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Virginia Crab Imperial

Name: Virginia Crab Imperial
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons finely diced red bell pepper; 2 tablespoons finely diced onion; 1 tablespoon butter; ¾ cup mayonnaise, divided; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce; 1 egg, lightly beaten; ¼ teaspoon pepper; ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning; 1 lb. crabmeat (jumbo lump, lump or backfin); ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Published: Jul 7, 2020 by Blair Lonergan

A traditional Crab Imperial tastes fancy, but this easy dish is ready for the oven in just 10 minutes!

Total Time: 30 minutes

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Front shot of two blue ramekins full of Crab Imperial

Any native Virginian has probably enjoyed the sweet, savory and rich taste of Crab Imperial. This traditional dish is made with lump crabmeat, topped with Parmesan cheese, and baked in the oven until golden brown. It tastes fancy, but the easy recipe is ready with just 10 minutes of prep!

Those of us raised in the southeast (and in Maryland) are very familiar with the wonder of blue crabs. The Chesapeake Bay and the Tidewater region are full of the popular shellfish, so dishes like Crab Cakes and Crab Imperial are practically a way of life. These recipes have become an ingrained part of the local culture, and most home cooks have their own favorite version.

What is Crab Imperial?

Crab Imperial is a classic American dish made with crabmeat that has been combined with mayonnaise or a sherried white sauce, and spooned into blue crab shells or scallop shells. The crab mixture is topped with Parmesan cheese or bread crumbs and baked until golden brown.

Crab Imperial tastes sweet and savory, and is very similar to crab cakes without the filler. Since it contains many of the same ingredients as a traditional crab cake recipe, Crab Imperial basically tastes like a baked crab cake in a casserole dish! We're not adding breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs to bulk up the dish. Instead, each individual serving is bursting with lump crabmeat in a creamy, delicately seasoned sauce.

Overhead shot of two dishes of crab imperial on a wooden table

How to make Crab Imperial:

You can certainly serve your Crab Imperial in shells, but I've used individual ramekins here for ease. You can also bake one larger casserole dish if you prefer. It's an easy 30-minute meal. Let's get started!

Ingredients for Crab Imperial:

Red bell pepper
Onion
Butter
Mayonnaise
Dijon mustard
Worcestershire sauce
Egg
Pepper
Old Bay seasoning
Crabmeat
Parmesan cheese

The best crab meat for Crab Imperial:

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.

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 (or a combination of these). I do not recommend using canned crab or claw crab meat for this recipe.

Step 1: Sauté Bell Pepper and Onion

Cook the red bell pepper and the onion in butter just until soft. Allow the vegetables to cool.

Step 2: Stir together Ingredients

Meanwhile, whisk together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, egg, pepper and Old Bay seasoning.

Mayonnaise mixture for crab imperial in a glass mixing bowl

Add the cooled vegetables and the crabmeat, and gently stir to combine.

Crab imperial ingredients in a large mixing bowl

Step 3: Divide Mixture Between Individual Dishes

Spoon the mixture into individual ramekins or one 1-quart dish.

Spread a dollop of mayonnaise on top of each dish and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Crab imperial topped with Parmesan cheese before baking in the oven

Step 4: Bake Crab Imperial

Bake the dishes in a 400 degree F oven for about 20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.

Horizontal shot of baked crab imperial on a wooden table with herbs surrounding the dishes

How to serve Crab Imperial:

Crab Imperial is served as both an appetizer and as an entree, and is best warm from the oven. Since crabmeat is expensive, serving smaller portions as appetizers in scallop shells can be a nice way to stretch the quantity that you have.

The Crab Imperial also makes a great special occasion dinner. A little bit goes a long way (thanks to all of those rich ingredients), so a small 8-ounce ramekin should feed one person. Pair the dish with a couple of lighter sides for the perfect meal!

Sides that go well with Crab Imperial:

A loaf of No-Knead Bread or Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Corn on the cob
Skillet Cornbread
Crispy Seasoned Oven Roasted Potatoes
Aunt Bee’s 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits
Coleslaw
Caesar Salad or a simple green salad dressed in Pepper Jelly Vinaigrette
Sauteed Spinach with Garlic

Close up side shot of a bright blue ramekin full of Crab Imperial

Nutrition Information:

This Crab Imperial recipe is a keto-friendly low-carb dish. Each serving has about 433 calories, 36 grams of fat, 22 grams of protein and only 1.3 grams of carbohydrates.

Preparation and Storage Tips:

Make Ahead: You can prepare the Crab Imperial up to 1 day in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Allow the dishes to come to room temperature on the counter for at least 30 minutes before baking. It's perfect for entertaining!
Leftover Crab Imperial will keep in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
Do not freeze Crab Imperial. The creamy mayonnaise mixture will "break" when thawed.
To reheat Crab Imperial, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the dish in the hot oven and bake just until the dish reaches the desired temperature (about 10 minutes).

Cook's Tips and Recipe Variations:

I prefer jumbo lump or lump crab for this recipe, but you can substitute with backfin or a combination of lump and backfin. I do not recommend using canned crabmeat.
If available, use a wedge of Parmesan cheese and grate it yourself instead of using canned pre-grated Parmesan cheese. The freshly-grated version has a richer taste and melts better.
If you don't have individual ramekin dishes, you can substitute with one 1-quart baking dish.
Use the Crab Imperial as stuffing for shrimp, salmon or flounder. This is another great way to stretch the flavor of the pricey crab.
Many recipes call for sherry, which I do not include here. If you like, you can add a splash of sherry to your mayonnaise mixture.
Cooking Just for Two? Cut all of the ingredients in half and bake two portions of the recipe instead of 4. The rest of the instructions remain the same.

Close overhead shot of a spoon scooping up crab imperial from a baking dish

More crab recipes that you might enjoy:

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