Mardi Gras Crab Cakes with Remoulade (Printable)
Golden, crispy crab cakes with Cajun spices and homemade remoulade sauce. A festive New Orleans-inspired appetizer.
# What You'll Need:
→ Crab Cakes
01 - 1 pound lump crab meat, drained and picked over
02 - 1/2 cup finely diced celery
03 - 1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper
04 - 1/4 cup finely diced green onion
05 - 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
06 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
07 - 1 large egg, lightly beaten
08 - 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
09 - 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
10 - 1 teaspoon hot sauce
11 - 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
12 - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
14 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for frying
→ Remoulade Sauce
15 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
16 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
17 - 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
18 - 1 tablespoon ketchup
19 - 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
20 - 1 tablespoon finely chopped capers
21 - 1 tablespoon finely chopped pickles
22 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
23 - 1 teaspoon hot sauce
24 - 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
25 - 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
26 - Salt and pepper to taste
# How To Make It:
01 - In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, horseradish, ketchup, parsley, capers, pickles, smoked paprika, hot sauce, lemon juice, and garlic powder. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
02 - In a large bowl, gently fold together crab meat, celery, red bell pepper, green onion, panko breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, beaten egg, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined, taking care not to shred the crab meat excessively.
03 - Form mixture into 8 uniform patties approximately 2.5 inches in diameter. Arrange on a tray and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to allow patties to set firmly.
04 - Heat vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Working in batches to avoid crowding, fry crab cakes for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. Drain briefly on paper towels.
05 - Transfer crab cakes to serving plates while still warm. Accompany with chilled remoulade sauce and fresh lemon wedges on the side.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The secret to these crab cakes is letting the sweet lump crabmeat shine while the Cajun seasonings provide just enough heat to make your taste buds dance.
- That remoulade sauce might seem like an extra step, but trust me, the tangy, spicy kick creates such a perfect balance that youll find yourself making extra to slather on everything from sandwiches to grilled vegetables.
02 -
- Picking over the crab meat for shell fragments isnt optional I once skipped this step at a dinner party and had to apologize to a guest who crunched down on a hidden piece of shell.
- The mixture will seem wet when you first form the patties, but dont panic and add more breadcrumbs or youll end up with dry cakes that taste more like stuffing than seafood.
03 -
- For an extra-special presentation, use a round cookie cutter as a mold when forming your crab cakes to create perfectly uniform patties that cook evenly and look restaurant-worthy.
- The remoulade sauce actually tastes even better after 24 hours in the fridge, so consider making it a day ahead for maximum flavor development.