Healthy Baked Crab Cakes Recipe

By Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD
Updated January 08, 2019
Medically reviewed by a board-certified physician
healthy crab cakes
Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD

Nutrition Highlights (per serving)

Calories 101
Fat 2g
Carbs 4g
Protein 17g
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 (2 cakes each)
Amount per serving  
Calories 101
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g 3%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 102mg 34%
Sodium 301mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 4g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 2g  
Includes 0g Added Sugars 0%
Protein 17g  
Vitamin D 0mcg 0%
Calcium 106mg 8%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 254mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Total Time 25 min
Prep 10 min, Cook 15 min
Servings 4 (2 cakes each)

Crab cakes are so reminiscent of summer. Full of delicious crab, they can transport you to a coastal vacation without ever leaving your house.

By making them at home instead of ordering them from a restaurant or buying them pre-made at the store, you can control everything that goes into them. That means tons of fresh lump crab meat, just enough bread crumbs to hold them together, and fresh vegetables and spices for flavor. You can also control what stays out of them—lots of sodium and fat.

These healthy crab cakes are lightened up by baking instead of frying, using just a bit of whole wheat bread crumbs and no added salt. It's all served with a delicious spicy Greek yogurt dipping sauce.

Ingredients

  • 1 egg plus 1 egg white
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • Juice from 1 lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 8 ounces crab meat
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 jalapeno, minced
  • 1 green onion, chopped
  • Olive oil or oil spray
  • 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 green onion, finely chopped
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  • Pinch freshly cracked black pepper

Preparation

  1. Gather the ingredients.
  2. Heat oven to 400F.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, dijon, lemon juice, paprika, and black pepper. Stir in crab, garlic, jalapeno, and green onion. Gently stir in bread crumbs until just combined.
  4. Form mixture into 8 patties and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat. Lightly brush or spray the tops of each with olive oil.
  5. Bake for 15 minutes or until the tops are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and serve with sauce.
  1. To make the sauce, whisk together all ingredients from Greek yogurt through cracked black pepper, until smooth.

Ingredient Variations and Substitutions

Add more or less jalapeno and cayenne pepper based on your preferred spice level.

Cooking and Serving Tips

Make it easy on yourself by buying crab meat that has already been shelled. It should be near the seafood counter at the grocery store.

If you can’t find whole wheat bread crumbs, make your own! Toast a slice of whole wheat bread until crispy, then blend in the food processor until large crumbs form.

Try these cakes over a green salad for lunch or share them with friends as a delicious summer appetizer.

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