Perfect Maryland Crab Cakes (Baked Or Sauteed)

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Home » Main Dish Pan Seared Crab Cakes

by Sommer Collier — last updated on Jul 5, 2025 Jump to Recipe Jump to Video 5 stars (8 reviews) 50 minutes This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

These crispy Maryland-style Pan Seared Crab Cakes are packed with chunks of fresh, tender crab meat, lots of zesty seasonings and served with a homemade remoulade or tartar sauce.

Crab cakes on a plate with a sprinkle of dill on top.

Sommer’s Recipe Notes

To me, the best Pan Seared Crab Cakes are the Maryland-style version, with very little filler. They are primarily made of big chunks of crab meat, with just a little bit of crumb, egg, and seasoning to hold them together and enhance the flavor of the crab.

Our version of Maryland-style crab cakes includes a unique combination of both fresh lump crab meat and shredded crab meat. This creates crab cakes that are incredibly meaty and tender, and don’t need as much extra filler to bind everything together.

Not only does the egg act as a binder, but the shredded bits of crab also bind the larger chunks of meat together as well. Plus, using shredded crab helps to cut the cost a bit, so it’s a win-win!

Why You’ll Love Pan Seared Crab Cakes

Perfectly crisp – I just can’t get enough of how perfectly balanced these crab cakes are — crisp and golden on the outside, yet juicy and tender on the inside.
Enjoy them your way – You can serve these as a main course on their own, an appetizer or even served on a simple salad or as part of a summer seafood sandwich.
Real crab meat – So many crab cake recipes ONLY use imitation crab, but our recipe uses the real-deal — lumps of succulent fresh crab meat!

I like pan-fried crab cakes the best for the wonderfully crispy exterior. However, I’m including oven instructions as well, so you can easily bake them if you prefer! Oh, and don’t forget to pair these with savory dips.

Two maryland crab cakes on a plate with a side of tar tar sauce.

Ingredients and Tips

Crab meat – You’ll need both fresh jumbo lump crab meat and a good quality fresh shredded crab meat. The combo is what gives these cakes their meaty texture.
Saltine crackers – For the filling, use crushed saltine crackers.
Mayonnaise – You can use regular, low-fat or paleo mayo.
Egg – Use an egg at room temperature to bind everything together.
Dijon mustard – This will give you that tangy kick.
Old bay seasoning – Use a classic old bay seasoning blend.
Butter – Whether you’re frying or baking these, butter will create the perfectly crispy exterior.

Recipe Variations and Dietary Swaps

Panko – Swap the saltine crackers with panko breadcrumbs.
Spiciness – Stir in a dash of cayenne pepper or horseradish into the crabmeat mixture to get a spicy kick.
Gluten-free – Use GF saltine crackers or breadcrumbs.
Greek yogurt – Replace the mayo with Greek yogurt for a lighter version.

Two crab cakes on a plate topped with fresh dill.

How To Make Pan Seared Crab Cakes

With just a few easy steps, you can make these rich and crispy restaurant-worthy Pan Seared Crab Cakes from scratch. The best part is that from start to finish this classic crab cake recipe takes less than an hour to make.

Find the full Pan Seared Crab Cakes recipe with detailed instructions and storage tips in the printable form at the bottom of the post!

Spices and herbs and mayo added to crab meat in a bowl.

Tips For Success

Old Bay seasoning and saltine crackers are both salty, so no need to add extra salt here. You can add a few scrunches of black pepper to the mix if you desire!
Be gentle when mixing the ingredients! You want those large crab chunks to stay intact, so don’t mix too hard.
The crab cakes need to be formed and chilled before cooking. This essential chill time helps them to “set” and keep their shape. Be prepared for this step and do not skip! That is what makes this recipe the best crab cakes recipe there is!

Two crab cakes plated with fresh dill as a garnish.

Storage Notes

Storing Leftovers – Stored in a sealed container, leftovers will keep well for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Reheating Leftovers – Reheat leftovers in a microwave or in the oven for a few minutes.
Freezing Leftovers – Freeze the baked or fried crab cakes for up to 3 months by wrapping each individually in plastic wrap, and then place in an airtight plastic bag or another container. A layer of aluminum foil around the container will help to keep them even fresher.

Serving Suggestions

Serve your Maryland style crab cakes warm with lemon wedges on the side and some sliced green onions for garnish, if desired!

We recommend serving fresh Maryland Crab Cakes with one or all of these 3 classic seafood sauces:

Zesty and creamy Remoulade Sauce
Tangy and bright Tartar Sauce
Perky and spicy Cocktail Sauce

This easy crab cakes can also be served as a meal with a few extra sides! Try them with:

Grilled Vegetables
Lemon Roasted Potatoes
Roasted Asparagus
Southern Coleslaw

Baked crab cakes served with remoulade on the side.

Print Recipe 5 stars (8 reviews) Leave a Review » Cook Mode

Pan Seared Crab Cakes Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Chill Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 50 minutes These crispy Maryland-style Pan Seared Crab Cakes are packed with chunks of fresh, tender crab meat, lots of zesty seasonings and served with a homemade remoulade or tartar sauce. Servings: 6 crab cakes

Video

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

8 ounces fresh jumbo lump crab meat drained well
8 ounces fresh shredded crab meat drained well
½ cup crushed saltine crackers or 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 large egg
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley or 1 tsp fresh dill
2 teaspoons old bay seasoning
3 tablespoons butter

Instructions

Set out a large mixing bowl and rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
To the bowl, add all the crab meat, crushed crackers, mayonnaise, egg, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, fresh chopped herbs, and old bay. Gently mix until well incorporated.
Use a 1/3 cup to scoop out 6 equal portions. Gently press into large patties, about 1 ½ inch thick. Set on the baking sheet. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes, but up to 4 hours.
For Stovetop Cooking: Set a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter. Once melted, cook the crab cakes 4-5 minutes per side, until golden-brown.
For Baked Crab Cakes: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Melt the butter and drizzle it around the crab cakes on the baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, flipping once after 5 minutes.

Notes

Why Crackers? Saltines are an old-school ingredient to use as a moisture-holding binding agent in crab cakes, meatballs, casseroles, and all sorts of recipes. They offer more flavor than standard breadcrumbs, and tend to create a lighter less dense texture. You can also use Gluten-Free saltines or breadcrumbs in this recipe. Serve Maryland Crab Cakes with homemade tartar sauce or zesty remoulade. Crab cakes will keep well for up to 4 days in the fridge if kept in a sealed container. To freeze, wrap individual crab cakes in plastic wrap before placing them together in an airtight bag or another freezer-safe container. Keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1crab cake, Calories: 217kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 16g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 78mg, Sodium: 840mg, Potassium: 191mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 314IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 52mg, Iron: 1mg Course: Main, Main CourseCuisine: American, Southern Author: Sommer Collier Cook It? Love It? Rate It!YOU can help this recipe RANK on Google – TAP 5 STARS so other hungry people can find it. Thank you!

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a Maryland crab cake different?

Coming from the Chesapeake bay region, Maryland crab cakes are known for their star ingredient: crab. Unlike other crab cakes, which can include a lot of breading, Maryland crab cakes are mostly made of crab meat with a few other ingredients to enhance the flavor.

Why do my crab cakes keep falling apart?

It’s probably because you didn’t use enough binding ingredients like egg or mayo. Otherwise, you might not have chilled them before cooking.

How do I know when the crab cakes are done cooking?

They should be golden and crispy on the outside, but you can also use a meat thermometer to ensure that the temperature of the crab cakes are at 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

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Maryland crab cakes served with side of dipping sauce on a plate.

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