t recommend freezing those.
How To Serve
I can’t even put into words how much I love this Old Bay crab cake recipe! Sometimes I serve them over a lightly dressed arugula salad with lemon wedges, other times I turn them into crab cake benedict or crab cake sandwiches (you’ll definitely want a sauce to go with!!). In fact, many of the 5 French Mother Sauces work well with seafood.
My favorite crab cake sauce is tartar sauce, but remoulade sauce, which is a little bit spicier, is fantastic too!
One bite and you’ll agree: these delicate crab cakes are totally restaurant-worthy!
If you make this easy Crab Cake recipe, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
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Print Recipe
5 from 1 review
Homemade Baltimore Crab Cakes (Very Little Filler!)
There's nothing I love more than Baltimore Crab Cakes! They've got a crisp exterior, a sweet crab flavor, and very little filler. You can enjoy them with tartar sauce, remoulade sauce, or a squeeze of lemon juice, but they're also great for making crab cake sandwiches and egg benedicts. This has been my go-to recipe for over a decade — it's foolproof!
Prep15 minutes mins
Cook10 minutes mins
Inactive Time (optional)30 minutes mins
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baltimor crab cake recipe, how to make crab cakes, maryland crab cakes
Servings: 7 crab cakes
Calories: 125kcal
Author: Ari Laing
Equipment
Ingredients
- Tartar sauce, made with mayo, relish, shallots, Dijon, lemon juice, Kosher salt, and black pepper
- 1 large egg
- 3 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Worcestershire
- 2 Tbsp chopped parsley
- 2 Tbsp chopped dill or tarragon
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1½ tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lb jumbo lump crab meat, picked through for cartilage and shells
- 20 Ritz crackers, ground into fine crumbs or ⅔ cup breadcrumbs
- Flaky sea salt
Instructions
If you haven't already, make tartar sauce (or remoulade sauce).
Mix wet ingredients and spices.Combine 1 egg, 3 Tbsp mayonnaise, 2 tsp Old Bay, 2 tsp Dijon, 1 tsp Worcestershire, 2 Tbsp chopped parsley, 2 Tbsp chopped dill, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper in a large mixing bowl, then whisk well.
Form the crab cake mixture.Add 1 lb crab meat and ⅔ cup Ritz cracker crumbs, then mix gently until just combined.
Portion the crab cakes.Use a large cookie scoop to portion mixture into equal size crab cakes. 1 lb of crab meat will yield7 crab cakes.Place on a parchment lined baking sheet, then refrigerate for30 minutes(or up to 1 day). Chilling is optional and will help them keep their shape while cooking, but YES, you can skip this if low on time.
Cook the crab cakes.When ready, gently form the crab cakes into uniform size and shape, pressing down slightly and smoothing the edges to form a flat, round circle. Heat 2 Tbsp unsalted butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Cook crab cakes for2-3 minutes per side,or until golden brown and crispy.
Serve immediately.Crab cakes are best served hot from the skillet. Sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt, then enjoy immediately or at room temp!
Notes
- Make-ahead: You can prepare the crab cake mixture up to a day in advance and store it covered in a fridge. Shape and cook the crab cakes when ready to serve.
- Leftover crab cakes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat them in a skillet over medium heat until heated through, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- While crab cakes are best enjoyed fresh, you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Wrap each crab cake individually in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil before freezing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1crab cake | Calories: 125kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 1203mg | Potassium: 176mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 181IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 1mg
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5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)
