Can we talk about crab cakes? When crab cakes are good, they’re very good. But too often, there’s more filler ingredients like bread crumbs and mayo than is needed and not enough discernible crab meat. They end up tasting bland and mushy, or over-fried in fatty oils, and all that extra stuff adds calories, fat and sodium along with it.
In creating this healthy version, we got inspiration from how they make them in Maryland, where they know a little something about crab. It’s a great source of lean protein but can be a bit of a splurge. So, why not highlight it, rather than mask it?
These crab cakes are fresh and flavorful, and you can really taste all of the simple ingredients that are working together to make the star of the show — the crab meat! — really shine.
Serve these as an appetizer, or with a simple green salad for a healthy lunch or dinner.
Maryland-Style Crab Cakes
(Downloadable/printable pdf version of this recipe)
Yield: 12 crab cakes
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
2 Tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped scallion
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
2 Tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
1 pound fresh jumbo lump crabmeat (drained and picked)
1/2 cup whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs
2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
Directions
In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, hot pepper sauce, low-fat mayonnaise and eggs. Stir in coriander, black pepper, garlic powder, bell pepper, scallions, celery and parsley. Gently fold in the crabmeat and panko. Form 12 patties using about 1/3 cup of mixture for each. Place patties in refrigerator for 30 minutes.Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add 6 crab cakes and cook for about 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown on both sides and slightly firm. Transfer cooked crab cakes to a plate. Add second tablespoon of olive oil to pan and repeat with second batch of crab cakes.
NUTRITION INFORMATION PER CRAB CAKE: 91 Calories; 4.5 grams Fat; 1 gram Saturated Fat; 59 mg Cholesterol; 191 mg Sodium; 4 grams Carbohydrates; 1 gram Fiber; 8 grams Protein
Looking for more info and want to make an appointment with a registered dietitian? Call 1-855-434-5483 or visit Nutrition Services on henryford.com.
