These crab cakes will rival your favorite restaurant! Every time I make these Baked Crab Cakes I vow to make them more frequently.
Sweet, rich, delicate crab; savory seasonings like Old Bay and Worcestershire; bright, fresh lemon and parsley; and a little kick from Dijon and Tabasco to round it out.
The process to make these Baked Crab Cakes is quite simple and straightforward. The most tedious part of the whole affair is getting the dang crab out of the shell!
If you’re short on time or just want to skip this step, you can typically find lump crab meat at your grocery store where you get fresh fish, but be prepared to pay a premium!
Step 2 – Add mayo, lemon juice, Dijon, Worcestershire, Tabasco, Old bay, fresh parsley, salt, and pepper; whisk to combine. I got a little excited and added the crab before snapping a photo!
Step 3 – Gently fold in crab meat and breadcrumbs with a silicone spatula.
CAN BAKED CRAB CAKES BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME?
YES! The crab cakes can be formed, covered, and refrigerated a day ahead of time before cooking.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE BAKED CRAB CAKES
- lump crab meat
- mayonnaise (Hellmann’s)
- egg
- lemon juice
- Dijon mustard
- Worcestershire sauce
- Tabasco sauce
- Old Bay seasoning
- fresh parsley
- breadcrumbs (may use crushed cornflakes or ritz)
- kosher salt
- black pepper
I always serve crab cakes with Tartar Sauce, full stop! Below are a list of ingredients needed for my classic take on the beloved Tartar Sauce.
Sometimes I add in fresh tarragon, chives, preserved lemon puree, or Old Bay seasoning to switch things up.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE TARTAR SAUCE
- mayonnaise (Hellman’s)
- lemon juice
- dill pickles
- capers
- fresh dill
- Dijon mustard
- Worcestershire sauce
- kosher salt
- black pepper
Take me to the Tartar Sauce Recipe
WHAT KIND OF CRAB MEAT SHOULD I USE?
Lump crab meat is ideal for crab cakes. Lump comes from the body of the crab. It is smaller chunks of crab compared to jumbo lump, but still sturdy. You can mix it without worrying that it will break apart and become mushy. The texture and medium flavor make it ideal for crab cakes.
You can also use a combination of lump crab and backfin crab meat. Backfin crab meat is a mixture of the broken bits of lump crab meat and the smaller pieces of body meat from the body of the crab. Backfin is usually flaky and fine which makes it great for crab cakes.
WHAT IF I CAN ONLY FIND JUMBO LUMP CRAB MEAT?
Jumbo lump crab meat comes from the two swimmer fins, so it takes a lot of crabs to make up a container of jumbo lump crabmeat. This is why it is usually the most expensive variety at the grocery store.
Jumbo lump is sturdy, with delicate, sweeter flavor than other parts. It’s easily overwhelmed by the spices and other flavors in crab cakes.
If this is what you have available, you’ll have to break the pieces up a bit. If the clumps are too large, the crab cakes won’t hold together well.
CAN I USE CLAW MEAT?
Short answer: yes. Long answer: if you can avoid it, please do!
It is darker than lump meat and has a strong, intense flavor, which makes it a better choice for recipes where you want the crab flavor to hold its own with other flavors, like in a crab bisque or dip.
Baked Crab Cakes
Equipment
- 1 large bowl
- 1 whisk
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups ⅓ cup piece is used to mold the crab cakes
- 1 silicone spatula or wooden spoon
- 1 large plate
- 1 baking sheet
- tinfoil to line the baking sheet
- 1 wire baking rack
Ingredients
- 1 lb lump crab meat see notes
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup mayonnaise hellmann's
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce Lea and Perrin's is my favorite
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- tabasco a couple dashes
- 1 tsp old bay seasoning heaping
- ¼ cup Italian parsley stems removed and chopped
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup breadcrumbs perhaps more; may sub crushed cornflakes or ritz crackers
Instructions
- Crack the egg into a large bowl and beat it using a whisk. Add the mayo, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, Tabasco sauce, Old Bay seasoning, salt, pepper, and chopped parsley; whisk until fully combined.
- Add in the crab meat and breadcrumbs (crushed corn flakes or ritz). Gently fold all the ingredients together with a spatula.
- Press the crab mixture into a ⅓ cup measuring cup and then place crab cakes on a large plate. The mixture should make 8 cakes.
- Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator to firm up for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Set a rack to the middle position. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up. Set a wire rack on top of the baking sheet and spray lightly with olive or avocado oil.
- Remove the plate of crab cakes from the fridge. Carefully transfer the crab cakes one by one to the wire rack. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the crab cakes for 10-13 minutes.
- Remove crab cakes from the oven when they're golden brown. Serve with Tartar Sauce, lemon wedges, and fresh bread.
