Crab Cakes

By Lidey Heuck

Published October 11, 2023

  • Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
About 1 hour
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes, plus 30 minutes’ chilling
Rating
4(618)
Comments
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Flavored with Old Bay seasoning, mustard and a splash of Worcestershire sauce, these classic Maryland-style crab cakes are heavy on the crab, with just enough bread crumbs and mayonnaise to hold everything together. Serve with homemade tartar sauce, lemon wedges and a green salad for a special lunch, dinner or appetizer any time of the year. For an hors d’oeuvre-sized portion, form smaller cakes (about 3 tablespoons of batter each) and pan-fry as directed. The batter can be made up to 24 hours in advance and stored, covered, in the refrigerator.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • ½ cup mayonnaise

  • 1 large egg

  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 

  • 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) 

  • Black pepper

  • 1 pound lump crab meat, drained

  • ½ cup panko 

  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley 

  • ¼ cup vegetable or canola oil, for frying 

  • Store-bought or homemade tartar sauce and lemon wedges, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

7 grams carbs; 168 milligrams cholesterol; 466 calories; 15 grams monosaturated fat; 18 grams polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 38 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 900 milligrams sodium; 23 grams protein; 1 gram sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, egg, mustard, Worcestershire, Old Bay, salt and a few grinds (or shakes) of black pepper and whisk until smooth. Add the crab, panko and parsley and mix gently until incorporated. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the mixture to firm up slightly.

  2. Step 2

    Using a measuring cup, scoop out heaping ⅓-cup mounds of the crab mixture and form them into firm patties about ¾-inch thick. You should have 8 cakes.

  3. Step 3

    In a medium (10-inch) skillet, heat the canola oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add 4 of the crab cakes, spacing them evenly in the pan. Gently press the cakes with a spatula to flatten them slightly, then cook until browned on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side until browned, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer the cooked cakes to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the remaining cakes, lowering the heat, if necessary, to prevent any burning.

  4. Step 4

    Serve the crab cakes with tartar sauce and lemon wedges on the side.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
618 user ratings
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Comments

JJ

You don't add the crab to the liquids, you add liquid the crab meat and cracker, mix that way crackers/panko doesn't get soggy. Mix panko or cracker crumbs with the crab, let stand for 5-10 minute. That absorbs the moisture off the crab meat. That way the mayonnaise sticks to the bits of crab meat better and you don't need as much. 1/2 cup panko/crackers per pound of crab meat is excessive. If you use a mix of lump and backfin you can lower the amount of crackers/panko even more/

Carol

This recipe is very close to the Maryland crab cakes I learned to make while living in Maryland, BUT since Old Bay contains a lot of salt, no more salt is necessary. Also, try using 1/2 tsp. Coleman's dry mustard instead of Dijon, and a bit less Worcestershire. Crabmeat is so sweet and delicate that it shouldn't be overpowered.

CMilnes

While this is a decent recipe, most of us in Baltimore would advise broiling a crab cake over frying.

Rolien

just out of curiosity, how much would a pound of lump crab meat cost in the US? Crab is an expensive delicacy here in the Netherlands, I've looked online and a pound of lump crab meat would cost me around 65 euros (75 dollars). Not really in my budget ;-) Would tinned crab be an option?

Megan

I made these on Christmas Day as an appetizer. We badly overcooked the pork loin so we had appetizers for Christmas dinner. No one complained. These are delicious.

JR

Delicious and easy recipe! I made these as appetizers for our Christmas Eve Seven Fishes dinner and people went crazy for them. The only changes I made were: 1) I made them miniature by using my smallest cookie scoop. I placed the uncooked balls on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and lightly compressed them to make them flatter. 2) Following the comments here, I broiled them instead of frying them. I melted two tablespoons of butter and drizzled it over the crab cakes before putting them in the broiler until they were golden brown.

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