Description

This Easy Homemade Crab Cakes recipe offers a quick and delicious way to enjoy tender crab meat in crispy, flavorful patties. Perfect as an appetizer or main dish, these crab cakes combine fresh ingredients like lump crabmeat, green onions, and lemon juice, all lightly bound with mayonnaise and egg, then pan-fried to golden perfection. Serve with tartar sauce, mustard sauce, or lemon wedges for an irresistible seafood treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Crab Cake Mixture

1 large egg
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon minced green onions
4 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
8 ounces crabmeat (lump or imitation crab)
½ cup crushed buttery round crackers (like Ritz)

For Cooking

1 tablespoon butter

To Serve

Mustard sauce, tartar sauce, or lemon wedges

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Instructions

Prepare the Crab Mixture: In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, mayonnaise, minced green onions, lemon juice, dried tarragon, and red pepper flakes until well combined. Gently fold in the crabmeat and crushed buttery crackers, being careful not to break up the crab too much. This mixture will form the base for your crab cakes.
Form the Crab Cakes: Using your hands or a spoon, shape the crab mixture into four evenly sized patties, about ¾ inch thick. Make sure they hold together well but avoid pressing too hard to keep a light texture.
Cook the Crab Cakes: Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted and bubbling, carefully add the crab cakes to the pan. Cook for about 5 to 6 minutes on each side, or until they are golden brown and heated through. Flip gently to avoid breaking the patties.
Serve and Enjoy: Transfer the cooked crab cakes to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess butter. Serve warm with your choice of mustard sauce, tartar sauce, or fresh lemon wedges to enhance their delicate seafood flavor.

Notes

For the best texture, use lump crabmeat if available, but imitation crabmeat works as a budget-friendly option.
Do not overmix the crab mixture to maintain a tender and flaky texture.
You can prepare the mixture ahead and refrigerate it for up to an hour before forming and cooking.
Adjust red pepper flakes to control heat level according to your taste.
To keep crab cakes crispy, cook just before serving and avoid overcrowding the pan.