Maryland Crab Cakes with Remoulade Sauce

Seafood. I cannot express the deep love I have for seafood without underselling it. Today I’m going to show you how to make one of my favorite seafood dishes, Maryland Crab Cakes with Remoulade Sauce.

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I usually spend my summers down at City Island in the Bronx, and it has been that way since I was a child. They have tons of restaurants running along the strip, serving up the best seafood you can find in the Bronx. Whenever crab cakes are an option as an appetizer on any menu, there is a 99% chance I’ll order them. I was so excited when I figured out how to make these at home, and I am happy that I get to share them with you now. This recipe was adapted from Chef Taylor Boudreaux’s recipe.

What is A Maryland Crab Cake?

Maryland Crab Cakes are known for being big on the crabmeat and very light on the fillers. They don’t have a bunch of add-ins, like Louisiana crab cakes (which include green onions, celery, and bell peppers – explained in this article). Maryland crab cakes are also traditionally broiled, unlike other crab cakes that are pan fried.

Maryland Crab Cake Ingredients

• Lump Crab Meat – These crab cakes are very abundant and heavy on the crab meat. That’s what makes them so special! You’ll need one pound of it.
• Mayonnaise  – One of the binders that will hold these crab cakes together.
• Panko Bread Crumbs – Another binder, but we’re not using a lot of it since we don’t want too much filler. I only use ¼ cup per pound of crab meat.

For the rest of the ingredients, please see the recipe card below!

Remoulade Sauce Ingredients

This remoulade sauce might honestly be my favorite crab cake sauce. It’s smoky from the addition of smoked paprika, and tangy with a hint of sweetness from the sweet relish. It’s an overall very well balanced sauce that compliments these Maryland crab cakes in the best way.

How To Make Maryland Crab Cakes with Remoulade Sauce

STEP ONE

In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, old bay seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and sugar. Mix until everything is thoroughly combined and taste the mixture for seasoning. Add your egg to this, and mix to combine.

STEP TWO

Add the lump crab meat into the bowl and gently fold it in until every piece is evenly coated with the mixture. Add in the panko breadcrumbs and parsley and mix gently. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the crab cake mixture for 30 minutes.

STEP THREE

While waiting for the crab cake mixture to chill, you can make the remoulade sauce. Mix mayonnaise, Dijon, mustard, sweet relish, hot sauce, rice vinegar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, ground black pepper, and lemon juice into a small bowl until thoroughly combined.

STEP FOUR

Preheat an oven to 400°F. Coat the bottom of a 12 inch cast iron skillet, or a baking dish, with 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter.

STEP FIVE

Remove the crab cake mixture from the refrigerator and begin shaping into eight even sized balls, about 3 tablespoons each. Space them out evenly into the skillet and add another tablespoon of butter (broken into pieces) all around the crab cakes. Sprinkle the crab cakes lightly with more old bay seasoning.

STEP SIX

Place into the oven for 15 minutes to cook through. Remove crab cakes from the oven and stick them under the broiler on high for five minutes, or just until the tops are golden brown. Drizzle with fresh lemon juice and serve. Serve remoulade sauce with crab cakes.

Check Out This Video on How I Make Maryland Crab Cakes:

Maryland Crab Cake Recipe Tips & Tricks

• Refrigerating the crab cake mixture for 30 minutes hydrates the breadcrumbs and helps the crab cakes stay together once they are ready to be baked.
• I use an ice cream scoop to portion out the crab cakes easily. This recipe should make about eight 3 tablespoon sized crab cakes.
• Store remoulade sauce in the refrigerator, covered well with plastic wrap, and keep for up to two weeks.

Maryland Crab Cake Recipe FAQ’s

More Recipes You’ll Love:

• Chimichurri Sauce
• Herb Roasted Chicken
• Shrimp & Pineapple Skewers

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Disclosure: This post was originally published in May 2020. It was updated in June 2024 to add new photographs and information. The recipe remains the same.