Description
This Old Bay Crab Cakes recipe delivers plump, flavorful crab cakes bursting with succulent Dungeness crab meat seasoned to perfection with Old Bay and fresh herbs. Served with a lively Cajun aioli sauce, these golden crisp crab cakes make a perfect classic seafood appetizer.
Ingredients
Scale
Crab Cakes
- 2 large Eggs; beaten
- 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
- 3 Tbsp Chives or Green Onions; finely sliced
- 1 Tbsp Old Bay Seasoning
- 3 Tbsp fresh Lemon Juice
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 Tbsp fresh Dill; chopped
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper
- 1 1/2 lb Dungeness Crab Meat
- 1 cup buttery Crackers; crushed
- 1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
- 2 Tbsp Butter
- 2 Tbsp Avocado Oil
Cajun Aioli Sauce
- 1 Egg
- 2 tsp Champagne Vinegar or White wine Vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup light-flavored Oil
- 2 tsp Garlic; finely grated using a microplane
- 1 Tbsp Capers with a bit of brine (or substitute pickle relish)
- 2 Tbsp Cajun Seasoning
To Serve
- Crab Sauce
- Spring Mix
- Lemon Wedges
- Extra Dill
Instructions
- Prepare the Crab Cake Mixture: Add the beaten eggs, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, black pepper, chives, and dill into a large mixing bowl and mix until well combined.
- Fold in Crab and Crackers: Gently fold in the Dungeness crab meat and crushed buttery crackers; take care not to over-mix to maintain crab lumps. Form the mixture into 6 evenly sized crab cakes.
- Chill the Crab Cakes: Place the crab cakes on a parchment-lined sheet pan, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for one hour or up to overnight to help them set.
- Cook the Crab Cakes: Heat butter and avocado oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Press panko bread crumbs onto both sides of each crab cake, then fry for about 5 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp.
- Make the Cajun Aioli Sauce: While the cakes are frying, combine the egg, vinegar, Dijon mustard, and salt in a large mason jar. Slowly pour the oil over the top in a steady stream, allowing the ingredients to settle into layers.
- Emulsify the Sauce: Press an immersion blender firmly over the egg mixture and blend for about 30 seconds until emulsification begins. Slowly move the blender up and down to combine the ingredients thoroughly and thicken the sauce.
- Finish the Sauce: Stir in the finely grated garlic, capers with brine, and Cajun seasoning until well combined.
- Serve: Plate the crab cakes with a dollop of the Cajun aioli, garnish with spring mix, lemon wedges, and extra dill for a fresh finish.
Notes
- Use Dungeness crab meat for the best texture and flavor, but lump crab meat or blue crab can also be used.
- Chilling the crab cakes before cooking helps them hold together better during frying.
- Pressing panko on the outside adds a nice crispy crust that contrasts with the tender crab inside.
- The Cajun aioli sauce adds a creamy, spicy kick—adjust Cajun seasoning to your preferred heat level.
- Serve with lemon wedges to brighten the rich flavors of the crab cakes.
- Leftover crab cakes can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheated gently in a skillet.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 crab cake
- Calories: 835 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 2499 mg
- Fat: 63 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 50 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 42 g
- Cholesterol: 230 mg
