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Maryland crab cake recipe

Maryland crab cake recipe

The Maryland crab cake recipe uses fresh lump crabmeat, Old Bay seasoning, and minimal filler to highlight the crab’s natural flavor. It’s a crispy, golden seafood classic served with tartar sauce or lemon wedges.
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Prep Time 23 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
resting time 3 minutes
Total Time 38 minutes
Servings: 5 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 198
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup 60g mayonnaise
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons dried
  • 2 tablespoons celery finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning up to 1 and 1/2 teaspoons for a spicier kick
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice plus more for serving
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 1 pound 454g fresh lump crab meat
  • ⅔ cup 41g saltine cracker crumbs (about 17–18 2-inch crackers)
  • optional: 2 Tablespoons 30g melted salted or unsalted butter

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowl
  • Whisk
  • Baking sheet
  • - Nonstick pan
  • - Spatula
  • - Measuring cups

Method
 

  1. Whisk the egg, mayonnaise, parsley, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay, lemon juice, and salt together in a large bowl. Place the crab meat on top, followed by the cracker crumbs. With a silicone spatula or large spoon, very gently and carefully fold together. You don’t want to break up that crab meat.
  2. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.
  3. Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C). Generously grease a rimmed baking sheet with butter or nonstick spray, or line with a silicone baking mat.
  4. Using a 1/2 cup measuring cup, portion the crab cake mixture into 6 mounds on the baking sheet. (Don’t flatten!) Use your hands or a spoon to compact each individual mound so there aren’t any lumps sticking out or falling apart. For extra flavor, brush each top with melted butter. This is optional but recommended!
  5. Bake for 12–14 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges and on top. Drizzle each with fresh lemon juice and serve warm.
  6. Cover leftover crab cakes tightly and refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

Freezing Instructions: You can freeze the portioned unbaked crab cakes for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, brush with melted butter, then bake as directed. You can also freeze the baked and cooled crab cakes for up to 3 months. Thaw, then warm up in a 350°F (177°C) oven for 10–15 minutes or until warmed throughout. Or bake the frozen crab cakes at 350°F (177°C) for about 25–30 minutes. Which Crab Meat to Use: For any questions regarding which crab meat to use, see Best Crab Meat for Crab Cakes in the blog post above. I highly recommend fresh (refrigerated) lump crab meat. Smaller Sizes: For smaller crab cakes, divide the mixture into 12 1/4-cup portions. For mini crab cakes, divide into 24 2-Tablespoon-size portions. Bake at the same oven temperature. The bake time is shorter for these smaller sizes. The crab cakes are done when the tops and edges are lightly browned.