Why my toughest crab cake critic loves these Maryland crab cakes
My husband, Justin, spent his early lawyering years in DC and has yet to find a crab cake here in Texas that measures up to the oh-so beloved Maryland-style ones. (The man has standards.)
So of course I took it as my personal mission to bring those back to life.
After a few fall-apart and too-smushy batches I finally got the look I’d been waiting for from him… I’d nailed it.
Now I get my crab cake fix without the restaurant markup, and Justin finally has a crab cake in Texas he doesn’t complain about.
The trick to the BEST crab cakes
Let the crab do the talking. There’s just ½ cup of Panko and an egg to a whole pound of crab, a little mayo and Dijon to bind, and a paprika-and-cayenne kick for that classic flavor.
Chill the mix before you shape it, and the cakes hold together no matter how you cook them.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Crab meat. Fresh crab meat or canned meat can be used interchangeably in this recipe. The fresh meat can be found in-season from October-January, and even throughout the warmer months in some of the Southern states. Jumbo lump crab meat is the best type to use, but you can also opt for regular lump if that is all you can find. Whatever kind of meat you buy, make sure you sort through it to ensure there is no shell remaining. The last thing you want is a crunchy piece when you bite into a tender cake!
- Breadcrumbs. Panko-style are the best, but you can also select a gluten-free brand if needed.
- Seasonings. A combination of paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper are used. However, you can substitute equal amounts of Old Bay for the seasoning amounts listed below.
- Mayonnaise. No crab cake would be complete without a bit of mayonnaise in the mix.
- Mustard. Just a hint of Dijon mustard gives a nice punch to the cake. Feel free to swap it out with yellow or spicy mustard.
- Chives. These are ideal but if you have a hard time finding them green onions will work as well. Here’s a great way to cut green onions.
Which crab meat to buy
Fresh lump or jumbo lump crab meat is what you want here. The big, sweet pieces are the whole point, and they hold their shape instead of turning to mush.
You’ll usually find it refrigerated near the seafood counter. Give it a quick sort with your fingers first to catch any bits of shell before it goes in the bowl.
How to Make Maryland-Style Crab Cakes
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Whisk the filler
Place the egg, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper into a large bowl and whisk until well combined.
Fold in the crab
Add in the crab meat, chives, and parsley. Gently fold the ingredients until just combine so as not to break apart the crab meat too much.
Shape into patties
After mixing, let mixture sit in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes for easier shaping. Measure out ⅓-cup of the crab mixture. You can use a measuring cup or even an ice cream scoop. Use your hands to form the mounds into a round disc about 1-inch tall. Repeat with remaining mixture until you have 8 cakes.
Cook the crab cakes
You can either cook crab cakes in a skillet, bake them in the oven, or pop them in your air fryer.
- In a skillet: cook over medium for 3 to 4 minutes per side.
- To bake in the oven: arrange patties on a baking tray and cook at 375℉ for 12 to 14 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- In an air fryer: line patties on the grate, spritz with cooking spray, then cook for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Meal Prep and Storage
- Prep-Ahead: Mix up and form the patties, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to cook up to 1 day in advance.
- Storage: Leftover cakes can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Seal the patties in a freezer-safe airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Warm them up in a skillet for a few minutes per side or pop them into your air fryer at 350°F until heated through.
FAQs
Frying crab cakes in a skillet will give you the crispiest results. However baking them is a great oil-free option.
Maryland crab cakes are specifically made with lump crab meat, mayonnaise, mustard, Old Bay seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce. Louisiana-style crab cakes use flour as the binder and have more spicy flavors and hot sauce mixed in.
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Maryland-Style Crab Cakes Recipe
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Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 pound crab meat regular or jumbo lump
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard spicy or yellow
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon paprika*
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper*
- ½ teaspoon salt* to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper*
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs gluten-free
- 2 tablespoons chives finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons parsley finely chopped
- 1-2 tablespoons oil avocado or olive
Instructions
- Sort through the crab meat to ensure there are no shell pieces remaining.1 pound crab meat
- Whisk together egg, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.1 large egg, ¼ cup mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon paprika*, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper*, ½ teaspoon salt*, ¼ teaspoon black pepper*
- Add crab meat, Panko breadcrumbs, chives, and parsley. Stir gently until just combine so as not to break apart the crab meat too much.½ cup Panko breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons chives, 2 tablespoons parsley
- Let sit in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes for easier shaping.
- Scoop out ⅓ cup of crab cake mixture. Form into a round disc about 1-inch tall. Repeat with remaining mixture until you have 8 crab cakes.
- Cook in Skillet: Heat a tablespoon of oil over medium heat in a cast iron or stainless steel skillet until it begins to sizzle. Add four crab cakes and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, or until the edges are crispy. Repeat with the remaining crab cakes.1-2 tablespoons oil
- Bake in Oven: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place crab cakes at least an inch apart. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 12-14 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Air Fryer: Heat your air fryer to 375°F for 3 minutes. Place 4 crab cakes in a single layer on the metal grate and spritz each with a bit of oil or non-stick cooking spray. Cook for 5 minutes, flip them over, and then continue cooking for an additional 5-7 minutes.
- Serve crab cakes with a sprinkle of fresh parsley or chives, lemon wedges, and some homemade remoulade sauce or tartar sauce. Enjoy!
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Notes
- Crab: Sort through fresh crab meat to ensure there are no bones.
- Spray: Spritz your hands with cooking spray to avoid sticking.
- Prep-Ahead: Mix up and form the patties, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to cook up to 1 day in advance.
- Storage: Leftover cakes can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Seal the crab cakes in a freezer-safe airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Warm them up in a skillet for a few minutes per side or pop them into your air fryer at 350°F until heated through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What to Serve with Crab Cakes?
Garnish the crab cakes with a sprinkle of fresh parsley or chives, lemon wedges, and pair with some homemade remoulade sauce or tartar sauce.
A few other sauce options are Secret Sauce, Cocktail Sauce, or even this Chick-fil-A Sauce.
More Appetizer Recipes
Be the host with the most and serve these delicious snacks to pique everyone’s appetite.
Cranberry Brie Bites are the perfect sweet option. Give these Crispy Southern Corn Fritters or Crispy Zucchini Fritters for something a little different.
Of course, you can’t go wrong with Classic Deviled Eggs. Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms and Bacon Wrapped Dates are truly impressive.
Or enjoy even more crab with these Crab Stuffed Mushrooms!
Cooking tonight will let you know tomorrow
I hope you enjoy it!
Your recipe ingredients calls for planko, but doesn’t say when to add to the crab cakes??
Thank you for catching that, William. And sorry about the confusion! The Panko breadcrumbs go in when the herbs do! I’ve updated the recipe to reflect this.