I prefer making crab cakes at home rather than ordering them in some fancy restaurant. I make them just how I like them: full, and I mean full of crab meat with just enough filler to pull it together. I add a little texture with panko along with tons of spice like Old bay and some citrus. Fry these babies up and serve with tartar sauce or remoulade and that’s some good eating.
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Video Tutorial
How to Make Crab Cakes

Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, eggs, parsley, mustard, lemon juice, Old Bay and cayenne until combined.

Step 2: Next fold in crabmeat and breadcrumbs.
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Step 3: Shape into 6-8 crabcakes. Place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Step 4: Add butter and olive oil to the skillet over medium heat. Cook crab cakes for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels then serve.

Crab Cakes Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper can go up to 1/2 tsp if you want more spice
- 2 lbs fresh crabmeat drained, flaked and all cartilage removed
- 3/4 cup plain panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp oil canola, vegetable or olive oil is best
- 1 tbsp butter
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, eggs, parsley, mustard, lemon juice, Old Bay and cayenne until combined.
- Next fold in crabmeat and breadcrumbs and shape into 6-8 crabcakes. Place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
- Add butter and olive oil to the skillet over medium heat.
- Cook crab cakes for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown.
- Drain on paper towels then serve with lemon slices and a side of this remoulade sauce.
Video
Notes
How to Store and Reheat
Be sure to wrap and refrigerate your leftovers promptly after they’ve been served. I wouldn’t eat past a day or two in the fridge. To reheat: bring your crab cakes to room temp for about 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 325 degrees and lay the cakes on a foil-covered baking sheet with a pat of butter on each cake. Heat for 10-15 minutes. Don’t microwave.Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Avoid Canned Crab if you can: Canned options are typically flavorless and rubbery. For a brand that I love that is fresh, check out Pontchartrain Blue Crab. It is imported regularly and can be found at Whole Foods Market. You will find it over ice in the seafood section so it stays fresh.
- Ask your Local Grocery Store Seafood Section Attendant: They usually have fresh crab in the back of the store and will go to their fresh deliveries and gather and weigh it for you if in stock. This guarantees you get fresh delicious crab for your crab cakes.
- Grab flaked: I highly suggest “flaked” lump crab meat which refers to smaller pieces of meat that come from the claw. The flavor is delicious and the texture melts in your mouth.
- For Frozen: be sure to properly defrost, rinse and dry off excess moisture. The result will be a bit different but nonetheless, delicious.

I made these exactly as the recipe called for. They were absolutely amazing!
Wonderful!!
We loved this. Easy to make and delicious.
Thanks so much!
These are the best crab cakes that I have ever made at home very simple and easy and so, so good and tasty and yummy and I will be using this recipe over and over again
Thank you so much!
I thought they turned out great. I had crab legs in the freezer so cracked them and ended up with a little under a pound so halved the recipe and made 5 good portions. Also made the remolade sauce and it was a nice addition.
The ingredient list says eggs, it in preparation methods, it says egg yolks. Just looking for clarifications please 🙂
Eggs and thank you for clarifying.
Tastes great but how do you get them to stay together at all? This was my first time trying to make crab cakes. What’s the trick?
If you need a bit more binder, you can add it and also I like to sometimes refrigerate the patties before I cook them.
Can these be prepared ahead of time and cooked later or the next day?
Surely! You can shape them and refrigerate until you are ready to make.
Wonderful Summer meal with crab cakes on top of a good salad. When we can find good crab meat, we love to treat ourselves this way. Thank you for a delicious recipe! We were buying crab cakes pre made in the fish market and I’m sure they were frozen and thawed. Homemade is so much better.
Very nice. Great taste. Wife liked it. First time eating crab. Also served side of tempura rock fish. First time for both she is now a fan. Thanks
OMFG this recipe is so good my kids love it an my wife. Awesome recipe keep coming up with more ideas.