These homemade crab cakes are baked instead of fried and use simple, everyday ingredients! Serve with a side of tartar sauce for a tasty snack or appetizer.
When I found myself craving crab cakes recently, I decided to create my own recipe for homemade crab cakes using tinned crab.
With vibrant flavors and some bread crumbs to hold it all together, these could easily pass for crab cakes made with fresh crab!
Plus, these are baked in the oven instead of fried. So you can feel good about eating them and don’t have to deal with the hassle of pan-frying!
Why you will love homemade crab cakes
- They’re packed with protein and flavor
- Very quick and easy to make
- The recipe uses simple ingredients
- Oven-baking instead of frying means fewer calories and fat than traditional crab cakes
Homemade crab cake ingredients
Aside from the crab, you may already have these ingredients in your fridge or pantry!
- Crab meat – Use high-quality canned crab meat for the best flavor.
- Egg – Acts as a binder to keep the crab cakes together.
- Dijon mustard – Adds a tangy kick while keeping the patties moist. Regular mustard works too if you prefer.
- Worcestershire sauce – Gives the cakes a great depth of flavor.
- Lemon juice – The acidity brightens up the flavors. Fresh lemon juice is best, but bottled works too.
- Hot sauce – Use your favorite!
- Old Bay seasoning – This unique blend of spices is a classic for crab cakes.
- Red bell pepper – Adds flavor, texture, and a nice pop of color.
- Scallion – These should be finely chopped to blend nicely into the patties.
- Dry breadcrumbs – This ingredient helps bind the cakes and adds texture.
- Panko breadcrumbs – You’ll coat the outside of the cakes with Panko to give them a delicious, crispy exterior.
How to make homemade crab cakes
Here are the step-by-step instructions:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, mix together the egg, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, hot sauce, and Old Bay until well combined.
Step 3: Stir in the red bell pepper, scallion, and dry bread crumbs.
Step 4: Gently stir in the crab. You want the crab meat to be just barely incorporated into the rest of the mixture.
Step 5: Put the Panko bread crumbs on a plate.
Step 6: Divide the crab mixture into 8 portions, shaping each portion into a ball and then rolling it in the Panko crumbs. Once covered, place the ball on the baking sheet and flatten to form a patty. Repeat until you have 8 patties.
Step 6: Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until the patties are golden brown on the bottom.
Step 7: Carefully flip the crab cakes over and bake for another 10 minutes.
Step 8: Once they are golden and crispy, remove them from the oven and enjoy!
Recipe tips and tricks
- For even-sized crab cakes, use an ice cream scoop to form the balls of mixture before flattening them into patties.
- To avoid breaking up the crab too much, gently fold the ingredients together while mixing.
Substitutions and variations
- I like to use tinned crab for convenience, but you’re welcome to use fresh crab meat if you prefer!
- If you don’t have Dijon, you can substitute another type of mustard. Regular works just fine, or try spicy brown for a little kick.
- Feel free to use green or yellow bell peppers if you don’t have fresh red bell peppers on hand. You can also use a combination of all three.
- If I’m in the mood for extra spice, I’ll add cayenne pepper or chopped jalapeños to the crab cake mixture.
What to serve with this dish
Crab cakes make a delicious snack or appetizer. One of my favorite ways to enjoy them is with a little light tartar sauce.
You can also top them with low-carb coleslaw to compliment the crunch and flavor of the crab cakes. Or, for a twist on the classic, try this purple cabbage salad.
If you’re looking for more crispy bites to serve with them, I recommend celery root fries or baked french fries.
Of course, you can always throw them on a bun, top with coleslaw and tartar sauce, and enjoy a hearty crab cake sandwich!
Storage and freezing
- Leftover crab cakes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For maximum freshness, enjoy within 3-5 days.
- You can freeze crab cakes on a sheet pan, then transfer to a suitable freezer-safe container. To defrost, transfer them to the refrigerator overnight.
More healthy seafood recipes
Fish and shellfish can be great sources of protein, and there are so many different ways to cook and flavor these dishes!
You can also take a look at my roundup of the best low-carb seafood recipes for more inspiration.
Homemade Crab Cakes
Ingredients
- 1 egg, (lightly beaten)
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon hot sauce
- ⅓ teaspoon Old Bay seafood seasoning
- ½ cup red bell pepper, (finely chopped)
- 1 scallion, (finely chopped)
- ¼ cup dry bread crumbs
- 1 lb crab meat, (tinned or fresh)
- ½ cup Panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the egg, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, hot sauce, and Old Bay until well-combined.1 egg, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon hot sauce, ⅓ teaspoon Old Bay seafood seasoning
- Stir in the red bell pepper, scallion, and dry bread crumbs.½ cup red bell pepper, 1 scallion, ¼ cup dry bread crumbs
- Gently stir in the crab. You want the crab meat to be just barely incorporated into the rest of the mixture.1 lb crab meat
- Put the Panko bread crumbs on a plate.½ cup Panko bread crumbs
- Divide the crab mixture into 8 portions, shaping each portion into a ball and then rolling it in the Panko crumbs. Once covered, place the ball on the baking sheet and flatten to form a patty. Repeat until you have 8 patties.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until the patties are golden brown on the bottom.
- Carefully flip the crab cakes over and bake for another 10 minutes.
R.R.
The flavor on these was fantastic! I had trouble with them staying together on the flip. 1 lb of crab meat was expensive. But these were so worth it and way better than the more bready versions.