Crab Cakes
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It is easy to love my Crab Cake Recipe because it really puts the crab center stage. Just mix together lump crabmeat with enough binder to hold it together, coat it in panko, and pan-fry until both sides are golden brown. They're simple, full of flavor, and take about an hour.
I've tried crab cakes before at a bunch of different places, and overall I just wasn't very impressed. They usually have way too much filler, and that's not what I want. This recipe uses just a little breadcrumb and mayonnaise, so the crab really stands out. Chilling the cakes in the fridge helps them hold together perfectly when you cook them.
Here's Why You'll Love This Recipe
- The crab takes center stage. With very little filler, you get real crab flavor in every bite.
- They hold together really well. Chilling the patties before cooking keeps them from falling apart in the pan.
- These are pan-fried, not deep-fried. Butter and oil give you a golden crust without the mess.
- You can make them in about an hour, and most of that time is just letting them chill.
Ingredients You'll Need
The recipe card at the bottom of the post contains the full list with all of the amounts. Refer to that when you're cooking.
- Butter and oil: Use these to sauté the onion and pan-fry the crab cakes for rich flavor and a golden crust.
- Onion: Sauté it until it's tender to add sweetness and depth to the mix.
- Mayonnaise: Helps hold the crab cakes together and adds some richness.
- Plain dry breadcrumbs: Acts as a light binder, helping the patties stay together without taking over the crab's flavor.
- Egg: Binds everything together.
- Crab seasoning: A blend like Old Bay gives that classic, savory crab cake taste.
- Dijon mustard: Adds a bit of tang to the mix.
- Kosher salt: Don't sub in table salt. It isn't a 1:1 swap, and table salt typically contains iodine, which can impact the final flavor.
- Granulated sugar: A little bit helps balance the savory and tangy flavors.
- Lump crabmeat: The star of the recipe. Handle it gently to keep those big, beautiful lumps intact.
- Panko breadcrumbs: Coats the outside of the patties for a light, crispy crust.
In Photos: How To Make Crab Cakes
Step 1: Prep Filling
Sauté the onion. Heat half a tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon of oil in a large skillet until it's foamy. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring, until it's tender and translucent, about five minutes.
Combine the base ingredients. Remove the onion from the heat and transfer it to a large bowl. Add the mayonnaise, dry breadcrumbs, egg, crab seasoning, Dijon mustard, salt, and sugar.
Stir everything together.
Add the crab. Gently add the crabmeat.
Toss, being careful not to break up the lumps.
Step 2: Form Patties
Shape the patties. Divide the mixture into four equal parts and form them into patties.
Coat and chill. Lightly coat each patty in panko and set them on a wire rack.
Step 3: Chill
Chill them uncovered in the fridge for at least thirty minutes.
Step 4: Sauté
Heat the pan. Heat the remaining 2 ½ tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat until shimmering.
Cook the crab cakes. Sauté until golden brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes, then flip and brown the other side for about 5 more minutes.
Helpful Tips and Tricks
- Handle the crabmeat gently. Tossing too roughly breaks up the lumps, which changes the texture you're going for.
- Don't skip chilling the patties. It helps them firm up so they stay together when you cook them.
- Keep the heat at medium-low. This lets the crab cakes develop a deep golden crust without burning before the inside cooks through.
- Storage: Keep cooked crab cakes in the fridge for up to two days. Reheat them gently in a skillet to keep the crust crisp, since microwaving can make them soggy.
Recipe FAQ
Yup!. You can shape and coat the patties, then keep them chilled in the fridge for up to a day before cooking. The chill time is already part of the recipe, so this works well.
This usually happens if the cakes weren't chilled long enough or if you mixed the filling too roughly and it lost its structure. Make sure to chill for the full thirty minutes and handle the crab gently.
This recipe is meant for pan-frying, which gives the best golden crust. But if you prefer not to fry, you can bake the crab cakes at a high temperature on a well-greased baking sheet.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter, divided
- ½ onion, chopped
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup plain dry breadcrumbs
- 1 egg, large
- ¾ teaspoon crab seasoning, (such as Old Bay)
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 14 ounces lump crabmeat, drained
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons oil, divided
Instructions
- Heat ½ tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet until foamy, then add the chopped onion and saute (stirring) until tender and translucent (about 5 minutes).
- Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl, along with the mayonnaise, dry breadcrumbs, egg, crab seasoning, Dijon mustard, salt, and sugar.
- Stir to combine.
- Add the crabmeat, and toss (very gently) to combine, being careful not to break up the lumps.
- Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping into patties.
- Coat each patty lightly in panko and place on a wire rack.
- Chill (uncovered) in the fridge for 30 minutes minimum.
- Heat the remaining 2 ½ tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil together in a large skillet over medium-low heat until shimmering.
- Saute the crabcakes until golden brown on the bottom (approx. 5 minutes), then flip and brown on the other side (approx. 5 minutes more).
