Crab cakes with Lemon Aioli
These authentic Maryland-style crab cakes with lemon aioli are easy enough for a family dinner and elegant enough to serve a crowd.
Ingredients
Crab cakes
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 1/2 tsp stone ground mustard
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire
- 1 teaspoon old bay
- 1 tsp dried dill
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp hot sauce
- 1 pound lump crab meat
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Lemon Aioli
- 1 clove garlic, minced or 1 tsp granulated garlic powder
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/8 tsp salt or to taste
Instructions
How to Make Lemon Aioli:
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Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Season with salt to taste. Set aside until you are ready to serve with the crab cakes.
How to Make Crab Cakes:
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Whisk together mayo, breadcrumbs, mustard, egg, Worcestershire, old bay, dill, lemon juice and hot sauce until combined. Fold in the crab meat. Use your hands to mix or with a rubber spatula. Do not over mix. You should be able to put mixture into a ball without it falling apart.
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Form mixture into 8 crab cakes.
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Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add in crab cakes and cook until browned on both sides, about 4 minutes on each side.
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Serve the crab cakes with a dollop of lemon aioli and fresh chives for garnish, if desired.
Recipe Notes
- Mix with your hands: The trick to making crab cakes is not over mixing. I have found the best way to mix crab cakes is with your hands to prevent breaking up the chunks of crab. We bought jumbo lump crab for a reason!
- Let your lemon aioli rest: Don’t be afraid to let it sit a couple hours or even overnight. The longer it sits the more time the mayo has to absorb all of the flavors.
- Change up the sauce: I love to serve my crab cakes with either the lemon aioli, tarter sauce or cocktail sauce. If you know me you know I always have to have something to dip my food in!