Crab Cakes

Published by Fork Around & Find Out Kitchen — presented in the Lila editorial voice. Editorial standards

Quick Answer

To make crab cakes, gently combine lump crab meat with a light binder of egg, mayo, mustard, and minimal breadcrumbs, form into patties, and pan-fry in butter and oil over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side until deep golden brown. The key is using more crab than filler and handling the mixture as little as possible.

Jump to Recipe

The crab should be the expensive part of a crab cake, so it ought to be the thing you can actually taste. This recipe uses a full pound of lump crab with just enough mayonnaise, egg, Dijon, Worcestershire, Old Bay, lemon, bell pepper, green onion, and panko to season it and keep the cakes together. The binder is supporting cast. If you wanted breadcrumbs in a starring role, meatloaf is available.

Two details protect those big pieces of crab. First, drain the meat well and fold the mixture gently instead of stirring it into seafood paste. Second, refrigerate the mixture for at least 30 minutes before shaping. That cold rest lets the panko hydrate and the fat firm up, making the patties far less likely to spread or break when they hit the skillet.

A light panko coating gives the outside extra crunch, and cooking in butter plus neutral oil lets the cakes develop a deep golden crust without scorching the butter. Leave them alone for 3–4 minutes before the first flip; the crust needs time to become structural. Serve with lemon and remoulade or tartar sauce. If a crab cake needs so much sauce that the crab disappears, we have somehow arrived back at the original problem.

Prep15 minutes

Cook10 minutes

Total25 minutes

Serves4 servings (8 crab cakes)

DifficultyMedium

Ingredients

Servings

1 lb fresh lump crab meat, picked over for shells
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely diced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs, plus 1/2 cup for coating
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable)

Instructions

1Pick through the crab meat carefully and remove any remaining shell fragments. Drain it well — excess moisture is the enemy of a crab cake that holds together.
2In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, beaten egg, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay, salt, pepper, and lemon juice until fully combined.
3Add the red bell pepper, green onion, and 1/3 cup panko to the wet mixture. Stir to combine.
4Add the crab meat to the bowl. Using a rubber spatula or your hands, fold the mixture together very gently — you want to keep large chunks of crab intact. Over-mixing breaks up the crab and makes the final texture dense. Stop as soon as everything is just combined.
5Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This is not optional. The rest period lets the mixture firm up so the cakes hold their shape in the pan. (This is also when I wash the dishes and have a glass of wine, which is its own form of mise en place.)
6Place the remaining 1/2 cup panko in a shallow dish. Divide the crab mixture into 8 equal portions, roughly 1/3 cup each. Form each portion into a patty about 3/4-inch thick. Gently press each patty into the panko to coat both sides, shaking off any excess.
7Heat a large skillet — cast iron or stainless steel, not nonstick — over medium-high heat. Add the butter and oil together. The oil raises the smoke point of the butter so it doesn't burn before your crab cakes do.
8Once the butter is melted and the pan is hot (a drop of water should sizzle immediately), add the crab cakes in a single layer, leaving space between them. Do not crowd the pan. Work in batches if necessary.
9Cook undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes until the bottom is deep golden brown. Resist the urge to check or move them — the crust needs time to set or the cakes will fall apart when you flip.
10Flip once, carefully, using a thin spatula. Cook another 3 to 4 minutes on the second side until equally golden.
11Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and remoulade or tartar sauce.

Nutrition Information

Estimated per serving: 1 of 4 servings.

410Calories

25 gProtein

9 gCarbohydrates

30 gTotal Fat

7 gSaturated Fat

1 gFiber

2 gTotal Sugars

1770 mgSodium

140 mgCholesterol

Estimated from the ingredients and quantities in this recipe using standard food-composition values. Brand choices, trimming, cooking loss, optional ingredients, and actual portion size can change the numbers. How we calculate nutrition estimates.

Pro Tips

Use the best crab you can afford — fresh lump crab from the seafood counter beats canned every single time. Canned crab will work in a pinch, but drain it extremely well and taste it before you season, because the salt levels vary wildly.
The 30-minute chill in the refrigerator is load-bearing. Skip it and your crab cakes will spread in the pan like they're trying to escape. The cold rest is what makes them behave.
Do not use a nonstick skillet for this. You need the fond, the real sear, the crust that makes the whole thing worth doing. A nonstick pan will give you a pale, apologetic crab cake and nobody deserves that.

Substitutions

fresh lump crab meat → canned lump crab meat Drain thoroughly and press dry with paper towels before using. Flavor will be milder — add an extra squeeze of lemon to compensate.

mayonnaise → Greek yogurt Works as a lighter binder — use full-fat for best texture. The flavor will be slightly tangier, which isn't a bad thing.

panko breadcrumbs → crushed butter crackers (like Ritz) A classic Maryland move. Reduces the coating crunch but adds richness. Use the same quantity.

Old Bay seasoning → 1/2 tsp paprika + 1/4 tsp celery salt + pinch of cayenne Use this if you don't have Old Bay, though I'd argue acquiring Old Bay is the better use of your time.

red bell pepper → finely minced celery Same role, different flavor. Celery adds a subtle crunch without any sweetness — good if you prefer a more savory cake.

Storage Instructions

Cooked crab cakes keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 375°F oven for 10-12 minutes or in a skillet over medium heat with a little butter — this restores the crust. The microwave will make them soft and sad. Uncooked formed patties can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before cooking.

Make Ahead

Form the crab cakes, place on a parchment-lined sheet pan, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before cooking. You can also freeze uncooked patties: freeze them flat on a sheet pan until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 1 month. Cook from frozen at medium heat, adding 2-3 extra minutes per side.