Baked Crab Cakes

Made from crab meat, herbs and spices, and a refreshing sauce made from lime juice and Greek yogurt, these restaurant-quality baked crab cakes will be the star of your next family dinner or seafood cookout.

When you take a bite, you'll imagine that you're sitting on the coast, listening to seagulls overhead and the waves lapping against the shore. It's simple enough that anyone can make it, but so delicious that you'll have to keep yourself from sneaking bites before dinner is served.

Ingredients

For the Crab Cakes:

• canned crab meat - drained
• crab sticks - shredded (the crab sticks are imitation crab)
• egg
• red onion - diced
• flour
• paprika
• Old Bay Seasoning
• salt
• lemon juice - freshly squeezed

For the Sauce:

• Greek yogurt
• lime - freshly squeezed
• salt
• fresh mint leaves - to garnish (these are completely optional)

How to Make Them

When you're done, you'll have an Instagram-ready plate that looks like it was freshly delivered from the nearest seafood restaurant. But this is no prepackaged meal--it's a home-cooked dish that was made from fresh ingredients right in your own home. These crab cakes are also baked in the oven....not fried, to avoid that extra oil and heaviness before dinner.

1. Preheat. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly grease it.
2. Form the crab cakes. In a bowl, mix the crab with the egg, onion, flour, paprika, Old Bay seasoning and salt. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Form about 12 small patties with a spoon (if the mixture is too wet, add a little more flour until you can form the patties).
3. Bake. Drop them on the foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
4. Make the sauce. For the sauce, add freshly squeezed lime juice and salt, to taste, to the Greek yogurt.
5. Serve. Serve the crab cakes with the yogurt sauce and fresh mint leaves.

Serving Suggestions

You've probably had baked crab cakes before, but have you ever tried them with Greek yogurt sauce? Spice up your recipe with this rich, cooling sauce that perfectly complements the spiciness of the crab cakes. A squeeze of lime or lemon juice adds an extra kick of flavor. Serve wedges on the side for your guests. You can try other sauces that go well with crab cakes such as remoulade, tartar or chipotle sauce.

In a lot of ways, crab cakes are the perfect summer appetizer. When you eat seafood, you can't help but think of sunny coastlines and ocean waves sparkling in the sun. They go well with other summer dishes like salads, roasted vegetables, sliced avocado and gazpacho. As for drinks, try a pilsner beer or Sauvignon Blanc wine.

Liven up your next family get-together by making these delicious crab cakes the center of a big seafood cookout. Make a large batch of the yogurt sauce for dipping, and your guests will be raving about this appy for years to come.

And if you're in the middle of winter, the taste of seafood can lift people's spirits and make them think about sunnier times ahead. On cooler days, I love serving these crab cakes with a creamy chowder.

As you can see, this delicious dish can be enjoyed all year round--and better yet, most of the ingredients can be found right in your own fridge or pantry.

Storage & Reheating

• Fridge: Store your cooked crab cakes in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: Store them in the freezer for up to 3 months in a freezer safe bag or container.
• Reheat: They can be reheated in the oven or microwave. Preheat the oven to 350°F and pop them in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until heated through.

What's your favorite way to serve up baked crab cakes? Let me know in the comments and please share the recipe.

📋Recipe

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