There are crab cakes, and then there are these Southern Style Crab Cakes.
Oh, yes indeed. These are truly a thing of beauty and utter deliciousness!
The ingredients in this recipe all come together to truly make something special.
Just a little ‘zing’ sets these crab cakes apart from your average crab cake.
This recipe is all about the crab, the crab, the crab. Get some good quality lump crab meat at your local fish market.
Intensify the flavor with some spices and peppers, a few ‘binding’ ingredients…but let the lump crab meat take the starring role.
Do not overwork the crab mixture. You’ll chill them, to help them hold together when you quickly skillet-fry them…but if they crumble apart a bit…that’s okay.
Remember, it’s all about the crab, the crab, the crab.
We just love a good hot sauce!
Louisiana Hot Sauce is so good!
Oh, how we love these incredible Southern Style Crab Cakes!
And I find using a comal (flat circular griddle) works best when cooking these crab cakes:
Now, let’s make this amazing Southern Style Crab Cakes recipe!
Southern Style Crab Cakes
Ingredients
- 1 lb top-quality lump crab meat
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 medium yellow onion chopped
- 1/2 poblano chili stemmed, seeded and chopped
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tso good chili powder New Mexico orAncho is good
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tsp whole-grain mustard
- Several dashes of Louisiana hot sauce
- 1 scallion white and green parts, chopped
- 2 tbsp Italian parsley chopped
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil plus more as needed
JALAPENO REMOULAD
- 1 small jalapeno pepper stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
- 2 scallions white parts only, thinly sliced
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar
- Juice of 1 lime
Instructions
- Place the crab meat in a large mixing bowl and carefully pick through for shells, then set aside.
- Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion, poblano, garlic, salt, chili powder, black pepper, and cayenne and cook, stirring, until the veggies are soft, but not browned - about 4 minutes.
- Transfer the veggie mixture to a mixing bowl and set aside to cool for about 15 minutes.
- Add the crab, the egg, mayo, mustard, hot sauce, scallions, parsley, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs to the veggie mixutre.
- Using your hands, gently combine the ingredients.
- Using a 1-cup measuring cup, form the mixture into cakes, packing gently; they should resemble hockey pucks (in size) - about 2 inches thick.
- Cover the cakes and chill for 20 to 30 minutes, or overnight.
- When you are ready to cook the crab cakes, place the remaining 1/2 cup bread crumbs on a plate.
- Dredge both sides of each cake in the crumbs, shaking off the excess.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- When the oil is hot, but not smoking, fry the crab cakes for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
- Don't overcrowd the pan - fry in batches if necessary, adding more oil if needed.
- Serve immediately - with Jalapeno Remoulade!
JALEPENO REMOULAD
- Whisk together all the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
- Cover and place in the fridge until needed...or for at least 30 minutes.
Nutrition
I never made crab cakes before. This was my first attempt. They were fabulous! One problem I had was they fell apart and didn’t hold their circle when I flipped them over. Any hints on what I should do to prevent that in the future? I’ll definitely be making these again! Thanks so much!
Hi Monie!! We are so excited to hear that you loved the crab cakes!! They purposely don’t have a lot of a binder so the crab can really shine through. This can make them a little loose. We use a measuring cup, or large ramakin, and press some of the crab mixture into it. We compact it pretty tightly, this helps during the flipping process. If you want them to stay together tighter, you could add another egg and then add more bread crumbs. This will probably require the cakes to cook a little longer, but they’ll stay together more tightly. Hope this all helps and thanks for letting us know that you loved the crab cakes and for the great review. That means the world to us!!! All the best, Kris & Wesley
These are the ABSOLUTE BEST Crab Cakes you will EVER have! I have not always been able to get Poblano Chili’s so I typically use Fresh Jalapeños & they work just as well.
These best any restaurants versions as well.
Thank you SO much for sharing this recipe!
Hi Jen!! Woo hoo!! We are so so happy you loved the Southern Crab Cakes! We think they’re the bomb, too!! Thank you so much for letting us know and for the awesome review! That means the world to us!! All the very best, Kris & Wesley
OMG!!! let me start off by telling y’all to take a bow! I am on my feet with a standing ovation! Holy cow these babies are the real deal. Melt in you mouth, bursting with flavor and that lightly breading doesn’t overpower the crab making it so succulent. I’m from the Charleston area down south and I know my crab cakes but no Charleston restaurant down here comes even close to y’alls! A-freaking-mazing! I would have given this more stars if it was available. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I just loved the video and looking forward to making other recipes from y’all’s site! God Bless
Christina!! You have no idea how happy hearing this is making us right now! You just filled our hearts with joy! We are so so so thrilled you loved the crab cakes and thank you SO MUCH for letting us and the AMAZING review!!! We appreciate that so very, very much!! Much love, Kris & Wesley
Hey Guys!
I’ve been making these crab cakes for a couple years now (originally stumbled on your website in 2017 I believe). Anyway, incredible. The best recipe out there and believe me, I’ve tried tons. I do these as an appetizer when entertaining new groups and everyone invariably comments on how delicious they are. I never change a thing. They’re perfect as they are. Thank you for the recipe and please keep on cookin’!
