Classic Crab Cakes Recipe (Old Bay Seasoning) - Home & Plate (2024)

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This Crab Cakes Recipe (Old Bay Seasoned) is a traditional favorite made with fresh picked crab meat and and roasted red peppers. They are perfect for that beach vacation!

Classic Crab Cakes Recipe (Old Bay Seasoning) - Home & Plate (1)

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The right amount of crunchy Panko breadcrumbs is the essential ingredient to the best crab cakes.

The succulent crab mixture is tossed with just the right amount of breading.

It’s just enough filler for the most delicious crab cakes.

A trip to the eastern shore would not be the same without my mother’s delicious classic Old Bay crab cakes recipe.

The crab meat is freshly picked that day and with the addition of sweet roasted red peppers this dish is sure to become a favorite in your home.

This recipe is an oldie but a goodie.

It’s really not my mother’s original recipe – she found it on the back of theOld Bay Seasoningcan years ago.

But it’s a classic nonetheless.

I’ve made it my own by adding roasted red peppers and green onions to give it a little extra sweet flavor.

Classic Crab Cakes Recipe (Old Bay Seasoning) - Home & Plate (2)

I remember more vacations than I can count on theOuter Banksof North Carolina where we’d head out for a morning of crabbing.

It took a lot of patience catching enough crabs for dinner.

We were kids and loved sitting around watching who had a crab on their line.

It was a slow and painful process reeling in each bite on the line.

Of course, nowadays we just head to the fish market or local grocery store.

This is the best crab cake recipe to make not just in the summer, but year-round.

What kind of crab meat should I use?

The best meat to use is jumbo lump crab meat.

If you are near the eastern shore, the best selection of fresh blue crab meat comes straight from the Chesapeake Bay.

There is nothing like sinking your teeth into Maryland crab cakes served with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or tartar sauce.

Stay away from canned crab.

The type of crab meat you use for this easy crab cake recipe makes a difference.

The seafood department at most local groceries carries fresh crab meat.

Choose between fresh lump crabmeat or backfin crabmeat.

How should I serve classic Old Bay crab cakes?

These lump crab cakes are perfect for a family dinner or for an appetizer party platter.

Just make the patties bite sized and serve with a side ofrémoulade.

Sometimes, I will serve a crab cake sandwich on a roll with a spicychipotle mayonnaiseand fresh greens.

This recipe is really versatile because you can serve it with just about any summer vegetable!

Classic Crab Cakes Recipe (Old Bay Seasoning) - Home & Plate (3)

How can I keep the crab cakes from falling apart?

Mix the crab meat in a large bowl with the red peppers and onions.

Mix bread crumbs, egg, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, and the remaining dry ingredients together.

Shape into patties.

Adding the baking powder to the recipe helps the patties stay formed while cooking.

It also keeps them light and flaky.

A tip – a half an hour in the fridge covered with plastic wrap before cooking keeps them from breaking apart in the pan when flipping.

Classic Crab Cakes Recipe (Old Bay Seasoning) - Home & Plate (4)

Need more summer recipe ideas? Serve up these tasty recipes!

  • Creamy Crab Bisque
  • Old Bay Crabcake Sandwich with a Chipotle Mayo
  • Crunchy Ramen Noodle Salad
  • Summer Sweet Corn Salad

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Classic Crab Cakes Recipe (Old Bay Seasoning) - Home & Plate (5)

Classic Crab Cakes (Old Bay Seasoning)

Classic Crab Cakes Recipe (Old Bay Seasoning) - Home & Plate (6)Ali Randall

The secret to these classic crab cakes is that the succulent crab meat is mixed with just the right amount of crunchy Panko breadcrumbs.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Chill Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs Parmesan and herb flavored
  • 1/2 red pepper roasted and diced
  • 4 green onions diced
  • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon parsley flakes
  • 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 1 pound lump crab meat
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

  • Mix together all the ingredients well, using your hands if necessary. Shape into eight patties. Be sure to refrigerate the crab cakes for about 30 minutes before cooking. It helps to keep them together while cooking.

  • Using a cast-iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat and add the crab cakes to the pan when hot. Fry them flipping once until golden brown on each side, for a total of about 5 to 6 minutes.

  • Serve with lemon wedges or co*cktail sauce.

Keyword Old Bay Crab Cakes

Classic Crab Cakes Recipe (Old Bay Seasoning) - Home & Plate (7)

If you make a recipe, be sure to snap a photo and hashtag it #homeandplate. I’d love to see what you cook!

