Description
Classic East Coast-style crab cakes with generous chunks of sweet lump crab meat, minimal filler, and bold seasoning, pan-fried until golden and crisp.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb lump crab meat
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (panko or crushed saltines)
- Vegetable oil or butter, for frying
Instructions
- Carefully inspect the crab meat and remove any shell fragments while preserving large lumps.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, egg, parsley, and lemon juice.
- Gently fold in the crab meat and breadcrumbs, being careful not to overmix.
- Form the mixture into 6-8 crab cakes about ½ to ¾ inch thick.
- Place the formed crab cakes on a plate or tray, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.
- Heat oil or butter in a skillet over medium heat.
- Fry crab cakes for 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- Serve warm with lemon wedges, tartar sauce, or your favorite seafood condiment.
Notes
- For extra flavor and texture, use jumbo lump crab meat.
- Add finely chopped red bell pepper or celery for crunch.
- A dash of hot sauce or cayenne pepper can boost the heat level.
- For a lighter version, bake at 400°F for 12-15 minutes, flipping once.
- Serve on brioche buns for crab cake sandwiches.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 crab cake (of 8)
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 95mg