Print

Air Fryer Crab Cakes (Maryland-Style)

Print Recipe

These easy-to-make air fryer crab cakes are brimming with lump crab meat, classic seasonings, and just enough “filler” to hold them together. Great for lunch (on their own, or as a crab cake sandwich), dinner, or served as an appetizer!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 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
  • 1–1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1–2 dashes hot sauce (to taste; depending on the brand you’re using and your heat preferences)
  • 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning (depending on how zesty you like your crab cakes)
  • 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 **
  • cooking spray and/or melted unsalted butter
  • lemon wedges and your favorite dipping sauce , for serving

Instructions

  1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together egg, mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, hot sauce, Old Bay, salt (if using), and parsley.
  2. Gently fold in the crab meat and bread crumbs or cracker crumbs until just combined. Add just enough crumbs to hold the crab mixture together when shaped.
  3. Shape the crab mixture into 6 patties. I like to use a large cookie scoop for even portions. Place on a plate or baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  4. Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees F. Spray both sides of the crab cakes with cooking spray to avoid sticking and help with browning. (We also like to brush the tops of the crab cakes with a little melted butter before cooking for extra flavor.)
  5. Place the crab cakes in the air fryer basket in a single layer, without overcrowding, and cook for 14-18 minutes, until browned and the centers read 160 to 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. (Depending on the size of your air fryer, you might need to cook them in batches. Cooking times may vary by air fryer brand and model, so watch them closely the first time you make them.)
  6. Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and your favorite crab cake sauce.

Notes

*I use fresh or pasteurized (refrigerated) lump crabmeat. I do not recommend using shelf-stable canned crab.

**The amount of crumbs you add will depend on the moisture content of your crab. Use just enough to hold the crab cakes together.

Find it online: https://allguiderecipes.info/air-fryer-crab-cakes/