Crab Cake Sauce {Crab Cake Recipe}
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This crab cake sauce is the perfect match for crab cakes, but also delicious on any type of fish. This tangy lemon tarragon mayonnaise that is so delicious, you may find yourself licking the spoon clean!
Seafood is my favorite protein! I’d eat it every day if I could! I love it in soups, like this crab bisque or on its own, like this grilled shrimp or easy broiled lobster tail.
(This post was originally published on March 7th, 2012 and has been updated to contain nutritional information. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn commission on qualifying purchases.)
Crab Cake Sauces
There are many kinds of sauces you can serve with crab cakes. While they are traditionally served with a Remoulade sauce, this Lemon-Tarragon Mayonnaise is a fabulous alternative. If you’d like a sweeter sauce, this Shrimp Cocktail Sauce is also delicious.
Making the crab cake sauce
This crab cake sauce is simply a mixture of fresh tarragon and chives, lemon and salt and pepper.
It takes just a few minutes to whisk together, and will stay fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days.
The recipe can easily be doubled.
This Crab Cake Sauce would be fabulous with these Potato and Salmon Cakes!
Crab Cake Sauce (Lemon Tarragon Mayonnaise)
Ingredients
Lemon Tarragon Mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoons fresh tarragon finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon fresh chives finely chopped
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
Lemon Tarragon Mayonnaise
- Place all ingredients into a small bowl and whisk until combined.
- Chill until ready to use.
Nutrition
Now onto the crab cakes.
How to make crabcakes
Not everyone is fortunate enough to live in an area where fresh crab is plentiful. The next best to fresh crab meat is pasteurized crab meat which is usually found in the cooler near the fish department at your local grocery store.
Unlike canned crab meat, pasteurized crab still needs to be refrigerated and will stay fresh for a few months. For this crab cake recipe, I started with Paula Deen’s recipe, adding more veggies and switched the flour for panko bread crumbs, to make them more crispy.
What’s the best kind of crab meat for crab cakes?
There are several grades of crab meat. Jumbo lump is considered the best because of the size of the pieces. For crab cakes, lump meat, which is still good quality, is fine. Claw meat can be used too and it’s a few dollars cheaper. I like to use a combination of both lump and claw meat. Click here for more tips about crab.
If you want crab cakes that are uniform in size and weight, you can measure the mixture. My crab cakes weighed about 2.5 ounces each. I like to weigh them all first, then cover them in panko. This keeps your hands cleaner.
Making crab cakes ahead of time
Because crab is seafood, it’s very perishable. You can certainly make the crab cakes several hours before you plan to serve them. In this case, omit the panko bread crumbs. Form the patties and wrap well with cling film. Keep refrigerated until ready to fry. Then dust with flour or panko just before frying.
Crab Cakes
Ingredients
- 1 lb. crab meat picked free of shells (If you can't find fresh, you can buy it pasteurized in the grocery store chiller with the fresh seafood)
- 1/3 cup Ritz crackers crushed (about 8)
- 3 green onions finely chopped
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper finely chopped
- 1 stalk celery thinly sliced
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 1/4 cup mayonnnaise
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Dash cayenne pepper
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs or flour for dusting
- avocado oil (or peanut oil) for frying
Instructions
- Gently mix crab, chopped vegetables and seasoning together
- Form mixture into balls, (about 1/3 cup mixture per patty)
- Flatten each ball. They should be about 3/4" thick. If making ahead of time, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 hours.
- Coat in Panko bread crumbs or dust with flour.
- Heat oil in a large skillet, about 1/4″ to 1/2″ oil until shimmering.
- Fry crab cakes in batches, 3-4 at a time, cooking about 4 minutes per side. Serve with Lemon Tarragon Mayonnaise.
Nice whimsical write-up here……love it.
Thanks KTF!
I’m a crab lover, too! I have fond memories of crab feasts with my east coast family and friends…nothing better!
Messy…buttery…rich!
These look super yummy! We go to Washington and the crab is super fresh. I think the next time we have some I’ll have to make your recipe — it looks so good! And, I love the poem at the beginning. I have a love for the sea as well, though I’m a Pisces, not a Cancer. Thanks again for the lovely post!
Thanks Debi! My brother was a Pisces. I love the water!
G’day! love crab cakes! I could go for one of these right now!
Cheers! Joanne
Love ’em too Joanne!
I love crab cakes and yours look perfect! I could slather that lemon tarragon mayo all over them!
The lemon tarragon sauce is great on salmon too!
yum! would love these for a weeknight meal over greens. i forgot how great seafood can be at home, thanks for the reminder.
And stretching the crab with bread crumbs makes it a fairly reasonable meal when you figure out how much it would cost to go out to dinner!
Yummy. I’ll take two please!
Haha Brandon! It’s always hard to decide if they are an appetizer or a main course for me!
Your crab cakes look so pretty. I always have such a hard time keeping them together when I flip them.
That is the tricky part…I think you have to have a non-stick or cast iron pan…and then pray! Lol!
I’m a crab too! Great post
do you feel a strong connection to the water too?
Crab is my husband and son’s favorite seafood too. They would love these!
Erin, it’s a fairly reasonable meal when you consider how much it costs to eat out?
I saw crab cakes on menus all over when we went back east this summer, but couldn’t eat any of them. I’m glad to have your recipe to use as a starting point for trying to make some gluten-free crab cakes so I can try them.
You could probably try making them with some almond or rice flour to bind them?
I absolutely love crab cakes. And I am a cancer too. Everything about this recipe is calling to me!
I rarely make crab cakes at home but these look so easy! I love how they are more crab than bread filler! Love the topping too–agree, would be great on salmon!
My hubby would love these! Takes us back to our Key West trip!
Looks like a good recipe and thank you for posting it. I’ve used the Tilghman Inn crab cake recipe exclusively for many years, but will give yours a try. Since I live in Maryland, I use fresh blue crab meat. Hate to admit it, but I only eat crab cakes and cold tuna packed in oil as far as seafood goes, never acquired a taste for any other seafood. One piece of advice, always add the crab meat last and do not over mix it.
Crab cakes are one of my favorites! Those look amazing, and I have to admit, the lemon tarragon mayo caught my eye too. I just love a good sauce!
Dear Cynthia, I love your opening poem…what a great post, these crab cakes look and sound wonderful. This dish reminds me of warmer, sunnier days! One of my favorites. xo, Catherine
Love the poem, friend!!! You are talented for sure, and not just in the kitchen. These crab cakes are beautiful and the perfect spring dinner with your lemon tarragon mayo. Delish!
This looks amazing! Perfect dinner for spring 🙂
These crab cakes look absolutely delicious!
Loved your poem! And these crab cakes look ahhmazing!!
Too funny! I made crab cakes just yesterday, should have made your sauce with them!! Yum!
Love the cakes and the sauce. Unfortunately I can only get Krab where I live, and I haven’t had good luck with canned crab. But you’re right – this sauce would be good on just about anything! Even potatoes!
Really? Even in the seafood section or frozen? Yes potatoes or even chicken!