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Our easy crab cake recipe is a lighter take on the classic Maryland-style version. Made with succulent lump crabmeat, we’ve replaced the traditional cracker crumbs with panko for a lighter texture. Seasonings are fairly standard, including Old Bay, parsley, and fresh lemon, but we’ve tossed in a few chopped scallions for extra flavor. Once baked, they’re paired with quick, homemade versions of cocktail sauce and rémoulade for serving.
We find that baking is a foolproof method for getting a light, tender interior and a golden, crispy exterior on crab cakes with very little fuss. Give them a try. We don’t think you’ll miss the extra work and cleanup of frying. However, we did include optional instructions for pan-frying in our recipe so you’d have the option.
Ingredient Notes
Here are few things to know about the key ingredients in this recipe. Get the complete list in the printable recipe card below.
CRABMEAT: Lump crabmeat is the best type of crabmeat for making crab cakes thanks to its delicate texture and mild flavor. Look for pasteurized lump crabmeat (no need to spend for jumbo lump) in the refrigerated seafood section of the grocery store. It’s fully cooked and ready to use. Unopened, it has a long shelf life (check the date on the container), but once opened, plan to use it within a day or two.
PANKO CRUMBS: The coarse grain of panko crumbs produces a lighter, crispier, crab cake than standard dry breadcrumbs or crushed crackers. Since this lighter texture is what we’re looking for, we don’t recommend substitutions, but if you choose to make a change, cut back the quantity by about 1/3.
OLD BAY SEASONING: Old Bay is an iconic seasoning with a complex flavor. It’s a go-to flavoring for many seafood dishes, most notably, Maryland crab cakes. We use the classic version which contains salt, which is why we don’t call for additional salt in the recipe.
MAYONNAISE: We use a combination of beaten eggs and mayo as the binder for our crab cakes because it makes them very easy to work with. Use your favorite brand of mayo, but don’t substitute “salad dressing,” as the added sugar in those products will add unwanted sweetness.
Overview
How to Make Baked Crab Cakes
Making baked crab cakes is very easy and only takes about 10 minutes of hands on time. Here’s an overview of the method:
Gently mix the crabmeat with panko, scallions, and parsley, then stir in eggs that have been whisked together with mayo, lemon juice, and seasonings.
Use a 1/3 cup measure to help shape the crab cakes and arrange them on a parchment-lined tray. Chill for 30 minutes to help them firm up. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400°F, brush the tops with oil, and bake for 10 minutes per side until golden and crisp.
Instructions for dipping sauces, plus make-ahead, storage, and reheating tips can be found in the full recipe below.
Baked Crab Cakes vs. Pan-Fried
Our recipe includes optional instructions for pan-frying the crab cakes. Here are the main differences between these two cooking methods:
BAKED: Oven-baked crab cakes cook more evenly and are lighter in texture than pan-fried. Baking time is 20 minutes and cleanup is minimal, making this method ideal for an easy weeknight meal or stress-free entertaining.
PAN-FRIED: Pan-frying delivers a slightly crispier crab cake than baked. Cook time is about 6 minutes per batch. They do need constant attention to be sure they don’t burn. There’s also more cleanup involved.
Side Dish Suggestions
You might want to try some of our favorite sides for crab cakes. Homemade coleslaw, green beans with bacon, and roasted okra are perfect accompaniments.
For busy nights when you need a shortcut, store-bought slaw and roasted potatoes (or frozen fries) work too.
Easy Baked Crab Cakes
Ingredients
- 1 lb lump crabmeat, pasteurized, 2 containers (8 ounces each)
- 1 cup panko crumbs, plus more if needed
- 2 tablespoons chopped scallions
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Vegetable oil
- Lemon wedges, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Drain the crabmeat in a colander and pick through the meat to find and discard any stray bits of shell. Transfer it to a mixing bowl and gently combine it 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.
- Fold the wet ingredients into the crab mixture and combine gently but thoroughly. If the crab cake mixture seems a little too wet to hold together, add an extra tablespoon or two of panko.
- Lightly coat the inside of a 1/3 cup measure with nonstick spray. Spoon some crab cake mixture into the cup and tamp it down lightly. Turn the formed crab cake out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and gently form the mixture into a firm, round patty. You should end up with about 12.
- Repeat the process with the rest of the crab cake mixture, re-coating the measuring cup with nonstick spray once or twice, as needed.
- Refrigerate the formed crab cakes for 30 minutes before baking.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and lightly brush the top of each crab cake with oil. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove them from the oven, turn them over carefully, brush the second side with oil, and continue baking for 7 to 10 minutes until the crab cakes are golden and crisp and reach an internal temperature of 160°F.
Optional Instructions for Pan Frying:
- 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. Pan-fried crab cakes can be kept warm in a low oven (200°F) for 20 to 30 minutes.
Notes
Classic Dipping Sauces
Here are two classic dipping sauces you can whip up while the crab cakes are chilling: COCKTAIL SAUCEMix ½ cup chili sauce with 1 tbsp horseradish, ½ tsp Worcestershire, and 2 tbsps lemon juice. Add more horseradish to taste. RÉMOULADE SAUCE
Stir together ½ cup mayo, 1 tbsp minced onion, ½ clove garlic, 1½ tbsp Creole or Dijon mustard, 2 tsps lemon juice, ¼ tsp hot sauce, a dash of Worcestershire, and ¼ tsp paprika.
Make Ahead and Reheating Instructions
Crab cakes can be mixed and formed in advance and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before cooking. MAKE AHEAD: Prepare the crab mixture, form the crab cakes, and place them in a single layer on a platter or baking sheet. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready, bake as directed above. FREEZE: You can also freeze uncooked crab cakes, but it’s important to store and defrost them in a single layer (don’t stack). Defrost them overnight in the refrigerator, then cook them according to the recipe instructions. REHEAT: To reheat leftover cooked crab cakes, preheat the oven to 350°F, wrap them loosely in foil, and heat for 7 minutes. Open the foil and return to the oven for another 3 to 5 minutes to crisp.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Thank you. I am going to try making them.
I left out the panko breadcrumbs! Delicious!
Hi Cyndi,
Glad to hear you liked the crab cakes. It’s good to know they turn out well without the panko too! Thank you for letting us know.
Great recipe. The crabcakes came out superb
I’m glad to hear you had success! Thank you, Carlos.
These are simple and delicious!
Thank you, Susan! So happy to hear you enjoyed them.
How much crab meat total? The ingredients say 1 lb, but then says 2 containers. So it is 2lb total then?
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.
When you say 6 servings, do you mean 6 crab cakes?
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.
Thanks for these easy instructions. I never tried making crab cakes before but they turned out great. I’ll definitely make them again.
Hi Lexie,
Glad to hear that you enjoyed the crab cakes. Thanks for taking the time to let us know.
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!
Hi Lexie,
Glad to hear that you enjoyed the crab cakes. Thanks for taking the time to let us know.