These Maryland Crab Cakes are filled with tender, sweet lump crab meat, held together by a smidge of mayo and panko bread crumbs, and flavored with hints of dijon, chives, lemon zest and Old Bay seasoning. Perfect as a side to a larger feast or as a main course.

Crab cakes on a white tray with lemon slices

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This crab cake recipe is very crab-forward, with very few fillers and almost all crab – just like classic Maryland style crab cakes. There is just enough binder to hold the crab meat together, so treating the crab patties gently is a must so they don’t fall apart.

But in return, you get lots of tender, juicy crab meat and a little texture from panko breadcrumbs. These crab cakes are also bursting with flavor from ingredients like Old Bay seasoning, lemon zest, dijon, and chives.

Recipe Tips & Variations

Use good quality crab meat. Good quality crab cakes are made from good quality crab meat. This is not the place to use canned crab meat or claw meat. You’ll want to use the pasteurized containers found at the fish counter. Look for jumbo lump, lump, or white special crab meat.
Panko breadcrumb substitutions. Light Panko crumbs help create the texture that holds the crab cakes together. If you do not have panko, you could use crushed saltine or butter crackers. Do not use Italian bread crumbs, as they are too fine a texture and can create a pasty crab cake.
Be gentle with the crab mixture. Maryland crab cakes are very crab-forward and do not contain a lot of binders. So the mixture willl barely stick together and crumble easily. Be gentle when forming the crab patties and transferring them to the oil.
Bake after frying if needed. If you are concerned that your crab cakes are not completely cooked through the middle after frying them on both sides, you can place them in a 400 degree oven for 5 minutes.
Don’t overcook the meat. Try to avoid frying the crab patties for longer than 5 minutes, as that can dry them out and lead to them falling apart. Baking for 5 minutes as mentioned above will keep the moisture in but again, take care to not bake them for too long.

Maryland Crab Cakes

This Maryland Crab Cakes recipe is very crab-forward, with tender juicy crab and very few fillers. They're bursting with flavor and so easy to make. Perfect as a side to a larger feast or as a main course.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 16

Total Time 31

Servings: 6 (2 per serving)

Ingredients

1 pound jumbo or lump crab meat
1 large egg
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chives , chopped fine
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 teaspoons old bay seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
3-4 dashes of Worcestershire
1-2 teaspoons tabasco or sriracha , optional but recommended
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
Oil for frying
Lemon wedges , for serving
Remoulade or Tartar Sauce, for serving

Instructions

Pick through 1 pound jumbo or lump crab meat and remove any shell pieces that may have been missed by the packaging process. Set aside.
In a medium bowl mix together 1 large egg, 1/3 cup mayo, 1 tablespoon chopped chives, 2 teaspoons each Dijon mustard, lemon zest, and old bay seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 3 dashes Worcestershire, and 1 to 2 dashes hot sauce.
Gently fold in the crab meat and 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs until fully combined. The mixture should still be mostly crab, and should barely hold together.
Gently form these into 12 crab cakes (or 8 larger ones.) NOTE: these crab cakes don't contain a lot of binders, so the mixture willl barely stick together and crumble easily. Be very gentle when forming the crab patties and transferring them to the oil.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add in a few tablespoons of olive or vegetable oil, just enough to coat the bottom of the pan; swirl to coat.
In 2 batches, gently place the crab cakes in the hot oil and pan fry for about 4 minutes, flip cakes over and fry for another 4 minutes (adjusting your heat if they're over-browning too fast.)
Transfer crab cakes to a plate and serve while still warm. Enjoy with lemon wedges, remoulade sauce or tartar sauce.

Nutrition

Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.

Other Notes

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

stack of two crab cakes with tartar sauce

Serving Suggestions for Crab Cakes

These Maryland style crab cakes can be served as an easy appetizer or side dish to a fancy dinner or even as the main course themselves.

Remoulade is what you’ll typically see served as “crab cake sauce” but tartar sauce is also perfect with this recipe. I also like to plate them with fresh lemon wedges to squeeze over the crab cakes, as citrus really enhances seafood. If you want to serve these as the main entree, a veggie like grilled eggplant or a fun salad like chickpea salad are both great ideas.

Craving more crab appetizers? Don’t miss our crab stuffed mushrooms or air fryer crab rangoon.

How to Store & Reheat Leftovers

Storing leftovers. Maryland style crab cakes are best served immediately, but can be stored in the refrigerator for one day. Just keep them tightly wrapped in plastic or in an airtight container.
Reheat. You can reheat them in a non stick skillet over medium low on the stovetop, or pop them in the air fryer at 350 for about 3 minutes. Again, be gentle so they don’t crumble and try to avoid drying them out.

More Seafood Recipes:

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A crab cake cut in half to show the meat inside

Juicy Maryland Crab Cakes

Recipe Tips & Variations