These Crab Cakes with Old Bay Remoulade are a delicious and versatile dish that can be served in bite-sized pieces as hors d'oeuvres, as an appetizer, or as a main course. They are made with a combination of lump crab meat, panko breadcrumbs, eggs, mayonnaise, Old Bay (of course!), and several other seasonings.
Pan-fry them until they are golden brown and deliciously crispy, then finish them off with a drizzle of my homemade Old Bay Remoulade to take these up to the next level. It really is hard to beat the flavor of fresh crab, so let's dig in!
Crab Cake Ingredients
The fresh crab is the main focus of this recipe. The herbs and seasonings are there to help highlight the flavor of the crab - not hide it. This recipe uses the ingredients below, but feel free to make substitutions or changes to suit your tastes.
- Lump Crab Meat - Use the freshest crab meat you can find. At the very least, canned crab meat works pretty well. Avoid imitation crab if at all possible.
- Panko Breadcrumbs
- Mayonnaise
- Eggs
- Dijon Mustard
- Worcestershire
- Old Bay Seasoning - (Seriously, what's a crab cake without Old Bay?)
- Thinly Sliced Green Onion
- Juice and Zest from half of a Lemon
- Fresh Parsley
- Kosher Salt
- Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
Old Bay Remoulade Ingredients
Crab cakes are a very popular dish and are often served with a variety of dipping sauces, such as tartar sauce, cocktail sauce, or remoulade sauce. My recipe for Old Bay Remoulade (included in the recipe below) will really set these off! Here is everything you need to put this sauce together:
- Mayonnaise
- Dijon Mustard
- Old Bay Seasoning
- Paprika
- Prepared Horseradish
- Dill Pickle Brine
- Hot Sauce (Preferably Tabasco)
- Garlic
- Granulated Sugar
- Kosher Salt
- Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
Remoulade not your thing? Check out my recipe for Homemade Tartar Sauce here!
Serving Suggestions
One other great thing about these crab cakes is that they can be served as an appetizer or as a main course. You can make them as big or as small as you'd like. Go the hors d'oeuvres route by making these into bite-sized portions and serving on crackers with a bit of Old Bay Remoulade or Homemade Tartar Sauce on top. Portion into 2-inch patties as a plated appetizer, or swing for the fences and make the full-sized, 4-inch patties as a main course!
These are simple to make and can easily be tailored to your own taste preferences. You can add different ingredients to the crab cakes, such as chopped vegetables (thinly sliced celery is a popular option) or other herbs and spices (add some cayenne pepper to turn up the heat!). You can also use different types of bread crumbs, such as Italian seasoned breadcrumbs or even crushed saltine crackers.
Additional Tips for the Best Crab Cakes Ever
- Don't overwork the mixture when you're forming the patties. This will cause the meat to fall apart, and you will have a hard time keeping everything together while cooking them. You also want some larger lumps of crab meat in the patties as well.
- Make sure whatever pan you are using is hot before adding the crab cakes. This will ensure that the patties sear instead of sticking. This will only add to the flavor while making it a breeze to cook them. Win-win.
Did you make this recipe for Crab Cakes with Old Bay Remoulade?
Let me know in the comments below how yours turned out, and don't forget to leave a rating!
Recipe
Crab Cakes with Old Bay Remoulade
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Medium Mixing Bowl
- Large Cast Iron or Stainless Steel Skillet
Ingredients
Crab Cakes
- 1 lb. Lump Crab Meat
- ½ Cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- ¼ Cup Mayonnaise
- 2 Eggs Beaten
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 Teaspoon Worcestershire
- 1 Teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 2 Tablespoons Green Onion Thinly Sliced - About 1 Green Onion
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice Juice from ½ Lemon
- Zest from ½ Lemon
- ¼ Cup Parsley Finely Minced
- ½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¼ Teaspoon Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
- 2 - 3 Tablespoons Neutral Cooking Oil
Old Bay Remoulade
- 1 Cup Mayonnaise
- ¼ Cup Dijon Mustard
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon Paprika
- 2 Teaspoon Prepared Horseradish
- 1 Teaspoon Dill Pickle Brine
- 1 Teaspoon Hot Sauce Preferably Tabasco
- 1 Medium Clove Garlic Minced
- ½ Teaspoon Granulated Sugar
- ½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¼ Teaspoon Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
Instructions
Crab Cakes
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the crab meat. Stir until everything is evenly combined.
- Fold in the lump crab meat, breaking up any extra large pieces (you still want some lumps). Take care not to overmix, or the crab meat will begin to fall apart.
- Form the crab mixture into individual patties to your desired size. A ⅓ cup measuring cup will yield 7, 4-inch patties that are about ½-inch thick. Portion into smaller patties for appetizers or bite-sized pieces for hors d'oeuvre.
- Cover and refrigerate for 30-minutes, up to overnight.
- Heat a large skillet, pan, or griddle over medium high heat, and add several tablespoons of oil (enough to coat the bottom of the pan). Ensure that the oil gets hot to avoid sticking.
- Add the crab cakes and cook 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
- Garnish with a pinch of kosher salt, fresh parsley, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
- Serve immediately with my Spicy Old Bay Remoulade and my Homemade Tartar Sauce.
Old Bay Remoulade
- While the crab cakes are resting in the fridge, add all ingredients to a medium sized mixing bowl. Stir until evenly combined.
- Allow to rest for about 5-minutes to allow seasonings to hydrate and the sugar to dissolve. Stir again until completely combined. Drizzle over the crab cakes, or serve in a ramekin on the side.
Notes
-
- Don't overwork the mixture when you're forming the patties. Overworking will cause the meat to fall apart, and your patties will have a hard time staying together when you're cooking them. You want some lumps of crab meat in the patties.
- Make sure whatever pan you are using is hot before adding the crab cakes. This will ensure that the patties sear instead of stick. This will only add to the flavor and will make cooking them a breeze. Win-win.
Greg goode says
Crab cakes are to die for. Best recipe I’ve followed!
Spencer Klickman says
Thanks so much, Greg!