Oven Baked Crab Cakes {No Filler}

These easy oven-baked crab cakes are made of lump crab meat, without any fillers. They are broiled in the oven in under 10 minutes. Juicy and flavorful, this crab cake recipe has become our family favorite.

I love a good crab cake! It is so good to eat in a sandwich, with some Air Fryer Potato Fries, or some fresh summer salad.

Or better yet, top it with this fresh mango salsa to get that bright and fresh flavor.

This might not be your traditional Maryland Style crab cakes, because I have made a few healthy twist on it. But because my husband’s family is from Maryland! So he can vouch for the fact that it tastes even better than the original version.

Now his parents just moved to Charleston, SC after retirement. Our must-order is still crab cakes whenever we visit them!

During this stay-home quarantine, we have been craving a good Maryland crab cake a lot.

Therefore, I set out to create a delicious crab cake recipe that doesn’t have all of those unnecessary ingredients but doesn’t lack any of that Maryland Style jumbo lump crab cake goodness.

What is Maryland Crab Cakes?

The signature ingredient in a Maryland crab cake is the iconic Maryland Blue Crabmeat.

‘Restaurant style’ crab cakes tend to have large chunks of crab meat, making it the star of the show.

‘Boardwalk style’ crab cakes generally have smaller pieces of crab meat with breadcrumbs and Old Bay seasoning.

Traditionally, they are breaded and deep-fried to give them that golden crunchy crust with a delicate center. 

Ingredient that Make These Crab Cakes non-traditional

First, there is no deep frying for this crab cake recipe but you still get the crispy charred outside form broiling in the oven.

And this recipe calls for 8 ingredients, with no filler or unnecessary ingredients.

1. Mayo – I like Primal Kitchen mayo made with avocado oil, or Tracer Joe’s has a vegan version that is delicious as well.
2. Egg is used as a “binder” so the crab cake can stay together without falling apart too easily.
3. Dijon mustard provides bright, zesty, and tanginess. It gives a refreshing kick to this crab cake recipe.
4. New Bae Seasoning (or old bay) is the essential seasoning that contains sweet, spicy, and savory al at once. It is the classic Chesapeake flavor.
5. Chopped fresh parsley has a bright, herbaceous, and slightly bitter flavor. It adds the perfect freshness to this recipe and serves as a contrast to the lemon juice flavor.
6. Lemon juice also adds another layer to the tangy, fresh, and bright flavor profile.
7. Jumbo lump crab meat, drained. I prefer unpasteurized because it has a stronger flavor than pasteurized crab meat. But pick what you prefer!
8. Coconut flour is optional here but can be used as binder depending on the type of crab meat you use.

Coconut Flour to Replace Breadcrumbs

Instead of breadcrumbs used in traditional crab cake recipes, I used coconut flour. It absorbs moisture. Along with the egg in this recipe, coconut flour also helps to bind the crab cakes together.

No Frying Needed

The cooking method is in fact much more simple than deep frying. All you need is to place the crab makes under the broiler for 4-5 minutes each side.

What Type of Crab Meat Should I Use?

As I previously mentioned, Maryland crab cakes typically use meat from the Maryland Blue Crab.

Jumbo lump crab meat is going to be the best option for these crab cakes, and whatever kind of crab meat that you can get fresh is best.

Remember: the fresher the better!

Since the crab meat is the main ingredient in this recipe.

I would suggest avoiding canned crab meat and stick to what is available at your seafood counter.

If jumbo lump crab meat is a little out of your budget, you could also use lump crab meat or backfin as long as it’s fresh!

How to Serve These Maryland Crab Cakes

These carb cakes are so versatile, they can be served with a variety of side dishes.

One of my favorite ways to serve these crab cakes is with a nice piece of corn on the cob, but these crab cakes also go great on top of a bed of greens and made into a salad.

My air fryer potato fries are the perfect starchy side dish or you can serve them with some roasted/grilled veggies if you want to keep things low carb. 

Tips for the Perfect Crab Cakes

This crab cake recipe really is simple, but to give you even more confidence I’ve included some of my no-fail tips for making the perfect crab cake.

• Drain the crab meat

Too much moisture will make it hard to form and can easily fall apart during cooking.

• GENTLY mix in the crab meat

You want to keep the lumpiness of the meat intact for this recipe, so be sure you’re mixing carefully to make sure the crab meat doesn’t break apart.

• Let the mixture marinate in the fridge.

Letting your mixture sit in the fridge for at least an hour will make this recipe more flavorful, and it will provide a better texture/consistency for forming your crab cakes as well.

The coconut flour will help absorb some of the moisture making it easier to shape.

If possible, let your mixture sit overnight for the best results. 

• Fresh is best.

Remember to use the freshest crab meat that you can find for any crab cake recipe. 

What is your favorite way to eat crab cakes? Leave a comment below!

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