Showing you how to make Crab Cakes with this easy family recipe that's full of jumbo lump crab meat and minimal filling. The simple recipe yields the most decadent, buttery and delicious pan-fried patties -- with just minutes of effort!
Once again, the classics reign supreme! My mom's traditional crab cakes are a family favorite because they highlight the sweet, buttery natural flavor of the crab -- without too much breading or other fillers to get in the way. With minimal ingredients, you won't believe how easy it is to cook restaurant-quality crab cakes at home. They're absolutely perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine's Day, or any other special occasion!
How to make Crab Cakes:
While they taste incredibly fancy, these crab cakes are one of the easiest dinners that you will ever make! Here's what you need:
- Egg
- Mayonnaise
- Dry mustard, salt and pepper
- Jumbo lump crab meat
- Saltine crackers
- Fresh parsley
- Butter and oil for frying
The best crab meat for Crab Cakes:
Jumbo lump crab meat is the best of the best! While it's also the most expensive crab that you can purchase, it's well worth the investment for special occasions. Nothing else has the same rich, buttery texture, bright white appearance, and large chunks.
I buy the refrigerated jumbo lump crab in the seafood section at the grocery store (not the canned version). This crab meat is fully cooked and ready to use in recipes.
Once you've pulled together your ingredients, here's how to make crab cakes:
First, whisk together the egg, mayonnaise, dry mustard, salt and pepper in a bowl.
Add the crab, crushed saltines and chopped parsley. Gently fold together, just until combined. Try to be careful not to break up those big, beautiful chunks of crab.
Divide the mixture into 4 large patties. I like to make a round ball, and then gently press down to desired thickness. You want the patties to be pretty thick — about ¾ inch. Wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Cook the crab cakes in butter and oil for about 3-5 minutes per side (or until golden brown).
How to serve Crab Cakes:
Serve the warm patties with lemon wedges and either tartar sauce or cocktail sauce. Here are some easy sides that go really well with crab cakes, too:
- Corn on the cob
- Secret Ingredient Jiffy Cornbread
- Crispy Seasoned Oven Roasted Potatoes
- Aunt Bee’s 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits
- Coleslaw
- Caesar Salad or a simple green salad dressed in Buttermilk Dressing
Preparation and Storage:
You can prepare crab cakes in advance and refrigerate the patties for up to 24 hours before cooking.
If you want to prepare the patties and cook them in advance, the cooked crab cakes will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat, place the patties on a rimmed baking sheet. Cover loosely with foil and warm in a 350 degree F oven for about 10 minutes, or just until heated through.
You can freeze the patties either before or after cooking. To freeze before cooking, wrap individual patties tightly with waxed paper and foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to use, allow the patties to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before frying in a pan according to the recipe instructions.
Cooked crab cakes can be tightly wrapped and frozen for up to 2 months. When ready to use, allow the patties to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. To reheat, place the thawed patties on a rimmed baking sheet. Cover loosely with foil and warm in a 350 degree F oven for about 10 minutes, or just until heated through.
Cook's Tips and Recipe Variations:
- Chilling the patties for at least 1 hour (or up to 24 hours) before frying helps them stay together when they cook. Nobody wants crab cakes that are falling apart as you flip them, so don't skip this step!
- While you need the eggs and mayonnaise to act as the binder, a filler is also important to help hold the patties together when they cook. Saltine cracker crumbs make the best filler for crab cakes. We keep the amount of filler to a minimum here, using just 5 crackers for the whole recipe. I do not recommend substituting with Panko breadcrumbs, which are flavorless and too crunchy. Instead, just put the Saltines in a little Ziploc plastic bag and crush them finely with a rolling pin or mallet. You can also process them in a mini food processor if you prefer.
- You can add about 1 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning to the crab mixture for some added zest if you like.
- I prefer to cook the patties in a pan; however, you can also bake them in the oven. To make Baked Crab Cakes, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Generously grease a rimmed baking sheet with butter, place patties on the pan, and brush the patties with melted butter. Bake crab cakes for 12-14 minutes, or until golden brown.
- If you don't want to splurge on a container of jumbo lump crab meat, you can also use lump crab meat (which is a little bit smaller than the jumbo lump) or even backfin crab meat in a pinch. I do not recommend using canned crab or claw crab meat for this recipe.
- You can scale this recipe to feed any size crowd. If you're cooking for just two people, cut the ingredients in half and buy just an 8 ounce container of crab meat. If you want to feed a larger family, you can double all of the ingredients and cook the patties in batches.
More easy crab recipes that you might enjoy:
How to make Crab Cakes
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon dry ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Dash of black pepper
- 1 lb. jumbo lump crab meat
- 5 saltine crackers, finely crushed
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons canola oil or vegetable oil, for frying (or more, as needed, to coat pan)
- Lemon wedges, for serving
- Tartar sauce or cocktail sauce, for serving
Instructions
- Whisk egg, mayonnaise, dry mustard, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add crab, saltines and parsley. Gently fold together, just until combined.
- Form into 4 patties (about ¾-inch thick). Wrap patties in waxed paper and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add crab cakes and cook until golden and crispy, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
- Serve with lemon and tartar sauce or cocktail sauce.
Notes
- Chilling the patties for at least 1 hour (or up to 24 hours) before frying helps them stay together when they cook. Nobody wants crab cakes that are falling apart as you cook them, so don't skip this step!
- While you need eggs and mayonnaise to act as the binder in the crab cakes, a filler is also important to help hold the crab cakes together when they cook. Saltine cracker crumbs make the best filler for crab cakes. We keep the amount of filler to a minimum here, using just 5 crackers for the whole recipe. I do not recommend substituting with Panko breadcrumbs, which are flavorless and too crunchy. Instead, just put the Saltines in a little Ziploc plastic bag and crush them finely with a rolling pin or mallet. You can also process them in a mini food processor if you prefer.
- You can add about 1 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning to the crab mixture for some added zest if you like.
- I prefer the pan-fried crab cakes; however, you can also bake them in the oven. To make Baked Crab Cakes, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Generously grease a rimmed baking sheet with butter, place patties on the pan, and brush the patties with melted butter. Bake crab cakes for 12-14 minutes, or until golden brown.
- If you don't want to splurge on a container of jumbo lump crab meat, you can also use lump crab meat (which is a little bit smaller than the jumbo lump) or even backfin crab meat in a pinch. I do not recommend using canned crab or claw crab meat for these crab cakes.
- You can scale this recipe to feed any size crowd. If you're cooking for just two people, cut the ingredients in half and buy just an 8 ounce container of crab meat. If you want to feed a larger family, you can double all of the ingredients and cook the crab cakes in batches.
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