
Baked or Pan-Fried Crab Cakes in 30 Minutes
Homemade crab cakes used to be something we reserved just for weekend meals, but since we’ve developed this simplified version of our original recipes, we can serve them any night of the week.
We’ve included instructions for making baked crab cakes, in addition to the classic method of pan-frying. Whichever version you choose, you only need 30 minutes of hands-on time to put perfectly crisp, golden brown crab cakes on your dinner table.

The Main Ingredient: Shopping for Crabmeat
Found in the refrigerated section of your grocers’ seafood department, pasteurized crab meat is fully-cooked and ready to eat. Unopened pasteurized crab meat has a shelf life of six months to a year, so be sure to look for a “use by” date stamp on the container. Once you’ve opened it, though, you’ll want to use it up within a day or two.
Most grocery stores carry several varieties of pasteurized crabmeat. They are:
- Lump: Crabmeat labeled as “lump” generally consists of a mixture of small pieces from the jumbo lump area as well as pieces from other areas of the crab’s body. Lump crabmeat has a delicate texture that makes it the perfect choice for making crab cakes.
- Jumbo Lump: Premium crabmeat labeled as “jumbo lump” comes from the two muscles that are connected to the swimming legs of the crab. The pieces are large, with a tender, meaty texture, and sweet flavor. You can certainly use this variety to make crab cakes, but given its hefty price tag, jumbo lump crabmeat is best reserved for dishes like salads, pasta, or cold seafood cocktails.
- Claw: The meat from the claws of the crab is darker in color, stronger in flavor, and not as sweet as lump crabmeat. It’s best used in dishes like soups and dips where the crab flavor needs to hold its own against other ingredients.

How to Make Crab Cakes
This is an overview of how this dish is made. Detailed measurements, ingredients, instructions, and times are available in the printable version of the recipe below.

- Drain the crab in a colander and using your fingers, pick through the meat and remove any bits of shell you find.
- Transfer the crab to a mixing bowl and combine with the panko crumbs, scallions, and parsley.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, and a little freshly ground black pepper.
- Add the wet ingredients to the crab and combine thoroughly. If the mixture seems too wet to hold together, you can add an extra tablespoon of panko.
- Lightly coat the inside of a 1/3 cup measure with nonstick spray. Spoon the crab cake mixture into the cup and pack it lightly.
- Turn the formed crab cake out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and using your hands, gently form the mixture into a patty. Repeat the process with the rest of the crab mixture.
- Refrigerate formed crab cakes for 30 minutes before either baking or pan-frying.



For Baked Crab Cakes:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and lightly brush the top of the crab cakes with vegetable oil.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then remove them from the oven, turn them over carefully, and brush the other side with oil.
- Continue baking for an additional 10 minutes or until the crab cakes are golden and crisp on the outside.
- Serve immediately with either cocktail sauce or remoulade and fresh lemon wedges.
For Pan Fried Crab Cakes:
- Add about 1/8 inch of vegetable oil to a large frying pan and heat over medium-high heat (about 350°F). Place half the crab cakes in the pan and fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
- Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then repeat the process with the remaining crab cakes.
- Crab cakes can be kept warm in a low oven (200°F) for 20 to 30 minutes.

Tips for Success
Here are our 3 best tips for great homemade crab cakes:
- Handle crabmeat gently: For flavorful crab cakes with a delicate texture, try to handle crab meat gently. Do your best not to break it up too much when you combine the ingredients or form the cakes.
- Chill crab cakes before cooking: Whether you plan to bake or fry them, chilling crab cakes for at least 30 minutes just prior to cooking helps them hold together better.
- Flip them carefully: Take care when turning crab cakes during cooking, particularly if you’re frying them. We use two spatulas, flipping the cake between them so you can gently lower it onto the pan’s surface.

Make Ahead Instructions
- Follow all the recipe instructions for preparing the crab mixture and forming the cakes. Place them in a single layer on a platter or baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Proceed with cooking according to the recipe instructions.
- You can also freeze uncooked crab cakes, but it’s important to store and defrost them in a single layer (don’t stack). Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then cook according to the recipe instructions.

Serving Suggestions
We like to serve simple, rustic side dishes with crab cakes. A few of our favorites include Light and Creamy Coleslaw, Southern-Style Green Beans, Roasted Okra with Bacon and Tomatoes, or a simple green salad with a classic vinaigrette.
Switch It Up – Flavor Variations
Feeling creative? Here are some ideas for switching up the flavor profile in this classic crab cake recipe.
Chipotle Crab Cakes
- Replace half the mayo (1-1/2 tablespoons) with pureed chipotle chile in adobo sauce
- Replace the parsley with cilantro
- Replace the lemon juice with lime juice
- Serve with Sweet and Smoky Dipping Sauce (below)
For the dipping sauce: Combine 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons honey, 1/2 clove of finely minced garlic, zest of 1/2 lime, and 1-1/2 teaspoons of the adobo sauce from your chipotle chiles.
Southeast Asian Crab Cakes
- Replace the parsley with cilantro
- Replace the lemon juice with lime juice
- Add the zest of 1 lime (or minced Kaffir lime leaves if you have them)
- Add 1-1/2 teaspoons finely chopped lemongrass (or store-bought lemongrass paste)
- Serve with Sweet Thai Chili Mayo (below)
For the dipping sauce: Combine 1/4 cup sweet Thai chili sauce with 3 tablespoons mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lime juice.

