Description
These Easy Homemade Crab Cakes are a deliciously crispy and flavorful seafood dish made with lump crab meat, bell peppers, and a blend of seasonings. Crisply pan-fried to golden perfection and served with a tangy chipotle mayo sauce, they make a perfect appetizer or main course that’s quick to prepare and sure to impress.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crab Cakes
- 1 pound lump crab meat
- ½ cup bell pepper (yellow, red, or a mix), diced
- 2 large eggs, separated
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste (¼–½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper)
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Panko bread crumbs (for coating)
For the Crab Cake Sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Sauce: In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, chopped chives, minced garlic, fresh lime juice, chipotle chili powder, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Mix until smooth, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. The sauce can be made several days in advance for convenience.
- Mix Crab Cake Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, gently combine the lump crab meat with diced bell peppers that have been patted dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, one beaten egg (from the separated eggs), Old Bay seasoning, mayonnaise, minced garlic, chopped cilantro, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Mix delicately to preserve the crab meat’s texture. Refrigerate the mixture for at least 1 hour and up to 5 hours. If any liquid releases during this time, absorb it with paper towels to keep the mixture firm.
- Form Crab Cakes: Beat the remaining egg in a shallow dish and place panko breadcrumbs in a separate shallow dish. Scoop about â…“ cup of crab mixture and shape it gently into a 3-inch disc. Lightly dust the edges of each crab cake with cornstarch. Dip each formed patty into the beaten egg, then lightly coat with panko breadcrumbs, keeping the coating thin so the crab flavor remains prominent.
- Cook the Crab Cakes: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully add the crab cakes to the skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on one side until golden brown. Gently flip each crab cake and cook for an additional 3 minutes until the other side is golden and the cakes are cooked through. Transfer cooked crab cakes to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil.
- Serve: Serve the warm crab cakes with the prepared chipotle mayo sauce on the side for dipping, enhancing their smoky and tangy flavor.
Notes
- Make sure to pat the bell peppers dry to avoid soggy crab cakes.
- Refrigerating the crab cake mixture helps the ingredients bind better and prevents the cakes from falling apart during cooking.
- Keep the panko breadcrumb coating thin to maintain the delicate crab flavor inside.
- The sauce can be made ahead to save time on the day of serving.
- Use lump crab meat for best texture and flavor; avoid pre-packaged crab cake mixtures.
