Description
This Easy Homemade Crab Cakes recipe delivers crispy, golden crab cakes loaded with lump crab meat and seasoned with classic Old Bay and fresh herbs. Served with a tangy Greek yogurt dipping sauce, these crab cakes are perfect as an appetizer or main dish. The recipe uses a skillet frying method and offers a delightful combination of flavors and textures.
Ingredients
Scale
Crab Cakes
- 2 large eggs
- 4 finely chopped green onions (about ½ cup)
- 1 finely diced celery stalk (about â…“ 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
- â…› 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
Dipping Sauce
- 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: Preheat your oven to 250°F to keep the crab cakes warm and crispy between batches.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add chopped green onions, diced celery, parsley, Greek yogurt or mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and 2 tablespoons of dry breadcrumbs. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
- Add Crab Meat: Gently fold in the lump crab meat, being careful to keep the lumps intact for texture.
- Adjust Mixture: If the mixture is too wet to form patties, gradually add 1 to 2 more tablespoons of dry breadcrumbs until it holds shape well.
- Prepare Breadcrumb Coating: Spread the Panko breadcrumbs evenly in a wide, shallow bowl for coating the crab cakes.
- Form Patties and Chill: Shape the crab mixture into 8 equal-sized patties. Lightly coat each patty in the Panko breadcrumbs, then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up the patties for frying.
- Make Dipping Sauce: While the patties chill, combine Greek yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, a pinch of kosher salt, optional hot sauce, and chopped fresh herbs in a small bowl. Chill the sauce until ready to serve.
- Fry Crab Cakes: Line a large plate with paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot but not smoking, carefully place crab cakes in a single layer without crowding. Fry each side for 3 to 4 minutes 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 the crab cakes hot with the prepared dipping sauce.
Notes
- Using lump crab meat helps achieve the best texture with large pieces and minimal shell fragments.
- Adjust breadcrumbs as needed depending on the moisture content to ensure crab cakes hold together.
- Chilling the patties before frying helps maintain their shape and texture.
- The dipping sauce can be customized with herbs and hot sauce according to your taste preference.
- Canola or grapeseed oil is preferred for frying due to their high smoke points and neutral flavor.
- Keep cooked crab cakes warm in a low oven to maintain crispiness without overcooking.
