Description
This classic Crab Cakes recipe delivers crispy, golden patties packed with tender lump crab meat and a perfect blend of seasonings. Served with a tangy Greek yogurt dipping sauce, these crab cakes are ideal as an appetizer or main dish. They are pan-fried to perfection for a crunchy exterior and moist, flavorful interior.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crab Cakes:
- 2 large eggs
- 4 finely chopped green onions (about ½ cup)
- 1 finely diced celery stalk (about ⅓ cup)
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
- 3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt or mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 to 4 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs, divided
- 1 pound lump crab meat, picked over to remove shells
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup canola oil or grapeseed oil or similar neutral cooking oil
For the Dipping Sauce (Optional):
- ½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Pinch kosher salt
- 2 to 3 dashes hot sauce (optional)
- ½ tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, cilantro, or basil (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: To keep the crab cakes warm between batches, preheat the oven to 250°F. This ensures your crab cakes stay crispy while you finish cooking the rest.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the chopped green onions, diced celery, parsley, Greek yogurt (or mayonnaise), Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, salt, black pepper, cayenne, and 2 tablespoons of dry breadcrumbs. Stir everything together to combine thoroughly.
- Add Crab Meat: Gently fold in the lump crab meat, being careful not to break up the lumps too much to keep the texture intact.
- Adjust Mixture: Check the mixture’s consistency. If it’s too wet to form into patties, add 1 to 2 more tablespoons of dry breadcrumbs gradually until it holds shape.
- Prepare Breadcrumb Coating: Spread the Panko breadcrumbs in a wide, shallow bowl for coating the crab cakes.
- Form Patties and Chill: Shape the crab mixture into 8 equal patties. Lightly coat each patty in the Panko breadcrumbs, then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to help them firm up and hold together during frying.
- Make Dipping Sauce: While patties chill, mix the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, pinch of kosher salt, optional hot sauce, and chopped herbs in a small bowl. Chill and set aside.
- Fry Crab Cakes: Line a large plate with paper towels and set near the stove. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot (not smoking), carefully place crab cakes in a single layer without crowding. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. Transfer cooked crab cakes to the paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- Keep Warm and Serve: Place finished crab cakes in the preheated oven to keep warm while frying the remaining patties. Serve hot with the prepared dipping sauce.
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate leftover crab cakes in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- TO REHEAT: Warm leftovers in a 300ºF oven or in a skillet over medium-low heat. They can also be enjoyed cold or at room temperature.
- TO FREEZE: Store cooked or uncooked crab cakes in the freezer for up to one month. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating or cooking according to the recipe instructions.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 crab cakes with sauce
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
