Here’s a classic recipe for Crab Cakes—crispy on the outside, tender and flavorful on the inside.
🦀 Classic Crab Cakes
Ingredients (makes 8–10 cakes)
- 1 lb (450 g) Crab meat, drained and picked over for shells
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (plus extra for coating)
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning (or similar seafood seasoning)
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2–3 tablespoons oil or butter for frying
Instructions
- Mix the crab cake ingredients
- In a bowl, gently combine crab meat, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, egg, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay, green onions, parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Be careful not to break up the crab too much—you want some large chunks.
- Form the cakes
- Shape the mixture into 8–10 patties.
- Lightly coat each patty with breadcrumbs.
- Chill (optional)
- For firmer cakes that hold together, refrigerate for 30 minutes before cooking.
- Cook the crab cakes
- Heat oil or butter in a skillet over medium heat.
- Fry crab cakes 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown and heated through.
- Serve
- Serve hot with tartar sauce, lemon wedges, or a simple salad.
💡 Tips
- Use lump crab meat for the best texture and flavor.
- Avoid overmixing; you want the cakes to have distinct crab pieces.
- For baking instead of frying: place on a greased sheet, brush with butter, and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 12–15 minutes, flipping halfway.
If you want, I can also give you a quick 10-minute air fryer crab cake recipe that comes out crispy without deep frying.
