Description

The juiciest, most flavorful Crab Cakes you’ll ever eat! These Maryland-style crab cakes are only loaded with hunks of crab meat and very little filler making them extra tender and succulent. Made with lump crab meat, mayonnaise, dijon mustard, Old Bay seasoning, worcestershire, garlic, and fresh herbs…so insanely delicious, y’all!

Ingredients

Scale

1 large egg
1/4 cup full-fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely chopped white onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons dijon mustard, smooth or whole grain
2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 – 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning, to taste
3 cloves of garlic, finely minced or pressed
zest of 1 small lemon
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, from zested lemon
1 lb (16 ounces) fresh lump crab meat – see notes

For finishing & serving crab cakes:

3–4 tablespoons butter, melted- for brushing
for serving- optional: tartar/remoulade sauce or aioli, hot sauce, lemon wedges, creamy coleslaw & corn on the cob (as pictured), etc.

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Instructions

Combine the mixture: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg. Then add in the mayonnaise, onion, parsley, dijon mustard, worcestershire, Old Bay seasoning, garlic, lemon zest + lemon juice. Whisk everything together well to thoroughly combine.
Fold in the crab meat: Add the lump crab meat into the bowl and use your hands (fitted with disposable gloves, if desired) or a rubber spatula to fold the crab into the mixture, very gently, being careful not to aggressively handle to avoid breaking up the crab meat too much- just until combined.
Chill the crab mixture: Cover the bowl with a lid or secure tightly with plastic wrap/foil. Transfer the crab meat mixture into the refrigerator to chill for 45 minutes or up to 1 day. [Do not skip this step…as there is very little binder/filler here, the crab meat mixture needs to be thoroughly chilled prior to shaping into cakes!].
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray, set aside.
Shape into cakes: Grab the chilled crab meat mixture from the fridge. Use a heaping 1/3 cup measuring cup to divide the crab meat mixture into 6 portions. Place the portioned crab meat mixture into your hands (as pictured) and gently shape it into a nice mound- do not flatten or heavily press on the shaped crab cake. Tuck in any straggling pieces, as needed. Place the assembled crab cakes onto the prepared baking sheet. Then brush the tops of each crab cake with melted butter.
Cook the crab cakes: Bake the crab cakes for 17-20 minutes or until the crab cakes are golden-brown and slightly crispy around the edges and top. Let cool for 5 minutes and then use a spatula to gently transfer the crab cakes to a serving platter and serve immediately with tartar sauce, remoulade sauce, a few shakes of hot sauce, and/or lemon wedges, as desired. Enjoy!

Notes

Crab Meat notes: I highly recommend fresh (refrigerated) lump crab meat. See blog post for additional details on crab meat.
Storing leftover crab cakes: Keep leftover crab cakes stored inside of an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can freeze leftovers for 2 months- let thaw in fridge. Reheat crab cakes in the microwave until warmed through.
Can I pan-fry crab cakes on stovetop? Cooking crab cakes via the stovetop forces you to press on/flatten the crab cakes as they cook. This leaves you with flat, pancake-like crab cakes- oof. I heavily recommend baking or air frying (instructions below) for the best crab cakes that remain juicy, plump, and thickity-thick…chef’s kiss!
Air fryer instructions: Wanna use your air fryer for these crab cakes? Let’s do it! Follow the same instructions as directed in steps 1, 2, 3, and 5. Preheat the air fryer to 375°F and spray the basket with cooking spray. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you might need to work in batches. Place the crab cakes into the basket and brush the tops with melted butter. Cook for 18-20 minutes, or until golden-brown and slightly crispy. Serve, stat!
For best recipe success, please read the blog post & notes in its entirety with video tutorial before beginning.

Keywords: crab cakes, lump crab, Maryland crab cakes, best crab cakes, crab cakes with little filler, juicy crab cakes