Description
This recipe for Easy Homemade Crab Cakes with Dipping Sauce offers a delightful blend of tender lump crab meat combined with fresh herbs and spices. The crab cakes are coated in crispy panko breadcrumbs and pan-fried to golden perfection, resulting in a crunchy exterior with a moist, flavorful center. Accompanied by a tangy Greek yogurt-based dipping sauce, this dish makes a perfect appetizer or main course that is simple to prepare and sure to impress.
Ingredients
Scale
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
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: To keep the crab cakes warm between batches, preheat your oven to 250°F. This low temperature will ensure your crab cakes stay crispy as you finish cooking all of them.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, beat the eggs thoroughly. Add the finely chopped green onions, diced celery, fresh parsley, Greek yogurt or mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, cayenne pepper, and 2 tablespoons of dry breadcrumbs. Stir together until the mixture is well combined.
- Add Crab Meat: Gently fold the lump crab meat into the wet mixture, taking care not to break up the crab lumps too much to maintain a desirable texture in the cakes.
- Adjust Mixture: Evaluate the consistency of the crab mixture. If it feels too wet and doesn’t hold together well enough to form patties, gradually add 1 to 2 more tablespoons of dry breadcrumbs until it firms up and holds shape.
- Prepare Breadcrumb Coating: Pour the panko breadcrumbs into a wide, shallow bowl to use for coating the crab cakes evenly.
- Form Patties and Chill: Shape the mixture into 8 equal-sized patties. Lightly coat each patty on all sides with the panko breadcrumbs. Arrange the patties on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate them for 30 minutes to help firm them up so they hold together during frying.
- Make Dipping Sauce: While the crab cakes are chilling, whisk together the Greek yogurt, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, a pinch of kosher salt, optional hot sauce dashes, and chopped fresh herbs of choice in a small bowl. Chill the sauce until ready to serve.
- Fry Crab Cakes: Line a large plate with paper towels and set near your stove. Heat 2 tablespoons of neutral oil (canola or grapeseed) in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot but not smoking, carefully place the crab cakes in a single layer without overcrowding. Fry each side for 3 to 4 minutes or until they turn golden brown and crispy. Transfer cooked crab cakes to the paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- Keep Warm and Serve: Place the finished crab cakes in the preheated oven to keep warm while frying the remaining patties. Serve the crab cakes hot, accompanied by the prepared 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. Crab cakes can also be enjoyed cold or at room temperature.
Keywords: crab cakes recipe, homemade crab cakes, easy crab cakes, seafood appetizer, fried crab cakes, crab cakes dipping sauce