Nothing tastes like a beach vacation quite like a truly delicious crab cake. This Broiled Crab Cake Recipe (heavy on the crab, no filler!) brings that Eastern Shore holiday to your very own kitchen with no fuss and no muss. It’s one of my favorite simple seafood recipes and I can’t wait for you to try it!
Bursting with the flavors of succulent crab meat, delicate citrus and herbs, and a hint of zesty spices, these crab cakes are a culinary masterpiece that will leave you craving more. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or a passionate home cook, join us as we dive into the secrets of creating the perfect crab cake, just like the ones savored in the heart of crab country.
Before we start cooking crab, let’s talk about buying crab!
When choosing your crab for crab cakes, there are a few tips to keep in mind to ensure you get the best quality and flavor.
- Choose fresh crab: Freshness is key when it comes to seafood. Look for live or freshly cooked crab if possible. If you’re buying pre-packaged crab meat, check the expiration date and ensure it is well within the recommended time frame.
- Opt for lump crab meat: Lump crab meat consists of larger, whole pieces of crab meat, usually from the body of the crab. It has a sweet and delicate flavor, perfect for crab cakes. Jumbo lump crab meat, which is even larger pieces from the crab’s back fin area, is the highest quality but will be more expensive.
- Check for shell fragments: Whether you’re buying whole crabs or crab meat, examine the product carefully for any shell fragments or cartilage. These can affect the texture and enjoyment of your crab cakes. High-quality crab meat should be relatively free from shells.
- Consider the source: If possible, find out where the crab comes from. Different regions produce crab with distinct flavors. For example, Chesapeake Bay blue crabs are known for their sweetness, while Dungeness crab from the West Coast has a rich and slightly nutty taste. Choose a variety that suits your preference.
Now grab your apron and prepare to create a seafood masterpiece!
Ingredients you’ll need to make the best crab cakes:
Crab meat: On a recent trip back to the US, I found fresh lump crab meat on sale at my mom’s local grocery store, so I snapped it up to make these cakes. Jumbo lump meat is another great option, if you have the budget for it! You could also use a combination of jumbo lump crab meat, lump crab, blue crab meat or the meat from dungeness crabs.
Saltine crackers: No filler crab cakes do still require a binder that helps distribute the flavorful sauce and hold the delicate crab meat together. Plain old saltines are my favorite way to hold it all together. Substitute homemade bread crumbs or panko bread crumbs. If you’re looking for gluten-free crab cakes, grab your favorite gluten-free crackers instead.
Flat leaf parsley: Fresh parsley is the perfect herb to add color and freshness while letting the crab flavor be the star of the show. Parsley is the best, but fresh chives would be another good option.
Egg: One beaten egg helps hold all of this deliciousness together.
Mayonnaise: Another layer of flavor, fat and binder for our crab cakes. Use full fat mayo for best results.
Dijon mustard: Dijon is tangy and sharp with a touch of spice. It’s a common ingredient in remoulade and aioli and the perfect flavor enhancer for our glorious crab cakes.
Worcestershire sauce: A good crab cake is equal parts simplicity and flavor. Worcestershire sauce is squarely on the flavor end of the equation. It’s tangy and savory with a hint of spice. There’s really nothing like it!
Lemon zest: Fresh crab meat loves lemon. I add lemon zest in these crab cakes for all the citrus deliciousness without adding more liquid. Serve your finished cakes with lemon wedges for a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Hot sauce (optional): I love just a touch of that savory spice in crab cakes. Season according to your preference, but I usually use between 1/2-1 teaspoon of hot sauce in each batch of crab cakes. Substitute a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Butter: Since we are broiling the crab cakes, drizzling a bit of melted butter over each seafood cake makes for golden brown and delicious crab cakes.
Full ingredients and measurements included in the printable recipe card below.
Step by step instructions for no filler crab cake recipe:
Begin by gently dumping your crab into a medium-sized mixing bowl and picking through the meat to remove any shells or cartilage. In a small bowl, combine parsley, egg, mayonnaise, Dijon, Worcestershire, lemon zest, salt and hot sauce (if using). Whisk thoroughly.
Next, add the crushed saltines onto the bowl of crab, then pour the seasoned binder over the cracker crumbs and crab. Stir very gently to combine. Refrigerate the crab cake mixture for 30 mins.
While the crab cake mixture is chilling, make the remoulade. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate. Taste and adjust seasoning right before serving.
Once the crab cake mixture has chilled, preheat broiler and position an oven rack about 6 inches below the coils. Use a 1/2 cup measuring cup or a large ice cream scoop to scoop the chilled crab mixture into 6 equal mounds and place on a foil-lined and lightly greased baking sheet.
Brush the cakes gently with melted butter (or drizzle over). Broil for 10 mins or until cakes are golden brown and heated through. (Remember, the crab meat is already cooked. We’re just cooking the savory egg binder and helping the cake to set).
Remove from oven and serve warm with remoulade and lemon wedges.
FAQ’s and Serving Suggestions for this no filler crab cake recipe:
Yes, you can prepare the crab cake mixture ahead of time and refrigerate it for a few hours or overnight before shaping and broiling. This allows the flavors to meld together and can make the patties easier to handle.
Yes, if you prefer, you can pan-fry the crab cakes in a skillet with a little oil or butter. Cook them over medium heat until they are golden brown on both sides and heated through.
Crab cakes are often served with sauces, such as tartar sauce, remoulade sauce, cocktail sauce, or aioli. They are delicious in a crab cake sandwich, served with a tossed salad, coleslaw, crispy baked fries, or a crusty garlic bread.
While you can use imitation crab meat as a substitute, it will not have the same flavor or texture as real crab meat, and will likely require more filler to hold the crab meat cake together. Real crab meat is recommended for the best results and most authentic taste.
Yes, you can freeze broiled crab cakes. Allow them to cool completely, then place them in an airtight container or wrap them tightly in a freezer bag and foil. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. For reheating, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight and then broil them until heated through.
To store leftover crab cakes, keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For reheating, warm gently in a skillet with butter until just heated through.
Looking for more delicious crab recipes? Try these easy dishes next!
- Healthy Phillips Maryland Crab Soup
- King Crab Legs with Lemon Garlic Butter
- Shrimp & Crab Stuffed Salmon
Best Broiled Crab Cake Recipe (and no filler!)
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
1 pound crab meat (lump crab or a combination of lump and body or claw meat)
14 saltines, crushed to fine crumbs
1 tablespoon fresh flat leaf parsley, diced
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Zest of 1 lemon, plus wedges, for serving
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
2 tablespoons melted butter
Remoulade Sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons cocktail sauce
1 garlic clove, grated
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Begin by gently dumping your crab into a medium-sized mixing bowl and picking through the meat to remove any shells or cartilage.
In a small bowl, combine parsley, beaten egg, mayonnaise, dijon, Worcestershire, lemon zest, salt and hot sauce (if using). Whisk thoroughly. Next, add the crushed saltines onto the bowl of crab, then pour the seasoned binder over the cracker crumbs and crab. Stir very gently to combine. Refrigerate the crab cake mixture for 30 mins.
While the crab cake mixture is chilling, make the remoulade. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate. Taste and adjust seasoning right before serving.
Preheat broiler and position an oven rack about 6 inches below the coils. Use a 1/2 cup measuring cup to scoop the chilled crab mixture into 6 equal mounds and place on a foil-lined and lightly greased baking sheet. Brush the cakes gently with melted butter (or drizzle over). Broil for 10 mins or until cakes are golden brown and heated through. (Remember, the crab meat is already cooked. We’re just cooking the savory egg binder and helping the cake to set).
Remove from oven and serve warm with spicy remoulade and lemon wedges.
Notes
If you are sensitive to sodium, feel free to omit the 1/2 tsp of salt, or make a small tester cake in a skillet to test your salt level before adding more. Sodium levels can vary in crab meat and you want the perfect bite, so it’s worth the extra few minutes!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Easy Recipes
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: crab cake recipes, seafood recipes, crab cakes no filler
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