Description
Craving that crispy, golden, and flavor-packed crab cake from Joe’s Crab Shack? Now you can recreate it at home with this Copycat Joe’s Crab Shack Crab Cakes recipe! Perfectly pan-fried to achieve that irresistible crunch, each cake is loaded with sweet lump crab meat and the perfect touch of seasoning. Whether you’re looking for quick dinner ideas, an easy seafood appetizer, or something new for your healthy snack lineup, these crab cakes hit all the marks. Restaurant flavor meets home-cooked comfort—ready in just minutes and sure to impress!
Ingredients
1 lb lump crab meat (picked over for shells)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 large egg
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
3/4 cup breadcrumbs (preferably panko or seasoned)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (for frying)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for frying)
Lemon wedges (for serving)
Instructions
1. Gently pick through the crab meat to remove any shells while keeping the chunks intact.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, egg, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, lemon juice, hot sauce, salt, and pepper.
3. Stir in parsley and green onions.
4. Carefully fold in the crab meat and breadcrumbs, mixing just until combined.
5. Form mixture into 1-inch thick patties (about 1/3 cup each).
6. Refrigerate crab cakes for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
7. Heat butter and oil in a skillet over medium heat.
8. Fry the crab cakes for 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp.
9. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
10. Serve hot with lemon wedges and sauce of choice.
Notes
For best results, use lump crab meat and avoid overmixing to preserve texture.
Chilling the patties before cooking is essential to prevent them from falling apart in the pan.
Serve with remoulade, lemon aioli, or tartar sauce for a flavor boost.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course / Appetizer
- Method: Pan-Fried
- Cuisine: American / Seafood
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 crab cake
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 17g
- Cholesterol: 85mg