The best Maryland-style lump crab cakes are mostly crab and crushed saltines. Hundreds of customers made this simple recipe at our meal assembly stores, with and without egg. They can be pan-fried or baked. Best of all, you can freeze them and have a few whenever you want!
Notes from my kitchen
These Maryland crab cakes were requested again and again at our stores. The reason was simple. Instead of being weighed down with fillers, sweet lump crab meat is the star. Whether making them for a weeknight dinner or serving them to guests, they always feel like a treat.
Making them eggless was important for our family because of an egg allergy, so we used a thick, creamy eggless mayonnaise with no problem. It's an easy swap that doesn't change the flavor, and yes, the crab cakes still hold together beautifully.
For me, nothing signals the start of summer, or a special occasion, quite like crab cakes. My favorite way to serve them is with lemon wedges and a drizzle of lemon garlic aioli alongside a mixed green salad with sweet red wine vinegar dressing. It's one of those meals that feels gourmet, but is easy to make at home. Plus, it's naturally pretty low in carbs.
Marjory
Ingredients and substitutions
Of special note:
- Crab meat - It all starts with a good can of pasteurized crab meat that you find in the refrigerated section (not the canned food aisle) of the grocery store. Choose the best crab meat your budget allows. The different grades of crab meat are determined by where the meat is on the crab. Jumbo lump, lump, and backfin are best for the Maryland crab cake experience. However, any crab meat will work. Note that claw meat has a strong, crabby flavor.
- Saltines - Saltines keep the binder light and are another hallmark of Maryland-style crab cakes. Of course, breadcrumbs can be used for a slightly denser result. Regular, low-salt and gluten-free crackers will all work.
- Eggless mayonnaise - Use a thick and creamy mayonnaise made without egg, such as Hellmann's or Vegannaise. There are many great options and regular mayonnaise can be used if you are not making an eggless version. Another option is to make avocado crab cakes which replaces mayonnaise with mashed avocado.
- Spicy brown mustard - I'm a big fan of the small burst of flavor this particular type of mustard adds. In a pinch, Dijon mustard can be substituted.
Notes on Crab Cakes without Eggs
A large egg can be used in the binder. And, egg can be replaced in this recipe using a flax egg (a combination of 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed and 2-½ to 3 tablespoons of water that gels for about 10 minutes.)
However, this substitution is not necessary. Thick eggless mayonnaise, gentle handling, and chilling the crab cakes before cooking are enough to help them hold together. Baking is also great option if you are worried about handling the crab cakes.
The recipe card below includes ingredient amounts, step-by-step instructions, and nutritional information.
How to make Maryland lump crab cakes without egg
Crush saltines
Roughly crush 28-30 saltine crackers. There shouldn't be large chunks, but the result shouldn't be uniformly fine either.
Combine binder ingredients
Combine everything, except the crab meat (and olive oil), in a large bowl. Do this before adding the crab so you won't need to overhandle it. If you want to add an egg or an egg-replacement, this is where you add it.
Fold in crab
Gently fold in the crab meat, breaking up large pieces. You want the crab meat to show, so be sure to leave slightly chunky pieces in place. Don't overmix or the crab cakes can become mushy.
Portion
Measure out ¼ cup of the crab mixture to yield 12 crab cakes on parchment paper. I love my #16 disher scoop for this job. I find that anything bigger than ¼ cup is trickier to pan-fry.
You can make them smaller or even appetizer-sized to make baked crab balls. The yield is approximately 48 tablespoon-size balls.
Compress and refrigerate
Compress the balls tightly into slightly mounded patties. Place the uncooked cakes in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour to congeal. At this point, they can also be frozen and stored in the freezer.
Pan-fry and drain
Pan frying results in a crispy outside, but requires very careful handling.
Heat ¼ cup of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 4-5 patties to the pan at a time, being careful not to crowd them. Cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Turn them carefully just once, since they'll be fragile, whether you use an egg or not.
Remove them to a plate lined with paper towels and let the excess oil drain off. They will continue to firm up while they rest.
Top Tips
#1 Resist turning the delicate crab cakes multiple times. You may need to sacrifice one crab cake to check the timing. But, that's it!
