An addictive recipe for crab cakes with coriander, lime zest and jalapeno, served with a sweet and expressive paprika vinaigrette.
Here’s another catering recipe I thought I’d share… Crab Cakes! This recipe can be served as a main course or an appetizer depending on the size of the cakes.
What I love about these crab cakes!
They are light, heavenly and aromatic!
Made with very little “filling,” the fresh crab cakes are infused with lime zest, cilantro, and a hint of jalapeno (or could just as easily be made more classic with lemon zest and parsley) with the lightest of panko crusts.
Serve with a large leafy green salad and a drizzle of paprika vinaigrette and prepare to be dazzled.
Ingredients in crab cakes
Notes on ingredients
- Crab: For the best flavor, use fresh Dungeness crabmeat whenever possible. Fresh crab meat works too. It comes cooked and chilled, not canned. Costco often has the BEST deals.
- Panko: Use panko instead of breadcrumbs for the lightest filling and best crust. Breadcrumbs make them heavy and sluggish.
- lime zest: another twist on crab cakes, liven them up — or subtle lemon zest
- Coriander: or semi-flat-leaf parsley
- jalapeno– gives a nice little kick, optional but tasty!
- ghee I love sautéing these in ghee, but you can use a mixture of butter and olive oil too.
- See recipe card for full recipe details .
How to make crab cakes
Mix the wet ingredients together in a bowl. Egg, mayonnaise, mustard, along with herbs, zest and spices.
Stir until everything is well mixed.
Drain and strain crab meat, squeezing out any liquid. Fold in the crab meat, breaking apart any extra large pieces that may make it difficult for the crab cakes to hold together. The crab meat should smell pleasantly of the sea and taste sweet.
Fold in the panko breadcrumbs.
Stir until combined. Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.
While this cools, prepare the pepper vinaigrette.
We would also like our Chipotle Mayo here!
Form crab cakes. Divide and press into cakes, squeezing with hands. For appetizer size cakes, make 6-8. For appetizer-sized crab cakes, make 12.
Lightly brush the outside of the cakes with panko.
Sear in a pan with ghee (or a mixture of butter and olive oil) then finish in a 375F oven.
The cakes require careful handling as we use less ‘filler’ here, but once the egg is fully cooked it really helps bind them together.
Using a thin metal spatula, a gentle hand, and no crowing of the pan really helps!
Finishing them in the oven allows the egg to cook through without over-browning the cakes and keeps them warm when baking in batches.
Serve them as an appetizer or as a main course.
Leftovers can be refrigerated (or frozen) for up to three days – and can be deliciously made into the tastiest sandwich (use toasted brioche buns and a crunchy coleslaw with chipotle mayo) or even for breakfast – make a crab cake benedict! Yummy.
What to serve with crab cakes
Recipe FAQs
Yes, feel free to shape, brush and place them on a parchment-lined sheet pan brushed with olive oil or melted butter and spray the tops with spray olive oil. Bake in a 450F oven for 13-15 minutes or lightly golden brown.
Using a binder (egg, mayonnaise, and panko), breaking up large chunks of crab, and refrigerating the crab mixture for 30-60 minutes and fully cooking the crab cakes will help keep the crab cakes from falling apart.
Using a mixture of butter and olive oil or using ghee will give the crab cakes the best flavor while increasing the smoke point (if only butter is used).
Feel free to mix the crab cakes ahead of time and form into cakes either in the bowl or covered, for up to 24 hours.
Leftover crab cakes will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days — or you can freeze them if you prefer.
More recipes you might like
On the home front: We’re spending the winter this year in Bend, Oregon. It was cold but sunny! The sky here is large and bright blue. The sun has come out almost every day since we’ve been here! Mornings are filled with brisk long walks with Lumi, exploring new territory, with the healing sunshine on our faces. It feels good to experience something new and Bend has such a lively, friendly vibe.
xoxo
Sylvia
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Description
These savory crab cakes are the best! Made with fresh crab, lime zest, cilantro and jalapeño, served with a red pepper vinaigrette. Feel free to use lemon and parsley instead. Makes 6 large crab cakes or 12 small crab cakes as an appetizer.
Garnishes – Lime wedges, cilantro, or microgreens
Pepper Vinaigrette (or make our chipotle aioli)
- Place the crab in a colander over a bowl and drain, squeeze out excess liquid. Feel for any shells or gristle and discard them. Tear any extra large pieces into smaller pieces to help the crab cakes hold together better. The crab should smell fresh and sweet and taste like the ocean.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, mayo, lime zest, lime juice, jalapeno, mustard, salt, and pepper. Stri in coriander and red chili. Fold in the crab. Then stir in 1/2 cup panko. Chill in the bowl for 30-60 minutes.
- Make the pepper vinaigrette (see notes) or chipotle aioli.
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Place a piece of parchment paper on a small baking sheet. Place 1/2-1 cup panko in a bowl or on a plate (for dredging). Divide the crab mixture into equal portions (6 x 1/2-cup servings for appetizers, 12 x 1/4-cup servings for appetizers), then use your palms to press into balls about 1 1/2 inch- 2 inches thick, slightly flattening them. Carefully dip the balls into the panko and squeeze again.
- Heat ghee in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Using one delicate hand, work in small batches, gently sear each side for 3 minutes or until perfectly golden, placing on the sheet pan in the oven to keep warm and cook the egg fully through (this will help them set evenly to bind). more). A small, thin metal spatula works wonders here.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes or until puffed and internal temperature is 145F.
- Plate up and serve with the pepper vinaigrette or chipotle aioli, a lime wedge and a sprig of cilantro.
Remarks
Pepper Vinaigrette: Place all ingredients in a blender and puree. If you’re using roasted peppers instead of pickled peppers, taste and maybe add a little more vinegar and honey. The dressing should taste sweet and tangy with just a touch of heat. I often add more chilli flakes. If you like smoky flavors, add 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika. You can also use this to flavor lettuce leaves.
Nourishment
- Serving size: ½ cup crab cakes (no sauce)
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 1.7g
- Sodium: 620.4mg
- Fat: 13.1g
- Saturated Fatty Acids: 4.1g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1.4 g
- Protein: 17.3 g
- Cholesterol: 118.4 mg
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