Sarra Ina Garten’s crab cakes are pan-fried mini cakes made with lump crabmeat, sautéed bell peppers, celery, onion, and Old Bay Seasoning, served with a quick rémoulade sauce. The recipe makes about 26 bite-sized cakes and serves 6 to 8.
This recipe comes from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, where Ina says “when we cater a party, this is always the first appetizer to go.” She likes them best as finger food, not dinner-sized, and notes that you “can make them ahead, chill them, and then fry them before serving.” They were one of the signature items at her store.
The vegetables get cooked first and cooled before they go into the crab mixture. If you skip that step and add them raw, they release water as the cakes fry and the whole thing falls apart in the pan. Cooking them down for a full 15 to 20 minutes dries them out enough to hold the cakes together.
Ina Garten Crab Cakes Recipe
Course: AppetizersCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings1
hour25
minutes180
kcalA Barefoot Contessa store classic: bite-sized crab cakes loaded with bell peppers, celery, and capers, seasoned with Old Bay and fried golden in butter. Shape them the night before and fry right before your guests arrive.
Ingredients
- For the Crab Cakes:
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2 tablespoons unsalted butter
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2 tablespoons olive oil
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3/4 cup (110g) small-diced red onion (1 small onion)
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1 1/2 cups (180g) small-diced celery (4 stalks)
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1/2 cup (75g) small-diced red bell pepper (1 small pepper)
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1/2 cup (75g) small-diced yellow bell pepper (1 small pepper)
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1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
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1 tablespoon capers, drained
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1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
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1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
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1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
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1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
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1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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1/2 lb (225g) lump crabmeat, drained and picked clean
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1/2 cup (55g) plain dry bread crumbs
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1/2 cup (120ml) good mayonnaise
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2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
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2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
- For Frying:
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4 tablespoons unsalted butter
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1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
- For the Rémoulade Sauce:
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1/2 cup (120ml) good mayonnaise
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2 tablespoons small-diced pickles or cornichons
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1 teaspoon coarse-grained mustard
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1 tablespoon champagne or white wine vinegar
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Pinch of kosher salt
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Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
Directions
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Cook the vegetables: Place the 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons oil, onion, celery, both bell peppers, parsley, capers, Tabasco, Worcestershire, Old Bay, salt, and pepper in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Cool to room temperature.
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Mix the crab filling: In a large bowl, break the lump crabmeat into small pieces. Toss with the bread crumbs, mayonnaise, mustard, and eggs. Add the cooled vegetable mixture and stir until combined.
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Chill and shape: Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Shape into bite-sized cakes, about 2 inches across.
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Make the rémoulade: Pulse the mayonnaise, cornichons, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a food processor until the pickles are finely chopped but not pureed.
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Fry the crab cakes: Heat the 4 tablespoons butter and 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, fry the cakes for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Keep warm in a 250F (120C) oven while you fry the rest.
- Serve: Serve hot with the rémoulade sauce on the side.
FAQs
Why does Ina cook the vegetables before mixing them in?
Raw vegetables hold too much water. When you fry the cakes, that water releases as steam and the cakes break apart.
Cooking the onion, celery, and peppers for a full 15 to 20 minutes softens them and drives off the moisture. Cooling them to room temperature before mixing is just as important, because hot vegetables will start cooking the eggs in the crab mixture.
Can you make these crab cakes ahead of time?
Yes. Ina says you can shape the cakes and store them overnight in the fridge on baking sheets wrapped in plastic wrap.
Fry them right before serving. Don’t fry them ahead because reheated crab cakes lose their crispy crust and turn soggy. The whole point is that shattering golden outside against the soft crab inside.
Why does Ina use Old Bay Seasoning?
Old Bay is a classic Chesapeake blend of celery salt, paprika, and black pepper that was made for crab. It seasons the cakes evenly without having to measure out six different spices.
Ina uses 1 1/2 teaspoons, which is enough to taste but not enough to overpower the crab. If you can’t find Old Bay, a pinch each of celery salt, paprika, and cayenne gets you close.
What kind of crabmeat should you use?
Ina calls for lump crabmeat. This is the large, whole pieces from the body of the crab that give you visible chunks in every bite.
Pick through it carefully with your fingers before mixing. Even “picked” crabmeat from the store almost always has tiny shell fragments hiding in it. One crunch of shell ruins the whole experience.
Avoid claw meat for these because it shreds too finely and you lose the texture.
What is the difference between rémoulade and tartar sauce?
Ina says her rémoulade “is like tartar sauce, but with much more flavor.” Both start with mayonnaise and pickles, but the rémoulade adds coarse-grained mustard and champagne vinegar for a sharper, more complex bite.
The mustard and vinegar cut through the richness of the fried cakes. Plain tartar sauce can taste flat next to all the Old Bay and Worcestershire in the crab mixture. The rémoulade also works as a dip for cold shrimp or a sauce for grilled fish.
