Maryland Crab Cakes with Quick Tartar Sauce
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A Maryland staple, these crab cakes are made from fresh lump crab meat and just enough filler to bind the crabmeat together.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
When you live in Maryland, eating Chesapeake blue crabs and crab cakes is practically a religion—and, in my family, we are all loyal devotees. Every summer, we hit all of our favorite crab shacks, from local joints all the way to the Eastern shore, where you can look out over the bay and put your feet in the sand.
I’d never attempt making steamed blue crabs at home. Live crabs, giant steamers—yikes! But I do often make crab cakes, which are just as delicious and easier to prepare (not to mention eat). The key is using fresh lump crabmeat and just enough filler to bind the crabmeat together. I love them with tartar sauce, but you could also serve them with lemon wedges or cocktail sauce. Don’t forget the peel-and-eat shrimp, hush puppies, and cornbread.
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need To Make Maryland Crab Cakes
It’s very important to use fresh, good-quality lump crab meat. Look for fresh-off-the-boat crab meat, which is sold in a clear plastic container, usually resting on ice in the seafood department. It’s expensive, but one pound is enough to make six generous crab cakes (or 12 mini ones).
If fresh lump crab meat is not available, the second-best option is refrigerated crab meat, such as Phillip’s, which is readily available year-round. Avoid shelf-stable canned crab meat, which contains additives that affect the taste and texture of the meat. (For a less expensive alternative to crab cakes, or when fresh crab meat is not in season, try fresh salmon cakes.)
Note that celery is not traditional in Maryland crab cakes, but I love the little crunch it adds; feel free to leave it out if you’re a purist.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Make the Crab Cakes
To begin, combine the eggs, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, Old Bay, salt, celery, and parsley in a bowl.
Mix well to combine.
Add the crab meat (be sure to check the meat for any hard and sharp cartilage) and panko.
Gently fold the mixture together until just combined, being careful not to shred the crab meat.
Shape into 6 large crab cakes (about ½ cup each) and place on a baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This is really important to help the crab cakes set.
Preheat a large nonstick pan to medium heat and coat with oil. When the oil is hot, place crab cakes in the pan and cook until golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Flip and cook 3 to 5 minutes more, or until golden. Be careful as the oil may splatter.
Make the Tartar Sauce
Combine the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, sweet pickle relish, red onion, lemon, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
Whisk well, then cover and chill until ready to serve.
Video Tutorital
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Maryland Crab Cakes with Quick Tartar Sauce
A Maryland staple, these crab cakes are made from fresh lump crab meat and just enough filler to bind the crabmeat together.
Ingredients
For the Crab Cakes
- 2 large eggs
- 2½ tablespoons mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's or Duke's
- 1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup finely diced celery, from one stalk
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 pound lump crab meat (see note below)
- ½ cup panko
- Vegetable or canola oil, for cooking
For the Quick Tartar Sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's or Duke's
- 1½ tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon minced red onion
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
For the Crab Cakes
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.
- Combine the eggs, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, Old Bay, salt, celery, and parsley in a large bowl and mix well. Add the crab meat (be sure to check the meat for any hard and sharp cartilage) and panko; using a rubber spatula, gently fold the mixture together until just combined, being careful not to shred the crab meat. Shape into 6 cakes (each about ½ cup) and place on the prepared baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This helps them set.
- Preheat a large nonstick pan over medium heat and coat with oil. When the oil is hot, place the crab cakes in the pan and cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Be careful as oil may splatter. Serve the crab cakes warm with the tartar sauce.
For the Quick Tartar Sauce
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, relish, mustard, onion, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The crab cakes can be formed, covered, and refrigerated a day ahead of time before cooking. The tartar sauce can be made and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance.
- Note: If you can only find jumbo lump crab meat, you may need to break the pieces up a bit. If the clumps are too large, the crab cakes won't hold together well.
- Note: The nutritional information does not include the tartar sauce.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 2 crab cakes
- Calories: 299
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Sugar: 1 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Sodium: 1141 mg
- Cholesterol: 275 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I always wanted to make crab cakes and was excited to try this recipe! It delivered! Delicious and so much more crab than what you get in a restaurant crab cake!
Yum! This is a great recipe that really lets the crab meat shine. Served with a spicy aioli. Thanks Jenn!
Finally, a recipe for the classic crab cake I remember from my childhood. Of all the recipes I’ve tried, this is the only one where the ingredients were able to bind, yielding crab cakes that kept their shape, and didn’t have lumps of crab falling off, over-crisping in the oil.
