Description
Mini Crab Cakes are perfect bite-sized appetizers combining tender crab meat with flavorful seasonings and a crunchy breadcrumb coating. Easy to prepare at home, these can be pan-fried, baked, or air-fried for a golden, delicious crust. Serve warm with lemon wedges or remoulade sauce for a crowd-pleasing starter.
Ingredients
Scale
Crab Cakes
- 1 pound crab meat
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 2/3 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
For Cooking (Optional)
- 1/2 cup oil for frying (optional)
- Oil spray for air frying or baking
Instructions
- Check Crab Meat: Inspect the crab meat carefully and remove any shell fragments to ensure a smooth texture in the crab cakes.
- Mix Wet Ingredients and Seasonings: In a mixing bowl, combine the egg, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, mayonnaise, melted butter, dried parsley flakes, panko bread crumbs, and Old Bay seasoning. Mix until well combined.
- Fold in Crab Meat: Gently fold the crab meat into the mixture, being careful not to break up the larger chunks to keep texture.
- Portion Crab Cakes: Use a small cookie scoop to form mini crab cakes. Place them on a tray and refrigerate while you prepare to cook.
- Choose Cooking Method:
• Pan-Frying: Heat 1/2 cup oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. When oil glistens, add about a third of the crab cakes in a single layer. Cook for 3 minutes until golden brown, then flip and cook another 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels before serving.
• Baking: Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly brush or spray with oil. Arrange crab cakes in a single layer. Bake for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through for even browning.
• Air Frying: Lightly spray crab cakes with oil on both sides. Place in a greased air fryer basket in a single layer, working in batches if needed. Air fry at 400 F for 4 minutes; flip and cook another 4 minutes. - Serve: Serve mini crab cakes warm with lemon wedges or remoulade sauce for dipping.
Notes
- Use fresh or lump crab meat for the best flavor and texture.
- If you prefer gluten-free, substitute panko with gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Refrigerating the formed crab cakes before cooking helps them hold together better.
- If pan-frying, do not overcrowd the skillet to allow proper browning and flipping.
- Leftover crab cakes can be reheated in the oven or air fryer for best texture retention.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini crab cake
- Calories: 80 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
