Crab Cakes with Remoulade Sauce
These golden, pan-seared crab cakes deliver big crab flavor with minimal filler, paired with a creamy, tangy remoulade sauce that brings restaurant vibes straight to your kitchen — easy enough for a weeknight, impressive enough for a dinner party.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl for crab mixture
- Small bowl for remoulade sauce
- Skillet nonstick or cast iron
- Spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Plate or tray for shaping patties
- Paper towels for draining
Ingredients
- 1 lb lump crab meat, picked over for shells
- ½ cup breadcrumbs (plain or panko)
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Oil for frying (neutral, like canola or vegetable)
- ½ cup mayonnaise (for remoulade)
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard (for remoulade)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp finely chopped dill pickle or relish
- 1 tsp capers, chopped (optional)
- 1 tsp hot sauce (or to taste)
- ½ tsp smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
- ½ tsp Old Bay seasoning (for remoulade)
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced or grated
- Salt and pepper, to taste (remoulade)
- Lemon wedges, for serving
- Extra chopped parsley, for garnish
- Simple green salad or slaw (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon, lemon juice, chopped pickle, capers, hot sauce, paprika, Old Bay, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Chill.
- In a large bowl, whisk mayo, egg, Dijon, Old Bay, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in parsley and breadcrumbs until combined. Gently fold in crab meat without breaking it up.
- Shape into 8–10 patties, 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick. Chill for 20–30 minutes to help them set.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook crab cakes in batches, 3–4 minutes per side, until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels.
- Plate crab cakes with remoulade, lemon wedges, and chopped parsley. Serve hot with salad or slaw, if desired.
Notes
Chill the shaped crab cakes before frying for best results. The remoulade sauce can be made a day ahead and adjusted to your taste — more lemon, spice, or Old Bay as desired.