These bite-sized Cajun Crab Cakes are a perfectly delicious appetizer, and they are super easy to make.
Why Crab Cake Appetizers?
Everyone loves crab cakes! These ones don't have to be an appetizer, either. You can serve them along with a salad, or alongside Cajun Red Beans and Rice, for dinner. You can even make these into sliders, or make the patties larger for full-size burgers.
These mini Cajun Crab Cakes are a delicious addition to any appetizer platter, garnished with a garlic chive aioli, and served on a bed of pea shoots. You can serve them at a Spring Wine & Appetizer Pairing, along with other delectable appetizers, like Asparagus Puffs, or Cucumber Radish Crostini.
Here's What You Need to Make Cajun Crab Cakes
Crabmeat
You can use fresh, frozen and thawed, or canned crabmeat. Although fresh is always my first choice, any of those options will be delicious. Having frozen or canned crab meat on hand has the advantage of being able to whip these up anytime.
Mayonnaise
Real, full-fat mayonnaise is a must for this recipe. Sandwich spreads and "whips" don't have the fat content that is required to give the crab cakes their crisp exterior and moist interior. Additionally, those spreads and whips contain sugar, which is not desirable in this recipe.
Egg
Use a large egg for this recipe and beat it thoroughly.
Bread Crumbs
Fine, dry breadcrumbs, not fresh ones are required for the crispy coating. Panko is ideal (I used gluten-free).
Cajun Seasoning
If you have Cajun or Creole seasoning on hand use that, or you can easily make your own using this recipe: Easy Cajun Spice Blend
Lemon
Of course, anytime there's seafood, there must be lemon. Fresh lemon juice and zest are essential.
Tips For Successful Cajun Crab Cakes
- Start with cold ingredients. The patties will be much easier to shape and will hold together better.
- Use parchment paper to line the baking sheet. This eliminates the need to grease the pan and makes clean-up easy.
- Use a hot oven. These are baked at 425° A hot oven is the best way to get a super crispy coating.
- Turn halfway through. Turn each patty halfway through the cooking time, and also rotate the baking sheet for even cooking.
How To Make Ahead
You can make and bake the crab cakes, allow them to cool, and store them in the fridge for up to one day. To reheat, put them, on a baking tray in a 350° oven for ten minutes or until heated through. These cajun crab cakes are also delicious eaten cold as well.
How to Freeze Crab Cakes
This recipe can be frozen either cooked or uncooked. Either way, flash freeze the patties on a baking tray for about an hour or until firm. Then pack them into freezer-safe, airtight containers and freeze for up to 2 months.
To reheat frozen, cooked crab cakes, put the frozen patties on a baking sheet in a 350° oven and heat 20 to 30 minutes, turning halfway through.
To cook frozen crab cakes, first, defrost them in the fridge overnight, then bake as instructed.
Crab Nutritional Information
Crabmeat is low in calories, and most of those calories are protein. Crab is a complete source of protein. It supplies all of the 20 amino acids that your body needs to make new proteins. It's also an excellent source of B Vitamins, especially B 12.
Learn more about crabmeat nutrition at Crab: Are There Health Benefits?
Choosing Sustainable Seafood
Those of us that eat food from the sea, as well as those that make their living supplying that food, are increasingly aware of sustainability. We need to ensure that our oceans are healthy and able to produce food. Not only for ourselves, but for so many other species who depend on it. Therefore, when shopping for seafood, look for the Marine Stewardship Council, or Ocean Wise label. These labels ensure that the fish was caught using sustainable practices.
Love Cajun seafood? Try my Blackened Cod recipe, Cajun Shrimp Deviled Eggs or Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta too!
Recipe
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Cajun Crab Cakes
Ingredients
Cajun Crab Cakes
- ½ lb shelled crab meat
- ¼ cup real mayonnaise
- 1 egg beaten
- 1.5 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 lemon juice and zest of, reserving 1 tablespoon for Garlic Dill Aoli
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 cup fresh pea shoots
Garlic Chive Aoli
- ¼ cup real mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon fresh garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon fresh chives chopped
- fresh chives for garnish
Instructions
Cajun Crab Cakes
- Preheat oven to 425°
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- In a large bowl, gently combine crab, mayonnaise, egg, ¾ cup of the panko crumbs, lemon juice and zest, and Cajun seasoning.
- Put the remainder of the panko crumbs on a plate
- With your hands, shape the mixture into balls, about 2 tablespoon each, then flattening each ball with your palm into a small patty.
- Press each patty gently into the panko crumbs on the plate, then turn to coat the other side. Transfer patties to the prepared baking sheet, evenly spaced.
- Bake in center of the oven for 15 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown and firm.
- Scatter pea shoots on a platter, then transfer baked Cajun Crab Cakes on top
Garlic Chive Aioli
- In a bowl, mix together mayonnaise, reserved lemon juice, garlic, and chives.
- Spoon a dollop of Garlic Chive Aioli on top of each Cajun Crab Cake
- Garnish with fresh chives
cory s tuttman
Looks great. Can these be assembled the day before, refrigerated and then put in oven the day they're served ?
Colleen
Hi Cory, thanks for this question. Yes you can assemble and refrigerate the crab cakes the day before they're baked. (I wouldn't go any longer than one day, though).