Description
Delicious mini crab cakes made with fresh crab meat and seasoned perfectly for a crispy, flavorful appetizer. These bite-sized cakes are quick to prepare and versatile, perfect for frying, baking, or air frying, and best served warm with lemon wedges or remoulade sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound crab meat
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 2/3 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
For Cooking
- 1/2 cup oil (optional - for frying)
Instructions
- Prepare Crab Meat: Carefully inspect the crab meat to remove any remaining shell fragments to ensure a smooth texture in the crab cakes.
- Mix Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine the egg, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, mayonnaise, melted butter, dried parsley flakes, panko bread crumbs, and Old Bay seasoning. Mix well until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Fold in Crab Meat: Gently fold the crab meat into the mixture, taking care not to break up the larger chunks to maintain texture.
- Portion Crab Cakes: Use a small cookie scoop or spoon to portion out the crab cake mixture into mini cakes. Place them on a tray and refrigerate while you prepare to cook.
- Choose Cooking Method:
- Frying: Heat 1/2 cup oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, place about one-third of the crab cakes in the pan without crowding. Cook for 3 minutes on one side until golden brown, flip, and cook another 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve warm.
- Air Frying: Lightly spray both sides of the crab cakes with oil. Arrange in a single layer in a greased air fryer basket. Air fry at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 4 minutes, flip, then cook an additional 4 minutes. Work in batches if necessary.
- Baking: Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly brush or spray with oil. Place crab cakes in a single layer. Bake for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through to brown both sides.
- Serve: Serve the mini crab cakes immediately while warm with lemon wedges or your favorite remoulade dipping sauce.
Notes
- Ensure crab meat is fresh and free of shells for best texture.
- Refrigerate the formed crab cakes before cooking to help them hold together better.
- You can adjust the amount of Old Bay seasoning to your taste.
- For a lighter version, baking or air frying are excellent alternatives to pan-frying.
- Serve with classic accompaniments like lemon wedges, tartar sauce, or remoulade for extra flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini crab cake
- Calories: 90 kcal
- Sugar: 0.5 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
