Last Updated on September 16, 2022 by Sabrina Currie
Today I'm sharing my best and favourite crab cake recipe. This one is full of crab and no extra filler. Just enough ingredients to hold them together and highlight the sweet, fresh flavour of the crab.
I've made quite a few crab cakes in my time. These are the classic, meaty, panko coated cakes. You might also love the quicker Crispy Corn And Crab Fritters With Spicy Mayo or Gluten-Free Crab Cakes too. For safe handling, read How Long Can Crabs Be Kept On Ice.
Crab Cake Competitions On The Boat
If you've been following along for awhile, you likely know I used to commercial fish. I loved fishing so much that I would get my sports fishing license each spring and sports fish after a day of commercial fishing! Fishing for salmon or halibut off the back deck or putting the crab trap in the water for the ultimate West Coast dinner.
Jump to:
One year, my late brother and I got to deckhand together and it is a fishing season I'll always fondly remember. It was a season we got to spend together as young adults (in close quarters no less). Fishing can be exciting but there are also lots of monotonous tasks like sorting prawns or cleaning fish when you have a lot of time to talk.
Ski Bum To Chef
My brother had headed to the interior with his best friend after graduation to hit all the best ski hills. They naturally fell into the ski bum life which meant I didn't see much of him for awhile. When I did hear from him, I heard tales of working in the restaurants in Banff and Lake Louise, drinking amazing wines that customers would leave behind for staff and learning recipes from top chefs. So you can imagine once we were on the boat together, it was game on!
Two Chef Showdown
It was fun trying to recreate fancy food with the confines of fishing boat life but where it got really interesting was when the crab cake competition began. We were catching so many crabs with our one little trap that we started to get creative and decided we were having a crab cake showdown.
This went on all season as we tried to out do each other with different sauces, different textures and different flavours. The skipper (our dad) got to be the judge though I can't recall a clear winner....funny. (For more crab ideas, check out the 70+ best crab recipes here.)
(Because of a family members gluten allergy, I have also made a gluten-free, low carb Crab Cake recipe that is delicious too.)
What Makes The Best Crab Cakes
I do remember that the highest rated crab cakes had one thing in common, they were mostly just crab without any filler. Crab is my favourite type of seafood. We catch Dungeness crab here in BC and they are naturally sweet with a wonderful firm texture. Whenever I use crab in a recipe, I want to highlight that mild delicious flavour and not overpower it.
My recipe uses a small amount of finely chopped red bell pepper (capsicum) which adds a little more warmth and texture. I use egg and a small amount of the panko crumbs to hold them together. I like a tangy dipping sauce and I've shared my lemon aioli dip here. I like texture in mine so I use shallot and capers but if you prefer a smooth sauce, you can omit those two ingredients.
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Top Tips For Perfect Crab Cakes
Less filler makes tastier crab cakes but it also makes them harder to hold together before cooking. I recommend letting your crab mixture sit for 15-30 minutes in the fridge before forming and frying. It helps soften the panko and make the hold together a little easier. And of course using fresh crab is a no brainer. While you certainly can use well drained canned or frozen and thawed crab, fresh lump crab meat will give you the very best result by far.
And so, with warm memories of my brother, I invite you to try our favourite style of crab cake. (My brother Tavis was a stellar adventurer and skier. If you'd like to see some of his ski videos, you can find the on his Youtube Channel here).
If you have any questions or comments, you can find me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. I try to answer any recipe related questions quickly as I know you might be in the middle of making it.
Also check out my FREE PRINTABLE meal planner to make menu planning and grocery shopping a breeze and my shopping guide. And if you like this recipe, I would love it if you give it a star rating in the recipe card.
Cheers and happy cooking, Friends! Sabrina
📖 Recipe
Crab Cakes With Lemon Aioli
Ingredients
Crab Cakes
- 1 ½ c Dungeness Crab Meat
- 2 Eggs
- ¼ c Red Pepper, diced small
- ¾ tsp Salt
- ½ teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
- 1 c Panko Crumbs, divided in half Or other bread crumbs
- 2-3 tablespoon Vegetable Oil For frying
- Optional Local Greens, Edible Flowers and Pickled Radishes For garnish
Lemon Aioli
- ½ c Real Mayonnaise
- ¼ teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper
- 1 Lemon, Zest and Juice
- 1 tablespoon Chives, minced
- 1 tablespoon Shallot, minced
- 1 tablespoon Capers, coarsely chopped
- 10 dashes Hot Sauce (Optional, use more or less to your taste)
Instructions
Crab Cakes
- Whisk egg until frothy and then stir in all ingredients except crab and ½ c of panko until well mixed. Then gently mix in crab, trying not to break up chunks more than necessary. (Tip: Let sit in fridge at this point for 15-30 min to make forming patties easier)
- Preheat a large frying pan on medium heat with enough vegetable oil to lightly coat the pan.
