Crab Cakes In The Air Fryer - easyyumyumrecipes

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Maryland Crab Cakes highlight the deliciousness of lump crab meat, seasonings and fresh ingredients. The perfect summer dish to bring you joy in each bite. I know you will love the texture and depth of flavor in these crab cakes. This recipe brings nostalgia to my home from growing up, I know you will love it too.

Maryland Crab Cakes on a green ceramic plate with two forks on the side and lemons.

Why Make Maryland Crab Cakes

Nothing compares to a fresh, perfectly flavored crab cake. I crave them so often I had to make a recipe of my own!

Easy to make.
Made with fresh crab. Nothing compares to fresh, delicious crab meat.
Bake or air fry these crab cakes.

Ingredient Notes

All other ingredients and measurements can be found in the recipe card towards the bottom of this post.

Lump Crab Meat. I get thawed fresh crab from the fish counter or deli area at the grocery store. If you can’t find crab, canned albacore tuna will also work great.
Corn Kernels. This is how my mom has always made them so I now add them in also. They add some texture and this is optional!
Whole Grain Mustard. This is similar to dijon but I just love the whole grain.
Mayonnaise. The perfect creamy flavor, you can also use plain greek yogurt.
Lemon. There is lots of lemon juice in this recipe!
Breadcrumbs. You can use panko, breadcrumbs or the classic; saltine crackers.
Cilantro, Parsley Green Onions. Make sure all of them are fresh.
Worcestershire Sauce. This adds a yummy savory flavor the crab cakes.
Seasonings. Old Bay Seasoning (a MUST!), garlic powder, dried dill, salt.
Yogurt. For the creamy topping (similar to tartar sauce)
Cucumbers. I use this for the tartar sauce but if you want to keep things classic, use sweet relish.

Steps To Make This Recipe

Ready to bake these crab cakes? Let me walk you through the recipe. For your convenience, there is a full ingredient list and detailed instructions in the printable recipe card below.

Step One. Mix the crab cake ingredients together.
Step Two. Cover the crab mix and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.
Step Three. When you are ready to bake, set the oven to 450º
Step Four. Using a 1/2 cup measuring cup, form the crab cakes. Add them to the baking sheet, gently squeeze the crab cakes together so they don’t fall apart.
Step Five. Bake for 14-18 minutes or until they are lightly browned around the edges and on top.

What To Serve With Maryland Crab Cakes

These are wonderful on their own for a light meal or appetizer. If you want to make it more filling meal, serve them with my Jalapeno Corn Bread, Shrimp Corn Bisque, Shrimp and Grits or Oven Baked Shrimp Skewers.

Recipe Tips

Do not over mix the crab cake meat, you want to keep the crab in chunks for the best consistency.
Refrigerate them for a bit to help allow the breadcrumbs to soak up moisture.
Use cucumber OR sweet relish for the yogurt tartar sauce.
Be sure you purchase crab meat labeled “hand-picked” or “fresh-picked,” which means that the crab meat has been picked through for shells and cartilage.

Other great appetizers To Try

If you loved this recipe let me know! Also, follow me on Instagram & Pinterest for even more fun recipes to make you feel good from the inside out. Thanks for being here.

air fryer or oven
large mixing bowl

Seasonings For Crab Cakes

Mix the crab cakes together. Add the, crab meat, egg, mayo, cilantro, parsley, whole grain mustard, Worcestershire sauce, seasonings, lemon juice, breadcrumbs (or crackers) in a large bowl.
Working gently to keep the lumps of crab together, use a large spoon to carefully fold everything together.
Refrigerate The Crab Meat. Cover the crab mix and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. This helps the breadcrumbs to soak up moisture and meld the flavors together.
Bake The Crab Cakes. When you are ready to bake, set the oven to 450º and grease a cooking sheet well with oil or butter.
Using a 1/2 cup measuring cup, form the crab cakes. Add them to the baking sheet, gently squeeze the crab cakes together so they don’t fall apart. Do not flatten them, leave them nice and big. You should have 7-8 crab cakes.
Bake for 14-18 minutes or until they are lightly browned around the edges and on top. Squeeze a little lemon over each cake and serve warm. Top with a dollop of cucumber yogurt sauce or tartar sauce.

Cucumber Dill Yogurt Sauce

Grate the cucumber, mix it with the yogurt, lemon juice and old bay seasoning. Give it a taste, add more salt if needed. *You can sub the cucumber for sweet relih if you’d prefer!

Do not over mix the crab cake meat, you want to keep the crab in chunks for the best consistency.
Refrigerate them for a bit to help allow the breadcrumbs to soak up moisture.
Use cucumber OR sweet relish for the yogurt tartar sauce.
Be sure you purchase crab meat labeled “hand-picked” or “fresh-picked,” which means that the crab meat has been picked through for shells and cartilage.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can freeze these for up to 2 months.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.