Description
This Air Fryer Crab Cakes recipe delivers perfectly crispy, golden crab cakes with minimal oil and maximum flavor. Made with lump crab meat, a medley of seasonings, and lightly bound with breadcrumbs, these crab cakes are quick to prepare and air-fried to a deliciously tender and juicy finish. Serve them with lemon wedges and your favorite dipping sauce for a delightful appetizer or main course.
Ingredients
Scale
Crab Cake Mixture
- 1 pound lump crab meat (fresh or refrigerated, pasteurized, drained well and picked through for shells/cartilage)
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1–2 dashes hot sauce (to taste)
- 1 to 1½ teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (omit if using salted crumbs or crackers)
- 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
- ⅓ to ½ cup finely crushed saltine or butter (Club) crackers or Panko breadcrumbs
For Cooking
- Cooking spray and/or melted unsalted butter
- Lemon wedges for serving
- Your favorite dipping sauce for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the Binding Mixture: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, fresh lemon juice, hot sauce, Old Bay Seasoning, kosher salt (if using), and chopped Italian parsley until well combined.
- Combine Crab Meat and Crumbs: Gently fold in the lump crab meat and the crushed crackers or breadcrumbs, being careful not to break up the crab, until just combined. Add just enough crumbs to hold the mixture together when shaped.
- Shape Crab Cakes: Using your hands or a large cookie scoop, form the mixture into 6 evenly sized patties. Place them on a plate or baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour to firm up.
- Preheat the Air Fryer: Set your air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and let it preheat while you prepare the crab cakes.
- Prepare for Cooking: Lightly spray both sides of each crab cake with cooking spray to prevent sticking and promote browning. Optionally, brush the tops with melted unsalted butter for extra flavor.
- Cook the Crab Cakes: Place the crab cakes in a single layer in the air fryer basket without overcrowding. Cook for 18 minutes, flipping halfway through if desired, until the cakes are golden brown and the centers reach 160 to 165 degrees Fahrenheit on an instant-read thermometer. Depending on your air fryer size, cook in batches as needed.
- Serve: Serve hot with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and your favorite crab cake dipping sauce.
Notes
- Use fresh or pasteurized lump crab meat; avoid shelf-stable canned crab for best texture and flavor.
- The amount of breadcrumbs or crackers depends on the moisture content of your crab meat; add just enough to hold the crab cakes together without making them dry.
- If you want richer flavor, brushing the crab cakes with melted butter before air frying is recommended.
- Cooking times may vary depending on your air fryer model; adjust time as needed to achieve a golden brown exterior and proper internal temperature.
- For even-sized crab cakes, use a cookie scoop when shaping.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 crab cake
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg
