Easy Homemade Crab Cakes with Dipping Sauce Recipe
This Easy Homemade Crab Cakes recipe features tender lump crab meat mixed with fresh vegetables and spices, lightly coated in crispy Panko breadcrumbs, and pan-fried to golden perfection. Served with a tangy Greek yogurt dipping sauce, these crab cakes are perfect as an appetizer or main course. The recipe includes helpful tips for preparation, chilling, and keeping the crab cakes warm during cooking for consistent crispiness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 crab cakes 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crab Cakes:
- 2 large eggs
- 4 finely chopped green onions (about ½ cup)
- 1 finely diced celery stalk (about ⅓ cup)
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
- 3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt or mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 to 4 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs, divided
- 1 pound lump crab meat, picked over to remove shells
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup canola oil or grapeseed oil or similar neutral cooking oil
For the Dipping Sauce (Optional):
- ½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Pinch kosher salt
- 2 to 3 dashes hot sauce (optional)
- ½ tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, cilantro, or basil (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 250°F to keep the cooked crab cakes warm and crispy while you finish cooking all batches.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add chopped green onions, diced celery, parsley, Greek yogurt or mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, salt, black pepper, cayenne, and 2 tablespoons of dry breadcrumbs. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients well.
- Add Crab Meat: Gently fold in the lump crab meat, being careful to keep the lumps intact to maintain texture.
- Adjust Mixture: If the mixture feels too wet and won’t hold shape, gradually add 1 to 2 more tablespoons of dry breadcrumbs until it forms sturdy patties.
- Prepare Breadcrumb Coating: Spread Panko breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl to coat the crab cakes before frying.
- Form Patties and Chill: Shape the mixture into 8 equal patties. Lightly coat each patty in the Panko breadcrumbs, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up, helping them hold together while frying.
- Make Dipping Sauce: While patties chill, mix Greek yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, a pinch of kosher salt, optional hot sauce, and chopped herbs in a small bowl. Chill and set aside.
- Fry Crab Cakes: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot but not smoking, carefully add crab cakes in a single layer without crowding. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- Keep Warm and Serve: Place cooked crab cakes in the preheated oven to keep warm while frying the remaining patties. Serve hot paired with the optional dipping sauce.
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate leftover crab cakes in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- TO REHEAT: Warm leftovers in a 300ºF oven or in a skillet over medium-low heat. They can also be enjoyed cold or at room temperature.
Keywords: crab cakes, homemade crab cakes, seafood appetizer, pan-fried crab cakes, easy crab recipe, dipping sauce