The recipe yielded 6 generous crab cakes, that were so good, that 2 of us overstuffed ourselves and ate them all in one sitting.
I have made these several times and we love them. I do cut back on the salt as some other reviewers have also noted, but other than that it is a really good blend of ordinary ingredients that we’re likely to have on hand. We are Old Bay fans, so we do add a little extra. Great recipe.
Haven’t had a crab cake as good as yours since visiting the Baltimore food mart. Whenever I want to relive that experience I return to your recipe. It is truly all crab with very little filler.
Delicious…My go to recipe…Looking for the perfectly cooked crab cake? You’ve found it. I use lump crab and have never had a problem with them falling apart. The sauce is yummy and pairs perfectly. Everyone asks me for the recipe. It will not disappoint.
I’ve made these several times over the past year. The recipe was very easy, and the end result was delicious. They are fresh, filled with 100% real crab and make you feel like you are sitting somewhere dockside enjoying the local seafood treasures! I always serve these with a platter of fresh warm rolls, Jersey tomatoes and fresh greens for my friends and family who enjoy the delight of Crab Cake Sandwiches. Lastly, my husband is not very keen on tarter sauce, but this authentic tarter sauce has made him a believer.
Great recipe! I’ve tried a few recipes and this is hands down my favorite. The panko adds a nice crunch that you just don’t get from recipes that use saltines. The tartar sauce was a hit too!
This recipe for crab cakes is the best one I’ve ever tried. It is a perfect ratio of crab and spices, it’s easy to make and so delicious. Highly recommend.
This recipe is amazing
My husband’s family lives in Maryland and since we live in Toronto, he’s been searching for a good crab cake everywhere we go. I made this for him on his birthday and he LOVED IT! So did I, they are easy to make and delicious. For the tartar sauce, I don’t like sweet so I used some dill pickle and added some freshly chopped dill. Cant wait to make this recipe again! Thank you Jenn!
Hi Jennifer,
I made this recipe last night and it was great. I doubled the amount for my family of four and we will enjoy leftovers today. The hour in the fridge was perfect, my crab cakes didn’t fall apart. I will definitely make them again!
Cheers, Eva
I have made this recipe many times and absolutely love it! No changes needed.
This looks delicious–okay to substitute fresh Dungeness crab? Thats all i can find in WA state.
Yes, I think that should work. Hope you enjoy!
I really love this recipe and have made a few times since first trying it. One thing I’ve noticed is that it can lean too salty. The first time we’ve made this, we copied recipe as is and it was a serious salt lick. The second time we’ve made, we omitted the salt and it’s generally fine but can lean too salty for those with a more sensitive palette. Curious if anyone else has experienced this and some potential solves to mitigate the saltiness?
It doesn’t get salty at all. 1/4 tsp is nothing for this size recipe. Maybe you used a 1/4 cup?
Excellent! It’s a keeper. Next time I’ll add a little more red pepper flakes and Old Bay Seasoning, just because we like the heat more than most people.
I don’t care if Marylanders don’t think this is the definitive recipe of the true crab cake, it was really delicious!
Really good recipe!! I tried baking them at 450 degrees and finished in the broiler also. Came out perfect as well. Very highly recommend this recipe!!!!!!
Made these last night and they were delicious! Used fresh crab meat from Costco. They were sort of wet, but fried up nicely in the pan and looked just like the picture. My husband suggested a little cayenne pepper, I think next time I will dust some with the cayenne before frying. BTW tonight is caesar salad using https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/caesar-salad-dressing.html. Easy and tasty.
This is the real way to make crab cakes. I don’t make crab cakes often, but when I do this is how I make them. Never, ever put green or red pepper in your crab cake like restaurants do. You want to taste the crab meat. I don’t use celery, just the green tops of a scallion, but a tad bit of celery would be tasty.
Now, I have to make some crab cakes!
CAN THESE BE BAKED IN THE OVEN INSTEAD OF FRYING?
LOVE YOUR RECEPIES AND COOKING STYLE –
Hi David, I like the crab cakes best pan-fried but you can cook them in the oven. As you mentioned, I’d suggest you use a combination of baking and broiling; bake them in a 350-degree oven on a lightly greased baking sheet for about twenty minutes, or until hot (and it’s not necessary to flip them). Then I’d slide them under the broiler for about a minute to get them golden brown on top. Enjoy!