Hey Lonnie! You have no idea how happy that makes us to hear! We are thrilled that you had such amazing success with the recipe!! And thank you SO MUCH for letting us know and the GREAT review! That means the world to us! Please stay in touch! All the best, Kris & Wesley
Hello!!! I’m typing with my mouth full of these absolutely wonderfully delicious crab cakes! I made them for tonight’s dinner and would’ve loved to send a photo but they were eaten so quickly that getting a good shot of them was impossible. I followed the recipe to the letter and I can honestly say that these are much better than any I’ve ever eaten, including my mother’s and those served at Pappadeaux Restaurant here in Beaumont, Texas. Thank you for publishing it! It will, from here on out, be my go-to recipe for crab cakes. Simply delicious!!! Btw, I served the crab cakes with grilled fresh corn on the cob and yellow squash and zucchini, also grilled. Oh, and the sauce—to die for. I’m considering bathing in a tub of it!!! Many thanks and take good care. Cindy
Cindy…first of all…we are SO SORRY for the delayed response!! But…you have no idea how thrilled we are to have read your comment!!! We could not be happier to hear you had such great success with the Southern Crab Cakes! We think they are crazy good, too!! And a side of corn on the cob, with grilled squash and zucchini…WOW! That’s a feast worth writing home about!! Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to let us know. And please stay in touch!! All the best, Kris & Wesley
Are these okay to eat room temp or cold? Want to take to a pot luck and need to make a few hours before.
Hi Lisa, sorry for the delayed response. This is one of those dishes that we really think served warm is ideal. You could make them and then re-heat them in an oven. Handle them carefully, though, because we don’t like to use too breading or binding ingredients, they are good and flaky. We find that packing the crab mixture into a 1/2 cup measuring cup works well for transferring to the hot skillet. Let us know what you decide to do and how they turn out, or if you have any other questions. All the best, Kris & Wesley
This by far the best recipe I’ve tried and it is now my go to crab cake recipe!! Served these delicate jewels alongside a broccoli slaw.
Absolutely delicious 🙂
Thank you for sharing.
Louise!! That is so wonderful to hear!! We love these crab cakes so much, too!! And thank you so so so much for taking the time to let us know! That means the world to us!! Stay in touch!! All the best, Kris & Wesley
Delicious! We could have used a bit less onion in the cake but will definitely make again! I added a couple dashes of hot sauce to remoulade instead of crushed red pepper.
Hi Lindsey!! Awesome!!! So glad you enjoyed these crab cakes and we understand about the onions. It’s a good recipe to adapt to your own likes. And hot sauce is always a fantastic addition!! Thanks so much for letting us know!! Please stay in touch!! All the best, Kris & Wesley
Absolutely amazing Crab Cake recipe! I found you on Pinterest and I’m certainly coming back!
Hi Mary!! That is so wonderful to hear! We couldn’t be happier that you found success with the crab cakes. We absolutely love them, too! And thank you so much for letting us know, we truly appreciate it! Please stay in touch! All the best, Kris & Wesley
I’m southern born and raised but now live in the great Pacific North West. I also come from a long line of amazing chefs. All of this combined makes me very picky when it comes to crab cakes, perhaps even a snob. I made these for my Momma’s 70th birthday party. We ADORE, yes adore, these crab cakes and remoulad. They would disappear the moment I would get them out of the pan. My family has a “must make for dinner list” for when we all get together. This recipe has been added to the list, which rarely happens. It’s been two months and I still have family talking about “those amazing crab cakes”.
That is the most amazing thing for us to hear and nothing makes more happy! That is so great that you had huge success with the Southern Crab Cakes. We love them so much, too. Thank you SO MUCH for letting us know. It really means the world to us. Stay in touch! Best, Kris & Wesley
I made these with baked Red Fish and they turned out great!
Oh wow! That sounds so good!!! Thank you for letting us know!! Stay in touch, Chelsea! Best, Kris & Wesley
Having a big birthday party for dear dad in law. Planning on making these! Just from reading the recipe, I am drooling in the most ladylike way possible! The ingreds and combinations sound just wonderful. I’m so glad I found your blog/site!Thank you muchly!
Yay!!! Oh, Lisa, you, your dad in law, and everyone else are going to love these. Truly one of our all-time favs!! Thank you so much for letting us know. And please let us know how they turn out and what everyone thinks. And HAPPY BIRTHDAY, D-I-L!! xoxo Kris & Wesley
I don’t generally leave comments on recipes but wanted to say these were fantastic! I’d never made crab cakes before but will definitely be making these again. Thanks!
That is so great to hear, Jen! That is without doubt one of our favorite dishes, too. We are so happy to hear that you made them and loved the results! Thanks so much for letting us know. All the best, Kris & Wesley
First off the sauce was amazing! And
This comment thus is tricky on an iPhone. Anyways the crab cakes were also amazing and the video helped. I used fresh crab and bought two pounds because they had shells. I’m not sure how many pounds that translated into once the shells were removed. They fell apart a little while cooking… Maybe I needed more egg or crumbs? Regardless these were amazing! I will definitely make them again, the best part is you can make them in the morning and cook them whenever it’s the perfect time.
Thanks Skye!! I love crab cakes to be mostly crab, without much binder…but I know…they do kinda fall apart. The solution is just to add another egg and about another 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs. That should do the trick to keep them nicely formed. Thank you so much! These are one of our favorites, too! Stay in touch! K&W