Ina Garten Crab Cakes

Ina Garten crab cakes take about 1 hour and lump crabmeat, bell peppers and capers to make bite-sized, golden pan-fried party appetizers. Try this easy party appetizer for a cocktail party or game day, since you can shape them ahead and fry them in batches while guests arrive.

Chill the shaped crab cakes for the full 30 minutes before they hit the pan, because the cold mixture firms up and holds together. Skip it and the cakes can crumble apart in the hot butter.

Ina Garten likes crab cakes at dinner or in lunch sandwiches, but she loves them most as finger food. They are always the first appetizer to disappear at her catered parties.

Source: The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (1999)

Ina Garten Crab Cakes

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: AppetizerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Calories

260

kcal

Soft sauteed vegetables and lump crabmeat are bound with mayonnaise and bread crumbs, then shaped into mini cakes. Pan-fried in butter and olive oil, they come out crisp and browned outside and tender inside.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  

• 3/4 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)
  

• 1 1/2 cups small-diced celery (4 stalks)
  

• 1/2 cup small-diced red bell pepper (1 small pepper)
  

• 1/2 cup small-diced yellow bell pepper (1 small pepper)
  

• 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
  

• 1 tablespoon capers, drained
  

• 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
  

• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  

• 1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
  

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  

• 1/2 pound lump crabmeat, drained and picked to remove shells
  

• 1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs
  

• 1/2 cup good mayonnaise
  

• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  

• 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
  

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  

• 1/4 cup olive oil
  

Directions

• Cook the vegetables: Put the butter, olive oil, red onion, celery, red and yellow bell peppers and parsley in a large saute pan. Add the capers, Tabasco, Worcestershire, Old Bay, salt and pepper in the amounts listed.
• Soften and cool: Cook the vegetables over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes until they are soft. Then let them cool to room temperature so they don't loosen the binder.
• Mix the crab: Break the lump crabmeat into small pieces in a large bowl. Toss it with the bread crumbs, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and lightly beaten eggs, then add the cooled vegetables and mix well.
• Chill the mixture: Cover the bowl and chill it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. The cold firms up the mixture so the cakes keep their shape in the pan.
• Shape the cakes: Shape the chilled mixture into bite-sized crab cakes. If you're prepping ahead, set them on baking sheets wrapped in plastic and keep them in the fridge overnight.
• Fry the cakes: Heat 4 tablespoons butter and 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan. Add the crab cakes and fry for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until browned.
• Keep warm and serve: Drain the crab cakes on paper towels, then keep them warm in a 250-degree oven while you fry the rest. Serve them hot, ideally with a dipping sauce.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 10.25-inch cast iron skillet, Pyrex 3-piece glass mixing bowl set, OXO silicone spatula set, Hellmann's real mayonnaise, 30 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I make Ina Garten crab cakes ahead of time?

You can shape them in advance and keep them overnight in the fridge on baking sheets covered with plastic wrap. Fry them right before serving so they come out hot and crisp.

What sauce goes with these crab cakes?

Ina Garten likes them with her Remoulade Sauce, a tangy creamy dip that suits the sweet crab. A simple mix of mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and lemon juice also works if you want something quick.

Can I use a different kind of crabmeat?

Lump crabmeat gives the best texture, so I'd stick with it. Whichever you use, drain it well and pick out any shell, since extra moisture makes the cakes harder to hold together.

How do I keep the crab cakes from falling apart?

Chill the mixture for the full 30 minutes before shaping, and let the cooked vegetables cool completely before mixing them in. Warm vegetables loosen the binder, and flipping the cakes only once helps too.

Can I bake these instead of frying them?

The recipe fries them in butter and olive oil, which gives the browned, crisp crust. Baking would work in a pinch, but they won't brown as deeply or taste as rich.