I live in Annapolis Maryland. Lost my recipe and haven’t made crab cakes in a while. This recipe is horrific. Do not listen to this person. He obviously is NOT from Maryland. DO NOT use the Panko. Maybe use one slice of white bread crumbled to little pieces just to hold the shape, and that’s it! These crab cakes were doughy and disgusting. By the way, he forgot the lemon and old bay. ALSO, we do not put celery in our crab cakes. Yuck
Instead of panko, try crushed ritz crackers! Way less soggy!
Perhaps you misread the recipe like you misread the author’s name or couldn’t tell from her photo that the author is female.
No reason to be so rude. You don’t like them. We get the picture…smh.
I have made these crab cakes before when lump crabmeat was not as pricey as it is now. Currently, here is some good imitation crabmeat made from pollack available at substantially lower prices, and it could be cut up into a lumpy form. If I use it should I make any modification to your recipe?
Hi Bert, I don’t think you’ll need to make any changes. Hope they turn out well!
Can these be broiled instead of fried?
Hi Rita, I like the crab cakes best pan-fried but you can cook them in the oven. As you mentioned, I’d suggest you use a combination of baking and broiling; bake them in a 350-degree oven on a lightly greased baking sheet for about twenty minutes, or until hot (and it’s not necessary to flip them). Then I’d slide them under the broiler for about a minute to get them golden brown on top. Enjoy!
As a Maryland girl, these crab cakes are spot on! Many thanks for another fabulous recipe.
Hey Jenn – I look forward to making your crab cakes, I want to make mini cakes. I shouldn’t have to adjust anything except for the amount per cake, right?
Correct – hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn,
I have made these delicious crab cakes before. Loved them! But was wondering, can I assemble a day ahead, refrigerate and then cook the next day?
Sure SV, but I wouldn’t push it any longer than that (and glad you like them)!
Made them a couple of times (without celery; I’m a purist :)). Fried 1st time, baked the second. Both ways they came out excellent. Another dish I have no reason to order in a restaurant.
I love crab cakes – and I love that I now have an easy recipe to follow at home. Another terrific dish! Thank you so much, Jen! Just love your blog.
I used the basic recipe except I added 1 ½ cups of Holy Trinity, a combination of finely chopped celery, onion, garlic and 4 kinds of peppers, which I add to everything except pancakes 🙂
Hi can you bake them instead of frying them?
Hi Jude, I like the crab cakes best pan-fried but you can cook them in the oven. As you mentioned, I’d suggest you use a combination of baking and broiling; bake them in a 350-degree oven on a lightly greased baking sheet for about twenty minutes, or until hot (and it’s not necessary to flip them). Then I’d slide them under the broiler for about a minute to get them golden brown on top. Hope you enjoy!
I have made this recipe several times now and it always turns out perfect. I was nervous about the crab cakes falling apart when I put them in the fridge but no worries – after an hour or more in the fridge they stayed together when I fried them. This is one of those recipes my husband says can never be experimented with or changed.
Hi,
This looks good. If I have 2 lbs of crab meat, should I double all the other ingredients?
Thanks!
Yep – hope you enjoy!
Have made numerous crab cake recipes.This recipe,first time making this one.Chilled them for hours and they didn’t form into shapeable patties.Fell apart into many pieces.Were very wet.I don’t like too much filler but this was definitely a lack of enough filler or 2 eggs is one too many.
Hi Jeff, Sorry you had a problem with these holding together! The nature of crab meat makes the crab cakes a little delicate, but they should hold together. It may be that your crab lumps were too big. I know it’s a shame to break up lump crabmeat, but I do find that smaller lumps hold together better.
I added three pieces of chopped cooked bacon. It was great! Didn’t do the tartar sauce.
Tried the crab cake recipe but did not make the tartar sauce. The crab cakes were easy to make and were very good. Fried them in oil in a cast iron skillet and they browned up perfectly. They looked as good as they tasted. I used “expired” Old Bay so that that spice was probably a bit understated but I don’t think it hurt the taste too much. I’d give it 5 stars but I rarely rate anything “perfect”. This was close.
My wife is from Delaware and she is not shy at critiquing my crab cakes. I made her this recipe for her birthday, and she said, hands down, these were the best she’s ever eaten. My family and I agreed. I recommend using whole grain dijon mustard, as my wife thinks the turmeric in ground dijon makes the cakes bitter, and I think she’s right. Also, follow the recommendation to break up the lumps with jumbo lump crab meat to keep the cakes from falling apart. I added just a splash of sweet pickle juice to the tartar sauce to bump it up, and it worked. You were right about the French green beans with shallots as an accompaniment. Perfect!
