Crispy Homemade Crab Cakes with Chipotle Lime Sauce

These homemade crab cakes are all about keeping the crab front and center. Fresh lump crab is gently mixed with peppers, seasoning, and just enough binder to hold everything together, then lightly coated and pan-seared until crisp and golden.

A quick chipotle lime sauce adds a creamy, smoky finish without overwhelming the delicate crab.

Why These Crab Cakes Work

• Plenty of crab and minimal filler
• Crisp exterior with a tender center
• Can be prepared ahead
• Works as an appetizer or main course

Choosing the Crab

Refrigerated lump crab meat gives the best texture because it provides visible pieces of crab without the very large chunks found in jumbo lump. Pick through it gently for any shell fragments and avoid overmixing once the other ingredients are added.

How to Make Crab Cakes

Mix the crab with diced bell pepper, one egg, seasoning, mayonnaise, garlic, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Chill the mixture so it firms up and is easier to shape.

Form the chilled mixture into thick patties. Dust lightly with cornstarch, dip in beaten egg, then add a thin layer of panko. Pan-cook in a lightly oiled skillet until golden on both sides.

Make-Ahead and Storage

You can shape the cakes several hours ahead and keep them covered in the refrigerator. Uncooked crab cakes can also be frozen for about a month; thaw overnight before coating and cooking.

Homemade Crab Cakes Recipe Card

Crispy Homemade Crab Cakes with Chipotle Lime Sauce

Golden crab cakes with plenty of lump crab, a light panko crust, and creamy chipotle lime sauce.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Servings: 7 crab cakes

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Crab Cakes

• 1 lb lump crab meat picked over for shell
• 1/3 cup red or yellow bell pepper finely diced and patted dry
• 2 large eggs divided
• 1 1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup cornstarch for dusting
• 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs approximately
• 1 tbsp olive oil for cooking

Chipotle Lime Sauce

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp fresh chives finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1 small garlic clove finely grated
• salt and black pepper to taste

Method

 

1. Stir the sauce ingredients together and refrigerate until serving.
2. Gently mix crab, bell pepper, one beaten egg, Old Bay, mayonnaise, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Chill for at least 1 hour.
3. Shape into 7 thick patties. Lightly dust with cornstarch.
4. Beat the remaining egg in a shallow bowl. Dip each cake lightly in egg, then coat with a thin layer of panko.
5. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook crab cakes 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and heated through.
6. Serve warm with the chipotle lime sauce.

Notes

Handle the crab mixture gently so the lump crab stays intact. Chilling is important for cakes that hold their shape.

Adapted from Tastes Better From Scratch. The article and method notes have been rewritten for Wasfat Ummi.