Crab Cakes
Crab cakes are extremely easy to make and are an excellent dinner for any time, but especially in the summer months, when seafood just seems to taste even better.

I married into a seafood-loving family. Apparently it’s weird that I am not nearly as excited about eating non-fried fish as the rest of them are.

I maintain that it’s perfectly logical for a lifelong Kansan to want everything with gills to be dropped into a vat of oil and fried to a crisp.

My only saving grace is that I do really like shellfish—shrimp, lobster, and apt to this week’s recipe: crab.

I have found that to be a solid compromise when hanging out with the Youngs.

And while Joey knows that if he wants to cook up a beautiful piece of salmon, his wife is going to opt for her own dinner that evening, he was very sure when he pointed out a good deal on some lump crab meat that I would be all in.

Of course, I had to look up a recipe right there in the grocery store. I was wholly unprepared for a seafood meal, but the good news is, I found a great dish to try, and our dinner was absolutely delicious and perfect for a hot summer night.

This comes from the blog “Schnell Rezept.” You can find the original post at https://schnellrezept.com/en/crispy-restaurant-style-crab-cakes/. I changed up the seasonings a bit in my version.

Crab Cakes
Print Recipe

Crab Cakes

Crab cakes are extremely easy to make and are an excellent dinner for any time, but especially in the summer months, when seafood just seems to taste even better.
Course: Main Course
Keyword: bread crumbs, dijon mustard, eggs, garlic powder, lump crab, mayonnaise, Miracle Whip, Old Bay, onion powder, panko, paprika, seafood seasoning, spicy brown mustard, Worcestershire

Ingredients

  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise I used Miracle Whip
  • 2 tablespoons dijon mustard I used spicy brown
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon seafood seasoning like Old Bay
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 pound lump crab meat
  • 1 rounded cup unseasoned bread crumbs or panko
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons butter

Instructions

  • In a mixing bowl, combine the egg, mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire, parsley, seafood seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and salt and pepper, mixing until everything is smooth.
  • Double check to remove any shells in the crab meat and add it, along with the bread crumbs, to the mayonnaise mixture, and stir gently to combine.
  • Split the mixture into six equal parts and form thick patties (about an inch thick), and place the formed crab cakes on a plate.
  • Refrigerate the patties for at least 20 minutes.
  • To cook, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Place the crab cakes into the preheated skillet and cook for three to four minutes on each side until they are golden brown.
  • Serve immediately with a side of lemon juice and/or tartar sauce.

These were really tasty. They maintained moisture while also having a really nice, crispy outside.

If cooking seafood isn’t your forte, the recommended internal temperature for the thickest part of a crab cake is 140 degrees, and you’ll want to be very gentle when you’re flipping the cakes over so they don’t break apart.

And I was able to live up to my married name for a change, when it came to something sort of fishy. Of course, that doesn’t mean I won’t be breaking out the PB&J the next time I see a salmon fillet on our counter.

This piece first appeared in print Aug. 27, 2026.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.