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The Best Crab Cakes You’ll Ever Make (No Filler, All Flavor!)
I know it’s a bold statement, but these are hands down the best crab cakes you’ll ever have. Years ago, on a quest for the perfect recipe, I stumbled upon Jenn Segal’s crab cakes from Once Upon a Chef—and let me tell you, I never looked back. These crab cakes are packed with sweet, succulent crabmeat and none of that heavy filler you so often find in restaurants.
Why This Recipe is a Game-Changer
What sets these crab cakes apart? The crabmeat is the star of the show. You can use lump crab meat, but I personally swear by jumbo lump crabmeat—it’s sweeter, meatier, and creates the most luxurious texture. These crab cakes are so flavorful, you might find yourself skipping the tartar sauce… but trust me, you won’t want to!
The Tartar Sauce: A Tangy Twist
Jenn’s original tartar sauce is amazing, but I couldn’t resist putting my own spin on it. I add a bit more lemon juice, a bit more red onion, and a bit more sweet relish for that perfect balance of tangy and sweet. It’s so good you’ll want to dip everything in it—seriously, everything.
Perfect for Any Occasion
One of the best things about these crab cakes is their versatility. Make them full-sized for a satisfying meal, or shape them into bite-sized delights for dinner parties and appetizers. Either way, they disappear within seconds every time I serve them.
If you’re looking for a crab cake recipe that’s simple, elegant, and packed with flavor, this is the one. I promise, once you try it, you won’t look back either.
Maryland Crab Cakes with Tartar Sauce
Ingredients
Crab Cakes:
- 2 eggs, large
- 2 ½ Tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- ¼ cup celery, minced
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
- 1 lb jumbo lump crabmeat or lump crabmeat
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs or regular breadcrumbs
Tartar Sauce:
- ½ cup Kewpie mayonnaise or regular mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp sweet pickle relish
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsp red onion, minced
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- pinch black pepper
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup avocado oil, or any neutral cooking oil
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
Instructions
- In a bowl, add all of the ingredients of the crab cakes together minus the crabmeat and panko crumbs. Mix together.
- Squeeze all the juice out of the crabmeat.
- Add crabmeat and panko crumbs to the crab cakes sauce and gently fold them in until they are mixed together.
- Cover bowl and place in fridge for at least an hour for the crab cakes to set.
- While the crab cakes are setting, make your tartar sauce by combining all the tartar sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Cover and refrigerate until crab cakes are ready to be served.
- Remove crab cake mix from the fridge.
- Line baking sheet or large plate with parchment paper.
- With an ice cream scoop, scoop out the crab cake mix, form into patties and place on parchment paper.
- In a large skillet on medium heat, add oil and butter and then add crab cakes.
- Cook crabcakes for several minutes on each side until crab cakes are a nice golden brown.
- Serve with tartar sauce.
Nutrition
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