Best-Ever Crab Cakes

Winter is coming hard where I live, and I have been missing the warm summer days. Summer to me tastes like the ocean and nothing says ocean like delicious crab cakes. This easy crab cake recipe will definitely take you back to those lazy summer days.

Easy to put together, this crab cake recipe comes together in just a few minutes, but the lasting summer feeling will be with you for a while. Add lemon wedges, a dollop of tartar sauce and you have a delicious meal.

There are a lot of recipes out there, but this crab cake recipe with panko breadcrumbs for me, is the most delicious and tender. Give them a try!

INGREDIENTS FOR BEST CRAB CAKES RECIPE

• ⅓ cup mayonnaise
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp hot sauce
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 lb jumbo lump crab meat (pick it over for shells)
• ¾ cup panko bread crumbs
• 2 tsp freshly chopped parsley
• Canola oil for frying
• Lemon wedges, for serving
• Tartar sauce, for serving

HOW TO MAKE CRAB CAKES FROM SCRATCH

1. In a small bow, mix mayonnaise, egg, mustard, Worcestershire and hot sauce.
2. Using a medium bowl, mix together crab meat, panko flakes and parsley. Add salt and pepper.
3. Pour egg mixture into crab meat mixture, and fold until well blended
4. Divide the mixture into 8 equal sized patties
5. In a large skillet, heat canola oil and fry patties for 5-6 minutes on each side, or until golden brown
6. Serve crab cakes with a wedge of lemon and a dollop of tartar sauce.

CAN CRAB CAKES BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME?

You can definitely make your crab cake mixture and form the patties ahead of time.

Keep them in the fridge, well covered with plastic wrap, for 2-3 days but definitely fry them the same day you plan to serve them.

WHAT KIND OF CRAB MEAT IS BEST FOR HOMEMADE CRAB CAKES?

I find jumbo crab meat is the best. If you can get it fresh, go for it. Just be careful and remove all bits of shell from it.

It’s not easy to find it fresh , so I would recommend buying canned jumbo lump crab meat.

HOW TO FRY CRAB CAKES

Before you fry your crab cakes, make sure the oil is hot but not scorching. Wait until you start to see the oil shimmer. You can test the oil by dropping a few panko flakes.

They should start to fry immediately and bubbles form. Be careful when flipping the crab crakes, they are very flaky and could break apart.

IS IT BETTER TO FRY OR BAKE HOMEMADE CRAB CAKES?

You can bake crab cakes for a lighter version, but frying is the best way to go. The crunchiness you get from the crust when frying would be lost if baked.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH CRAB CAKES?

Crab cakes are a meal all in itself, but I love to serve them as part of a salad. I serve them over a bed of lettuce, with cherry tomatoes and sliced onions on the side.

The tartar sauce acts as a delicious salad dressing if you add a bit more lemon juice to it.