Description
This Old Bay Crab Cakes recipe offers plump, flavorful crab cakes seasoned with Old Bay and fresh herbs, perfectly fried to a golden crisp. Served with a zesty Cajun aioli, these seafood appetizers are a delicious, classic treat that combines succulent Dungeness crab meat with a blend of spices and textures.
Ingredients
Scale
Crab Cakes
- 2 large Eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
- 3 Tbsp Chives or Green Onions, finely sliced
- 1 Tbsp Old Bay Seasoning
- 3 Tbsp fresh Lemon Juice
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 Tbsp fresh Dill, chopped
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper
- 1 1/2 lb Dungeness Crab Meat
- 1 cup buttery Crackers, crushed
- 1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
- 2 Tbsp Butter
- 2 Tbsp Avocado Oil
Cajun Aioli Sauce
- 1 Egg
- 2 tsp Champagne Vinegar or White Wine Vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Light-Flavored Oil
- 2 tsp Garlic, finely grated
- 1 Tbsp Capers with a bit of brine (or substitute pickle relish)
- 2 Tbsp Cajun Seasoning
To Serve
- Spring Mix
- Lemon Wedges
- Extra Dill
Instructions
- Mix Base Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the beaten eggs, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, black pepper, chives, and dill. Stir well until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
- Fold in Crab Meat and Crackers: Gently fold the Dungeness crab meat and crushed buttery crackers into the seasoned egg mixture. Be careful not to over-mix to preserve the crab meat texture. Shape the mixture into six evenly sized crab cakes.
- Chill Crab Cakes: Place the formed crab cakes on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour or overnight to firm up the cakes and meld flavors.
- Prepare to Fry: Heat the butter and avocado oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Press panko bread crumbs onto both sides of each crab cake to create a crispy coating.
- Fry Crab Cakes: Fry each crab cake for about 5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crisp. Carefully flip to cook evenly without breaking the cakes.
- Make Cajun Aioli Sauce: While frying, add the egg, vinegar, Dijon mustard, and salt into a large mason jar. Slowly pour the oil over the ingredients so they settle in layers.
- Emulsify Sauce: Firmly press an immersion blender over the egg mixture and blend for 30 seconds. Slowly move the blender up and down to combine and thicken the sauce as it emulsifies.
- Finish Aioli: Stir in the finely grated garlic, capers with brine, and Cajun seasoning into the emulsified sauce. Mix well to incorporate all flavors.
- Serve: Plate the warm crab cakes atop a bed of spring mix, drizzle with the Cajun aioli, garnish with extra dill and lemon wedges. Serve immediately for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- For best results, use fresh Dungeness crab meat or premium lump crab meat to ensure a sweet, delicate flavor.
- Chilling the crab cakes before frying helps them hold their shape and enhances flavor melding.
- If you prefer a lighter sauce, substitute part of the oil with Greek yogurt, but omit the emulsification step.
- Pressing panko onto both sides creates a crunchy crust that contrasts beautifully with the tender crab interior.
- Serve crab cakes immediately after frying to maintain crispness; reheat gently if needed to avoid sogginess.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 crab cake
- Calories: 835 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 2499 mg
- Fat: 63 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 50 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 42 g
- Cholesterol: 230 mg