Our Best Crab Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb lump crabmeat, pasteurized, 2 containers (8 ounces each)
- 1-1/4 cups panko crumbs, plus more if needed
- 2 tablespoons scallions, minced
- 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, minced
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh-squeezed
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Vegetable oil
- Lemon wedges, for serving
For the Quick Cocktail Sauce
- 1/2 cup chili sauce, Heinz or Bennetts
- 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish, or more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
For the Quick Remoulade Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon sweet onion, finely minced
- 1/2 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1-1/2 tablespoons Creole or Dijon-style mustard
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (Tabasco)
- Dash Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Drain the crab in a colander and using your fingers, pick through the meat and remove any bits of shell you find.
- Transfer the crab to a mixing bowl and combine with the panko crumbs, scallions, and parsley.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, and a little freshly ground black pepper.
- Add the wet ingredients to the crab and combine thoroughly. If the mixture seems too wet to hold together, you can add an extra tablespoon of panko.
- Lightly coat the inside of a 1/3 cup measure with nonstick spray. Spoon the crab cake mixture into the cup and pack it lightly.
- Turn the formed crab cake out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and using your hands, gently form the mixture into a patty. Repeat the process with the rest of the crab mixture.
- Refrigerate formed crab cakes (you should end up with about 12) for 30 minutes before either baking or pan-frying.
To bake the crab cakes:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and lightly brush the top of the crab cakes with vegetable oil.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then remove them from the oven, turn them over carefully, and brush the other side with oil.
- Continue baking for an additional 10 minutes or until the crab cakes are golden and crisp on the outside.
- Serve immediately with cocktail sauce and/or remoulade and fresh lemon wedges.
To fry the crab cakes:
- Add about 1/8 inch of vegetable oil to a large frying pan and heat over medium-high heat (about 350°F). Place half the crab cakes in the pan and fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
- Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then repeat the process with the remaining crab cakes.
- Crab cakes can be kept warm in a low oven (200°F) for 20 to 30 minutes.
To make the quick cocktail sauce:
- Combine the chili sauce, horseradish, Worcestershire, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Taste and add extra horseradish if desired. Transfer to a serving dish and set aside until ready to serve.
To make the quick remoulade sauce:
- Combine the mayonnaise, onion, garlic, mustard, lemon juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire, and paprika in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper, transfer to a serving dish, and set aside until ready to serve.
Recipe Notes
- Handle crabmeat gently: For flavorful crab cakes with a delicate texture, try to handle crab meat gently. Do your best not to break it up too much when you combine the ingredients or form the cakes.
- Chill crab cakes before cooking: Whether you plan to bake or fry them, chilling crab cakes for at least 30 minutes just prior to cooking helps them hold together better.
- Flip them carefully: Take care when turning crab cakes during cooking, particularly if you’re frying them. We use two spatulas, flipping the cake between them so you can gently lower it onto the pan’s surface.
Make Ahead Instructions
- Follow all the recipe instructions for preparing the crab mixture and forming the cakes. Place them in a single layer on a platter or baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Proceed with cooking according to the recipe instructions.
- You can also freeze uncooked crab cakes, but it’s important to store and defrost them in a single layer (don’t stack). Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then cook according to the recipe instructions.
Switch It Up – Flavor Variations
Feeling creative? Here are some ideas for switching up the flavor profile in this classic crab cake recipe.Chipotle Crab Cakes
- Replace half the mayo (1-1/2 tablespoons) with pureed chipotle chile in adobo sauce
- Replace the parsley with cilantro
- Replace the lemon juice with lime juice
- Serve with Sweet and Smoky Dipping Sauce (below)
Southeast Asian Crab Cakes
- Replace the parsley with cilantro
- Replace the lemon juice with lime juice
- Add the zest of 1 lime (or minced Kaffir lime leaves if you have them)
- Add 1-1/2 teaspoons finely chopped lemongrass (or store-bought lemongrass paste)
- Serve with Sweet Thai Chili Mayo
MarylandBob says
There was way too much panko/filler in this for my taste… being a Maryland boy, I think crab cakes should be like eating crab meat out of the crab, but with some magical invisible binder that (mostly) keeps it from totally falling apart. I’ll try it again and cut the panko in half.
Lynne Webb says
Hi there,
We’re sorry you didn’t care for the texture but in creating our recipe for homemade crab cakes our goal was to come up with something that was nearly foolproof and didn’t require the use of a deep fryer. The panko has a light and crispy texture and the crab cakes hold together well when being turned so we’re happy with the ratio we’ve chosen for these cooking methods. If we were to deep fry, we would likely cut back on the amount of crumbs because they don’t need turning.
Carlos Simon says
Great recipe. The crabcakes came out superb
Lynne Webb says
I’m glad to hear you had success! Thank you, Carlos.
Susan says
These are simple and delicious!
Lynne Webb says
Thank you, Susan! So happy to hear you enjoyed them.
Angela says
How much crab meat total? The ingredients say 1 lb, but then says 2 containers. So it is 2lb total then?
Lynne Webb says
Hi Angela,
The containers of pasteurized crab meat sold in most markets are 8 ounces each, so two containers would give you 16 ounces (1 lb). I’ve added the container size to the recipe for clarity.
Laura Schulte says
When you say 6 servings, do you mean 6 crab cakes?
Lynne Webb says
Hi Laura,
The recipe should make 12 crab cakes (2 per person). I updated the recipe to note this. Thanks for pointing out the omission.
Caroline says
Thanks for these easy instructions. I never tried making crab cakes before but they turned out great. I’ll definitely make them again.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Lexie,
Glad to hear that you enjoyed the crab cakes. Thanks for taking the time to let us know.
Lexie says
These turned out great! I opted to pan fry them, and chilling them really makes a difference in helping them hold together. I’ll try baking them next!
Lynne Webb says
Hi Lexie,
Glad to hear that you enjoyed the crab cakes. Thanks for taking the time to let us know.