#2 Don't be a crab cake smasher with your spatula, at least not on the first side. Keep the crab cake in a slightly domed shape while cooking side one. After flipping, cook for about 1 minute, then gently press it down with a spatula just a little, if desired.
How to bake crab cakes
Another easy option is to bake them. For this method, preheat the oven and the baking sheet to 375°F. Carefully spray the hot sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray when you lift it out of the oven. Add the crab cakes to the sheetpan and bake for 35-40 minutes, carefully flipping once halfway through. We use this method for baked salmon cakes, which can also be cooked in a muffin tin!
Would you like more easy, healthy, carb-conscious recipes?
📋 Recipe
Maryland Style Lump Crab Cakes (Eggless Option)
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Ingredients
- 28 each Saltine crackers roughly crushed
- ⅓ cup Mayonnaise Egg-free
- 1 teaspoon Spicy brown mustard or Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup Onion finely diced
- ¼ cup Celery finely diced
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1 large egg (optional) Leave out for eggless version
- 16 ounces Lump crab meat Pat with paper towel to remove any excess moisture and remove shells and cartilage if necessary.
- ¼ cup Olive oil for pan frying
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients except for the crab meat and olive oil in a large bowl and mix just until combined.
- Gently fold in the crab meat, breaking up large pieces. You want the crab meat to show, so be sure to leave slightly chunky pieces in place. Don't handle the meat too much or the crab cakes will become mushy because the crab is too fine!
- Measure out ¼ cup of the crab mixture to yield 12 crab cakes on parchment paper. I find that anything bigger than ¼ cup is trickier to pan-fry.
- Compress the balls tightly into slightly mounded patties. Place the uncooked cakes in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour to congeal. At this point, they can also be frozen and stored in the freezer.
To Pan Fry
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add about 4-5 patties to the skillet at a time, being careful not to crowd them. Cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Carefully turning just once, since they will be fragile, whether you use an egg or not. Add additional olive oil to the skillet between batches, if necessary.
- Remove them to a plate lined with paper towels and let the excess oil drain off. They will continue to firm up while they rest.
To Bake in Oven
- Preheat the oven and a baking sheet to 375°F.
- Carefully spray the hot sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray when you lift it out of the oven. Add the crab cakes to the sheet pan and cook them for 35-40 minutes or until the crab cakes are golden brown, carefully flipping once about halfway through the baking process.
Notes
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Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on May 9, 2013 and has been updated to improve the reader experience.
Sharon says
I would argue it is not eggless if there is mayonnaise.
Marjory says
Good point! There are brands of eggless mayonnaise. However, check out this version which uses avocado instead of mayonnaise. https://www.dinner-mom.com/easy-baked-crab-cakes-avocado-recipe/
Aileen says
How much old bay seasoning do you use? Up top you said you added it, but it's not in the recipe below.
Marjory says
Hi! 1 teaspoon and thank you so much for your note!
Elaine says
Crab cakes are the best! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe - I need to make these very soon, Marjory! 😉
Marjory says
Your welcome! Now I'm craving them too! 🙂
Maggie says
So easy and so delicious. The taste was perfect. I like having a little crust on the crab cake so this recipe filled the role. This is a keeper. I plan on making these as sliders for football parties.
Brenda says
I will try this today. Having lived in Maryland I expect that they will be great based on previous reviews.
Marjory says
I hope you enjoy it!
An Than-Trong says
Could you clarify whether the olive oil is added to the crab cake mixture, or if the 1/4 cup is used for pan frying? Thanks!
Marjory says
Hi! The olive oil is used for frying the crab cakes!
Peter says
OK...but you should clarify that before you wrote, "...Combine all of the ingredients except for the crab meat in a large bowl and mix just until combined..." Unfortunately, I did not read all the comments until after cooking them, so the crab cakes are a bit soft/soggy.
Judy says
I grew up on the shore of the Chesapeake Bay in Dares Beach,MD. my father would go out to the crabbing boats for our crabs. I would never use pasturised crab meat. I only use a fourth of a cup of mayo for a pound of lump crab and only a small about of bread crumbs in the crab mixture. After forming the cakes I put them in the refrigerator to firm up. Then I fry them in butter and oil.
Marjory says
It's always nice to hear from someone with Maryland roots. Thanks for the tips!