Easy Crab Cakes

Do you ever make crab cakes for a weeknight dinner? If you’re like me, I’m guessing no.

Because, although I love (LOVE) crab cakes, I hate cooking them. Mainly: standing at the stove for 30 minutes with a pan of hot oil that splatters on everything, smells up the house, and adds a bunch of grease to my dinner.

But what if you could bake the crab cakes in less than 20 minutes using one sheet pan and just a few tablespoons of oil? You can!

The trick to this technique is to drizzle some oil on a cookie sheet and then heat it up in the oven. When you place the crab cakes on the hot pan, you get a nice sear on the bottom, similar to what you would get in a skillet on the stove top.

So easy, right? I can’t wait for you to try this one! Let me know if you do — would love to hear how they turn out! These Easy Crab Cakes are delicious alongside a Caesar salad, Baked Feta Pasta, or Simple White Rice.

Easy Crab Cakes

Ingredients

1/4 cup Panko
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (not shredded)
1/4 cup Hellmann’s mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon minced green onion
1 Tablespoon minced basil
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1 egg
Zest of 1 small lemon
1 lb. lump crab meat
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For serving:

Remoulade sauce, lemon wedges

Instructions

Place the first eight ingredients (Panko, Parmesan, mayo, green onion, basil, Old Bay seasoning, egg, and lemon zest) in a medium bowl. Stir to combine.
Using your hands, pick up handfuls of the crab and sprinkle it into the mayo mixture. If you feel any pieces of shell, throw the shell pieces in the trash.
Gently toss crab with mayo mixture until combined. Using your hands, shape the crab mixture into about 15 small patties and set them on a plate.
Preheat the oven to 425F. While the oven preheats, place the plate of crab cakes in the freezer for about 15 minutes. (Freezing the crab cakes will help them hold together while cooking.)
Drizzle olive oil on a baking sheet and place sheet in preheated oven. Heat for 3-5 minutes until oil is hot. Using a potholder, remove baking sheet from the oven.
Take crab cakes out of the freezer and place them on the hot pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Using a spatula, flip the crab cakes and cook the other side for 8-10 more minutes.
Serve with Remoulade sauce and lemon wedges. Enjoy!

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