Cajun Crab Cakes with Remoulade (Printable)
Golden crab cakes with Cajun spices and creamy remoulade sauce. Ready in 40 minutes. Serves 4 as an appetizer or light main.
# What You Need:
→ Crab Cakes
01 - 1 pound lump crab meat, picked over for shells
02 - 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
03 - 1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper
04 - 1/4 cup finely diced celery
05 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced
06 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
07 - 1 large egg, lightly beaten
08 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
09 - 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
10 - 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
11 - 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
13 - Salt and black pepper to taste
14 - 2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil for frying
→ Remoulade Sauce
15 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
16 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
17 - 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
18 - 2 teaspoons capers, finely chopped
19 - 2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
20 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
21 - 1 teaspoon hot sauce
22 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
23 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
24 - Salt and pepper to taste
# Directions:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, gently combine crab meat, breadcrumbs, bell pepper, celery, scallions, mayonnaise, egg, Dijon mustard, Cajun seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix with care to preserve crab meat texture.
02 - Form mixture into 8 equal patties approximately 1 inch thick. Arrange on a tray, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 15 to 20 minutes until set.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, capers, relish, garlic, hot sauce, lemon juice, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until service.
04 - Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, fry crab cakes 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and heated through. Drain briefly on paper towels.
05 - Arrange warm crab cakes on serving plates. Top each cake with a generous dollop of remoulade sauce and accompany with lemon wedges.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- These crab cakes strike that elusive balance between crispy exterior and tender, flaky interior that'll have you wondering why you ever ordered them at restaurants.
- The remoulade sauce has converted even my most sauce-skeptical friends into people who now request jars of it as birthday gifts.
02 -
- Adding too much mayonnaise to the crab mixture creates soggy cakes that never properly crisp, no matter how long you cook them.
- I discovered that patting the vegetables dry with paper towels before mixing them in prevents excess moisture that would otherwise make the cakes fall apart.
03 -
- For the ultimate texture contrast, dip one side of each chilled cake in extra panko just before frying for a crust that audibly crunches when bitten.
- If serving as an appetizer, make mini versions using a cookie scoop and reduce cooking time to about 2 minutes per side for perfect two-bite starters.