- Pour the remaining ½ c panko into a shallow bowl. Divide crab mixture into 6 large or 12 smaller cakes, press gently into panko, and then place in the frying pan. Fry approx. 5-7 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Serve warm.
Lemon Aioli
- Add all ingredients into bowl and stir well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. This can be made up to 3 days prior to using.
Kristy @ She Eats says
I definitely agree fresh crab + less filler makes tastier crab cakes. I'll take 2, please. Or 5. Or all of them. Crab is SO good!
SabCurrie says
The best right?!
Ayngelina Brogan says
Although I eat fish cakes all the time, there's nothing like crab cakes - those are the best.
SabCurrie says
Absolutely, nothing like crab 🙂
Colleen says
I am a crab cake fanatic, but only with fresh crab, and only if they are really good, and these ones are. Delicious.
SabCurrie says
Thanks so much Colleen, I totally agree!
Elaine says
Love crab cakes, and loved your story! This was an easy recipe to make gluten-free!
SabCurrie says
Aw thanks Elaine. It’s been a story I wanted to put in for awhile 💕
Lisa says
I love how simple this crab cake recipe is, and I love how you've written about memories with your brother. Making these crab cakes must often bring back such warm memories of him! Thanks for sharing!
SabCurrie says
Aw, thanks so much Lisa 💕
Vanessa says
I love crab cakes and love that this recipe focuses on the actual crab meat - the point is to taste it after all! The lemon aioli is the perfect accompaniment
SabCurrie says
Thanks Vanessa!
Sara says
These are so delicious! Thank you for this recipe.
SabCurrie says
You’re welcome Sara! Thanks so much for letting me know you liked them 🙂
Audrey says
The lemon aioli really takes these to the next level!!!
SabCurrie says
So glad you loved it!
Addison says
This recipe is so flavorful! I love the behind the scenes photos and stories!
SabCurrie says
Thanks Addison, definitely cherished memories 💕
NANCY says
oh i love a good crab cake recipe. I used to order this a lot at restaurants... i miss dining out!
SabCurrie says
Me too!
Amanda Marie says
I love the lemon aioli you included.
SabCurrie says
Thank you Amanda!
Terri says
Soo jealous of all your fresh seafood, but I've never even caught a fish (bucket list)! The crab cake showdown on the boat sounds really fun. And these sound absolutely delicious!
SabCurrie says
Thanks so much Terri 💕
AmyG says
This looks amazing! I've been looking for a crab cake recipe for a long time. Definitely giving this a try as soon as I can get some fresh crab.
SabCurrie says
Thanks, enjoy Amy!
Linda says
Yes! Fresh crab always brings the best result and this crab cake looks absolutely delicious.
ANGELA says
I've always eaten them in restaurants! I can finally make my own crab cakes at home. thanks for the recipe
SabCurrie says
You are so welcome. Enjoy 😊
Jessie says
Such sweet memories! These crab cakes look delicious as well!
Nicky says
I loved reading this post so much! Can't wait to try your recipe next time I have fresh crab in my hands! <3
SabCurrie says
Aw thanks Nicky 💖 I hope we can make and enjoy them together soon!
Deb says
Mmm made these tonight with our fresh caught crab 🦀 Fun to catch and delicious to eat! Great recipe! I also love that’s it’s full of crab and not much filler.
Sabrina Currie says
Thanks for the million dollar coastal tour! The whales, scenery and fresh seafood were priceless. And Yes! I love meaty crab cakes too. Thanks for everything and glad you liked the crab cakes.
Karin Powell says
I live in the PNW, so I have eaten lots of crab cakes in my lifetime. These are by Far the best I have ever had!
Sabrina Currie says
Wow, that is an awesome compliment. Thank you so much,
Cheers!
Deb says
I made this recipe again tonight and went all out, making the sauce, too. It is the best, such a tangy compliment to the crab cakes.
Sabrina Currie says
Thanks! This is one of my absolute favorite recipes too. Always a hit. Cheers!