Crab Cakes

Keith has been making this crab cake recipe for years: first in professional kitchens, now at home. These days, he keeps it simple-no fuss, just fresh ingredients and the kind of flavor that makes you stop mid-bite. It's a recipe that's been tested (and devoured) more times than we can count. If you love our Ahi Tuna Cakes, you're going to want these in your dinner rotation.

What makes them special? The golden crust, for one. It's crisp and buttery from the pan. Inside, they're loaded with tender lump crab meat, not a lot of filler. We love them with a squeeze of lemon or a drizzle of our Lemon Butter for a coastal-inspired finish. Or go brunch-style and top them like we do in our Crab Cake Benedict.

• CRAB MEAT: use Jumbo Lump Crab Meat for the best bite and flavor. Fresh or canned crab meat works for this recipe
• CRACKERS: we like saltine crackers
• GARLIC: fresh garlic, minced
• MUSTARD: we like whole grain Dijon mustard
• MAYONNAISE: we prefer Hellmann's Mayonnaise or Duke's Real Mayonnaise
• EGG WHITE: egg white from large or extra large egg
• PARSLEY: fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• LEMONS: fresh lemons
• BUTTER: we like salted butter for this recipe
• OLIVE OIL: (for frying) use the best quality extra virgin olive oil you can afford

*see recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Make the sauce:

1. Soften butter for an hour at room temperature.
2. Add juice of lemon + 1 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley. Mix until well combined.

Make the crab cakes:

1. Drain crab meat and add to a bowl.
2. Add crackers: In a separate bowl crush crackers to a coarse crumb. Add to crab.
3. Mix in filling: Add mayo, mustard, garlic, egg white, remaining parsley and combine gently, try avoiding over mixing to keep crab meat in larger pieces.
4. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to a day.
5. Make patties: Divide mixture into 4 equal portions and loosely form into cake shapes (patties).
6. Cook: Heat 2-3 tablespoon olive oil in large skillet and place each crab cake in oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side over medium heat.
7. Serve: Top with lemon butter. Serve with Red Potato Salad, Garlic Smashed Potatoes, or Grilled Corn.

Substitutions and Variations

• Make Ahead: shape the crab cakes up to 24 hours ahead. Keep them covered in the fridge. When you're ready to eat, just pan-sear them until golden and warmed through.
• Sauce: feeling more saucy? Try our Lemon Aioli or Spicy Mayo
• Gluten-free: Swap the crackers for gluten-free breadcrumbs or crushed gluten-free crackers.
• Add some heat: A pinch of cayenne or a few dashes of hot sauce will give your crab cakes a spicy kick.
• More seafood: Try our Fresh Ahi Tuna Cakes-they're just as flavorful and easy to make.

Storage

• STORE leftover cooked crab cakes in airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
• FREEZE uncooked crab cakes by wrapping them individually in plastic wrap or a freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before cooking.
• REHEAT patties in a sautée pan with a little olive oil.