Can i use canned crab meat instead of fresh crab meat? I wasn’t able to find fresh crab meat. If so, should I use 1 lb total as stated in the recipe?
Hi Myrna, these are definitely best with fresh crab meat but canned will work (and yes, you’ll need 1 pound). Hope you enjoy!
I used canned crab meat as well if it wasn’t for the saltiness it would have been perfect I would suggest leaving the salt out if using meat from the can. It would be good to put this as a note in the recipe.
Hi Jen, I’ve tried this recipe using fresh crab meat from Costco & they were superb! but I can’t find them nowadays where we are so can I use canned crabmeat instead? if so, would I need to adjust the amount of crab meat versus fresh crab meat? the canned ones I have are 170 grams each.
Thank you!
Hi Tory, these are definitely best with fresh crab but canned will work. And I believe you’ll need to use just under 3 cans. Please LMK how they turn out!
Love it and wouldn’t change a thing, just wondering if you can add some shrimp to the crab cakes, or is that just too much?
Thanks,
D
Hi Darla, glad you like these! I’ve never put shrimp in these so I can’t say for sure, but I think it would work. I would just make sure that you keep the ratios the same (so cut back on the crab and replace it with the same amount of shrimp). Please LMK how they turn out if you try them!
Best crab cakes we’ve ever had; the crab is really the star, as it should be. This is my new go-to recipe for crab cakes.
We vacation on Virginia’s Eastern Shore so we eat a lot of seafood, including crab! This week our neighbor sent over some cooked crabs, and I tried making crab cakes for the first time…they were delicious. We had some of them for breakfast in a sort of pseudo-Eggs Benedict: English muffin, smashed avocado, crab cake, egg (optional), and tartar sauce. Thanks, Jenn. I always know your recipes are going to work out!
Hi Jen,
How can I make these crab cakes gluten free & still be awesome?
Hi L, feel free to use gluten-free panko — they’ll still be delicious!
Perfect recipe, the flavor was on the spot . My husband loved them.
Will make again for sure .
Thanks
Wendy freehold NJ
Excellent! They were moist and delicious without being either “mayonnaisy” or bready. I cooked them in butter rather than canola oil and they were exceptional. The family loved them.
After reviewing the recipe and reviews, I am excited to make these for my family for dinner. What sides would you recommend to accompany these delicious crab cakes?
Hi Laura, I think the crabcakes with pair nicely with these green beans and cornbread muffins. Also, just a heads up that I have a feature on the website– for all main dishes, I suggest one or two sides that I think would pair nicely with them. To see what I’ve suggested, scroll down to the bottom of the recipe. Immediately under the recipe, you’ll see the dishes that I’ve suggested. Hope that helps!
Great taste & flavor. Tweaked with adding a splash of lemon juice into the mix. If pressed for time, place cakes in freezer to expedite setting of the cakes.
These were delicious but despite being well chilled fell apart in pan. Did not stop my gang from eating every morsel. Your recipes are always tops. Thanks for sharing.
As an aside. I wish well intentioned cooks would make it before issuing stars and comments. How many “looks amazing” do we need.
Can I freeze these after cooking?
Hi Amber, I’m not crazy about the way crab freezes, but a number of readers have mentioned that they’ve frozen the crab cakes successfully, so you could give it a try. 🙂
1 LB of crab meat is WAY TOO MUCH!!! not only price wise but most importantly quantity wise for the recipe. We used half a pound of lump crab meat and it was the PERFECT amount. Taste wise though this was absolutely amazing!!! 7.5 or 8 out of 10 and i’m a tough critic. Only reason i’m giving it 4 stars is cuz the 1LB crab meat is ridiculously incorrect other than that amazing recipe and amazing cakes!
I found the 1-lb of crab meat to be perfect. Maybe your chunks were too large. Mine were delicious!
Every crab cake recipe uses 1lb crab meat for the stated amount of servings.Definately operator error.
If you want them to taste authentic then 1lb is perfect. I live in Buffalo, NY & I too had gotten used to crab cakes with way too much filler… Until I tasted an authentic Maryland crab cake that is! These are spot on!
Delicious, very little filling and super easy and quick to make. Will definitely keep this recipe and make it again! Yum!
Made these on Sunday night & they were absolutely delicious! Perfect compliment of flavors & textures. This is now my go-to for Crab Cakes.