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Classic Crab Cakes Recipe (Old Bay Seasoning) - Home & Plate (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients in Old Bay crab cake mix? ›

BREAD CRUMBS (BLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR, DEXTROSE, SALT, AND YEAST), WHOLE EGG SOLIDS, SALT, SPICES (INCLUDING RED PEPPER AND PARSLEY), AND PAPRIKA.

How do you make Paula Deen's crab cakes? ›

Sauté the onion, bell pepper and 1 clove garlic until the pepper is limp, approximately 3 minutes. Add the cream, mustard, 1 egg, 1/2 teaspoon parsley, cayenne pepper and 1/2 cup bread crumbs, to taste, and mix well. Gently fold in the crabmeat. Form the mixture into 8 patties, about 1/2-inch thick.

Is it better to cook crab cakes in oil or butter? ›

This method will give your crab cakes some buttery flavor without potentially becoming overwhelming. Ultimately, it is your decision how you choose to fry your crab cakes, as both oil and butter will work equally well depending on your taste and cooking preferences.

What to use in place of Old Bay seasoning? ›

Some popular substitutions for Old Bay include crab boil, cajun seasoning, and celery salt mixed with paprika. When using a substitute, make sure to start with a small amount to begin with and taste as you go. Sometimes an alternative can change your dish's flavor profile slightly, so it is best to go slow.

What does Old Bay seasoning contain? ›

The seasoning is a mix of celery salt (salt, celery seed), spices (including red pepper and black pepper) and paprika. Some of the other spices that may be used are laurel leaves, mustard, cardamom, cloves and ginger as listed in the original product in the Baltimore Museum of Industry.

What is the difference between Maryland crab cakes and regular crab cakes? ›

The Differences In Maryland Crab Cakes

For starters, they typically use more meat and less other filling compared to regular crab cakes.

What keeps crab cakes from falling apart? ›

There's actually a pretty easy fix for this common problem. Simply stick your crab cakes in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. The time they spend there will allow the crab cakes to solidify their shape. It also helps to bring out their flavors more, so there's more benefits to be reaped here!

Is it best to fry or bake crab cakes? ›

Are crab cakes better baked or fried? You can either bake or fry these crab cakes. My personal preference is to bake them because it's easier (no risk of them falling apart when you flip them) and they are less prone to drying out (it's easy to overcook the crab cakes when frying them in a pan).

Why are my crab cakes mushy? ›

Use too little filler and the crab cakes will fall apart. Too much, however, leaves them mushy and tasting like filler. Crab is something that should be treated simply. Don't over-season or add too many ingredients.

How to tell if crab cakes are done? ›

In a skillet over medium heat, the crab cakes should be fully cooked and golden brown after about 5-6 minutes on each side (or 10-12 minutes in total).

What pairs well with crab cakes? ›

Nothing complements the sweet and savory flavors of tender crab meat better than grilled vegetables, so if you're making crab cakes, go ahead and serve them with some grilled corn, asparagus, or onions for a splash of color and nice smokey and charred taste.

What makes a cake fluffier butter or oil? ›

The texture of cakes made with oil is—in general—superior to the texture of cakes made with butter. Oil cakes tend to bake up loftier with a more even crumb and stay moist and tender far longer than cakes made with butter. So why do most cake recipes start with butter? Flavor.

What does crab mix have in it? ›

The bottom line

Imitation crab is a highly processed food made by combining minced fish with starch, egg whites, sugar, salt, and additives to mimic the flavor, color, and texture of real crab meat. While it's significantly less expensive than real crab, it's also less nutritious.

What is crab cake filler made of? ›

Crab cake filling: I go light on the filler, using juuuust enough to bind the crab cakes together. You'll need an egg, mayonnaise, chopped fresh herbs (I like parsley, dill, and tarragon!), Dijon mustard, Old Bay seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, lemon zest, Kosher salt, and black pepper.

What is store bought cake mix made of? ›

Ingredients. Ingredients: Enriched Flour Bleached (wheat flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), Sugar, Corn Syrup, Leavening (baking soda, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate).

What do crab cakes contain? ›

A crab cake is a variety of fishcake popular in the United States. It is composed of crab meat and various other ingredients, such as bread crumbs, mayonnaise, mustard (typically prepared mustard, but sometimes mustard powder), eggs, and seasonings. It is then sautéed, baked, grilled, deep fried, or broiled.

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