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.
Jan says
Hi - I'm anxious to try this recipe but the sodium level is sky high!
Would the level decrease if I used unsalted crackers? We are on a low sodium diet.
Is the crab meat full of salt?
I look forward to your response...thanks.
Marjory Pilley says
Hi! Unsalted crackers will help a little bit. Unfortunately, crab meat is naturally high in sodium. I've never tried it and it would certainly taste a little different, but you could probably substitute a white fish for the crab. Cook the fish and use a fork to make flakes.
Anne says
These are delicious . I like to use an avocado mayonnaise dipping sauce.
Marjory Pilley says
Thanks for your review! The dipping sauce sounds amazing!
Jazzmyne Buckels says
Just a heads up - this recipe is NOT eggless. It has mayo, which is a no no for people with an egg allergy.
Marjory Pilley says
Hi! You need to use eggless mayonnaise which is readily available now in the grocery stores thankfully! I make these for my daughter who has an egg allergy! Another substitute is avocado.
Kim says
Hi Marbury! I have a Marylander friend down here in Texas and he LOVED these! Anyone NOT reading carefully needs to hush! I'm severely allergic to eggs but LOOOOOVE crab and was craving it during my pregnancy. Vegannaise with avocado oil worked PERFECTLY! Thanks from one very pregnant and very satisfied Momma! (Oh and even my picky 4 year old loved them! ;P )
Marjory Pilley says
I'm so glad you found them! They also make an amazing filling or topping such as for crab stuffed fish!
Rita says
Can I use regular mayonnaise, and if so, does the amount of mayonnaise stay the same? Thank you
Marjory Pilley says
Yes! Any type of mayonnaise will work in the same amount! The thicker the mayonnaise the better...and, since regular mayonnaise is generally denser than substitutions it works great.
Camille Paglia says
We made these on Christmas Eve. My younger son loves seafood but is seriously allergic to eggs. These crab cakes were a hit with everyone, and quite frankly, the best crab cakes we've ever had. Vegan mayo was easy to find in the supermarket, and we used it as an egg substitute in the stuffing for our Christmas Day capon too. Thank you!
Marjory Pilley says
Awesome! I'm so glad you enjoyed them!
Sharyce Smith says
I adore this recipe. My crab cakes were a hit with the husband and I! I did change a few things up. I used a Chipotle aioli mayo and a smoky New Orleans seafood seasoning. I didn't use celery or onions (I just moved and had to throw some veggies away that sat out overnight.) I used yum yum sauce(japanese hibachi sauce) and low sodium ritz-esque crackers. It was delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
Marjory says
Thanks so much for your comment. Love the twists that you made. They sound delicious!
Angelica Mercado says
I have never made crab cakes until today. And wished the olive oil was specified for cooking rather mix all the ingredients. My crab cakes were soggy and crumbled.
Marjory says
I'm so sorry that they did not work out! We tried to carefully specify...combine all of the ingredients except for the crab meat and olive oil.