This Crab Cake Benedict is buttery, bold, and brunch-ready. Think juicy crab cakes, silky eggs, and lemony hollandaise.
My love for crab runs deep—blame it on special childhood Sunday dinners with crab legs and warm butter. Keith, on the other hand, isn’t exactly a shellfish fan… which makes his talent for cooking it kind of amazing. He knows how much I love a good crab cake, so one day, he surprised me with the brunch of my dreams.
Enter: Crab Cake Benedict. Toasty muffins, golden crab cakes, jammy eggs, and velvety hollandaise. Like our Italian Eggs Benedict, it’s our our go-to when we want to make brunch feel fancy—but secretly easy.
Want more coastal flavors? Check out our Ahi Tuna Patties or Oscar Syle Steak recipes too.
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Ingredients
For the Hollandaise Sauce:
- EGG YOLKS: large or extra large egg yolks, separated
- LEMON: fresh lemon juice
- BUTTER: (melted) salted butter works best
- CAYENNE PEPPER: ground cayenne pepper to season
For the Crab Cake Benedict:
- BACON: thick cut smoked bacon
- SPINACH: fresh spinach leaves
- EGGS: large or extra-large eggs
- VINEGAR: white vinegar for poaching eggs
- CRAB MEAT: jumbo lump crab meat
- BREAD CRUMBS: (coarse bread crumbs/Panko breadcrumbs work best)
- MAYONNAISE: real mayonnaise (we like Helmann's or Duke's mayonnaise)
- NUTMEG: ground nutmeg to season crab cakes
- VEGETABLE OIL: vegetable oil or neutral oil for sautéeing
- ENGLISH MUFFINS: store bought English muffins (King Size work best)
*see recipe card for quantities.
🔪Top tip
To save time, use a store bought hollandaise sauce. A jar or powdered mix works just fine!
Instructions
- Make hollandaise sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk 4 egg yolks and lemon juice until thickened and doubled in size. Place over pan of simmering water being careful bowl does not touch water. While whisking rapidly, slowly drizzle in butter and continue whisking until all butter has been added. Remove from heat and add cayenne pepper and set aside.
- Prepare the spinach mixture: In a medium sauté pan, add 4 slices bacon chopped and cook until browned. Add spinach to bacon and cook until spinach is wilted.
- Poach Eggs: place a sauce pan on medium heat. Add 2 inches of water and vinegar and heat until bubbles start. Maintain this heat and do not let water boil. Crack eggs directly into water and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes or until desired doneness.
- Make the crab cakes: Mix crab, bread crumbs, mayo and nutmeg and form into 4 equal portions and patty to the size of the english muffins. In a medium sauté pan, add oil. Place all crab cakes and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Turn and cook on other side an additional 2 minutes.
- Assemble the Eggs Benedicts: Toast muffins and place them on a serving plate. Top with spinach mix, and then the crab cakes. Using a slotted spoon, slowly remove eggs from simmering water and top on the crab cakes. Spoon hollandaise sauce over eggs and garnish with cayenne pepper.
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Variations
- Bread: no English Muffins? substitute Ciabatta bread or sliced Sourdough bread.
- Southern-Style: swap the English muffin for a warm biscuit and add a touch of Cajun seasoning to the crab cakes. Bonus points for a drizzle of hot honey or remoulade.
- Avocado Crab Cake Benedict: add smashed avocado or a few slices under the egg for a fresh, creamy layer. This plays well with microgreens and a squeeze of lemon.
FAQ
Yes! You can absolutely use canned crab meat to make crab cake Benedict. Just be sure to drain it well and remove any shell pieces. For the best flavor and texture, we recommend using lump crab meat or backfin if it's available.
Yes, crab cakes can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before assembling your crab cake Benedict. Just sear them in a hot skillet until golden brown and warmed through when you're ready to serve.
For perfect poached eggs to top your crab cake Benedict, use fresh eggs and simmering water with a splash of vinegar. Gently slide each egg into the water and cook for about 3–4 minutes for that perfectly runny yolk.
Yes, you can freeze uncooked crab cakes. Just shape them, freeze until firm, then store in a freezer-safe bag. When you're ready for crab cake Benedict, thaw the cakes overnight in the fridge and sear before using.
To avoid broken hollandaise on your crab cake Benedict, make sure your butter is warm—not too hot—and add it slowly while whisking or blending. If it starts to separate, a teaspoon of warm water or lemon juice can help re-emulsify the sauce.
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Crab Cake Benedict recipe
This crab cake Benedict is buttery, bold, and brunch-ready. Think juicy crab cakes, silky eggs, and lemony hollandaise.
- Total Time: 35 mins
- Yield: 4 portions 1x
Ingredients
for the hollandaise sauce:
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ C melted butter
- pinch cayenne pepper
For the Crab Cake Benedict:
- 4 slices bacon
- 1 C spinach
- 4 eggs
- 1 Tbsp white vinegar
- ½ C crab meat
- ¼ C bread crumbs (coarse works best)
- 2 Tbsp mayonnaise
- pinch nutmeg
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 English muffins
Instructions
Make hollandaise sauce:
- In a medium bowl, whisk 4 egg yolks and lemon juice until thickened and doubled in size.
- Place over pan of simmering water being careful bowl does not touch water.
- While whisking rapidly, slowly drizzle in butter and continue whisking until all butter has been added.
- Remove from heat and add cayenne pepper and set aside.
Prepare the spinach mixture:
- In a medium sauté pan, add 4 slices bacon chopped and cook until browned.
- Add spinach to bacon and cook until spinach is wilted.
Poach eggs:
- Place a sauce pan on medium heat. Add 2 inches of water and vinegar and heat until bubbles start. Maintain this heat and do not let water boil. Crack eggs directly into water and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes or until desired doneness.
Make the crab cakes:
- Mix crab, bread crumbs, mayo and nutmeg and form into 4 equal portions and patty to the size of the english muffins.
- Place a sauce pan on medium heat. Add 2 inches of water and vinegar and heat until bubbles start. Maintain this heat and do not let water boil. Crack eggs directly into water and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes or until desired doneness.
- In a medium sauté pan, add oil and place all crab cakes and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, turn and cook on other side an additional 2 minutes.
Assemble Eggs Benedicts:
- Toast muffins and place them on a serving plate.
- Top with spinach mix, and then the crab cakes.
- Using a slotted spoon, slowly remove eggs from simmering water and top on the crab cakes.
- Spoon hollandaise sauce over eggs and garnish with cayenne pepper.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: brunch
- Cuisine: French American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 286
- Sugar: 0.7 g
- Sodium: 339.1 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Carbohydrates: 18.6 g
- Protein: 12.2 g
- Cholesterol: 196.7 mg
AiPing | Curious Nut says
I love everything about this dish. The crab. The eggs. Yums all over. I'm a total seafood person.
Jackie says
thanks a million AiPing!! I am a seafood person too!!
Jackie says
this recipe looks fancy, but it's very easy to make. It's one of my favorite brunch treats when I am trying to impress guests.