Dungeness Crab Cakes

Dungeness crab cakes are a classic Pacific Northwest dish. These crab cakes get baked instead of fried, so they are light and healthy. The Panko coating gives them a crisp texture without all the oil. Serve these with a simple salad for a complete meal or as an appetizer.

Fresh crab dipped in warm garlic butter is always a winner, but we also like to change things up and use crab in other creative ways. Try our salmon and crab Wellington or crab stuffed shrimp. 

Our crab melt and crab enchiladas are more great ways to enjoy sweet crab meat. And if you want to get creative, try our easy recipe for crabmeat cocktail. 

We live an hour or so from Port Angeles, WA, on the Olympic Peninsula, where the long Dungeness Spit extends out into the gulf for five miles.

The Dungeness crab gets its name from the town of Dungeness, Washington, which is now called Old Town Dungeness. It seems more reasonable to me that the crabs should be named after the Dungeness Spit rather than the town of Dungeness. I bet the Spit was there long before the town.  

Here is Why This Recipe Works

• Baking crab cakes makes them lower in fat and calories.
  
• The Panko breadcrumbs give the exterior a crispy texture without all the frying oil.
  
• Using just a few ingredients keeps the flavor of the crab the star of the show.

The Ingredients

Here is a list of the ingredients you will need for this recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details. 

• egg
• mayonnaise
• chives or scallions
• red bell pepper
• celery
• fresh dill
• Old Bay seasoning mix
• lemon
• fresh Dungeness crab meat
• Panko bread crumbs 
• olive oil

How to Baked Dungeness Crab Cakes

Here is a brief overview to get an idea of what to expect with the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.

1. Combine the egg, mayonnaise, and flavorings in a bowl. Fold in the crab meat and part of the Panko breading. 
   
2. Make six patties and place them in the fridge to rest. 
   
3. Toss the rest of the bread crumbs on a baking tray, spray them with oil, and bake them until golden brown. 
   
4. Coat the crab cakes in the toasted bread crumbs. 
   
5. Place the crab cakes on a baking sheet, then slide them into the oven. 

Tips for Success

• This recipe for baked Dungeness crab cakes uses fresh Dungeness crabmeat. You will need to pick through the meat for any bits of cartilage.
  
• Use an ice cream scooper to portion the crab cakes.
  
• Chilling the crab cakes will help them keep their shape.
  
• Fold the crab meat in gently. If you use a light hand then the crab will stay in large lumps.

More Crab Recipes

Living in the Pacific Northwest, we frequently have an abundance of crab meat. We have unique dishes like crab cocktail to simple recipes like a crab melt sandwich, we have many more selections for you. Here are a few.

• crab pasta
• crab enchiladas
• crab stuffed shrimp
• salmon and crab Wellington
• hot crab dip
• Alaskan King crab cakes

These baked Dungeness crab cakes have only a few simple ingredients, allowing the crab flavor be the star of the show. The Panko breadcrumbs give them a crispy texture without all the heavy oil from frying. Serve with my homemade Lemon-Dill Aioli Sauce for an extra special treat.

Adapted from:  Ivar’s Seafood Cookbook

Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love:

This hot crab dip recipe is the perfect party appetizer! It’s cheesy, creamy, and full of delicious crab flavor. Serve it with sourdough crackers for an impressive party starter.

Our smoked salmon spread has a light smoky flavor and terrific salmon flavor.

This seafood stew is a fusion of French bouillabaisse and the Italian version of cioppino. It is loaded with crab, shrimp, shellfish, halibut, and salmon. Serve it with crusty sourdough bread to dip into the broth.

Dungeness Crab Cakes

Dungeness crab cakes, filled with succulent, juicy dungeness crab meat, herbs and seasoning, then coated in toasted Panko crumbs and baked. No frying here, and just plain delicious!

4.74 from 26 votes

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Prep Time: 35 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 150kcal

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

• 1 whole egg
• ⅓ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives or scallions
• 2 tablespoons finely diced red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons finely diced celery
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning mix
• juice of half a lemon
• 1 pound fresh Dungeness crab meat picked over for shells
• 1-½ cups panko bread crumbs plus additional
• 1 cup toasted panko bread crumbs for breading
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

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Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper
• Whisk the egg in a medium bowl. Add the mayonnaise, scallions, red bell pepper, celery, dill, Old Bay seasoning mix, and lemon juice. Whisk well to combine.
• Stir in ½ cup of the Panko bread crumbs (reserve the rest for later). Gently fold in the Dungeness crab meat.
• Divide the mixture into six equal portions. Shape each portion into a small cake about 3 inches in diameter and ¾ inch thick. Place on a plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the remaining 1 cup of bread crumbs to a bowl and toss with the olive oil. Spread the crumbs out on the lined baking sheet and toast them in the oven just until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the bread crumbs to a shallow plate.
• Place the crab cakes in the bread crumbs and press down gently to coat each side.
• Place the cakes on the parchment-lined baking sheet and transfer them to the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and heated through. Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving plate.

Notes

• Pick through the crab meat to remove any cartilage and shells.
• Let the crab cakes chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before you coat them with the breading. Letting them chill will help them hold their shape.
• An ice cream scooper makes it easy to portion the crab cakes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 150kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 265mg

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This recipe was originally published on March 4, 2015. We updated the photos and added some tips.