Keto Crab Cakes
Maryland-style crab cakes that are mostly sweet lump crab, held together with a little mayo, egg and pork rind crumbs and pan-fried until golden.
Nutrition per serving
2 crab cakes + sauce- Net carbs
- 1.4g
- Calories
- 432kcal
- Protein
- 37g
- Fat
- 30g
- Total carbs
- 2.1 g
- Fiber
- 0.7 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Shrimp cakes: Chopped raw shrimp makes springy, golden cakes at a fraction of the price of lump crab, with the same Old Bay seasoning and tartar sauce.
- Pulse a third of the shrimp to a coarse paste in a food processor (it binds the cakes), then add the rest and pulse 3–4 times, until chopped into pea-size pieces.
- Mix with the binder and pork rinds, shape and chill as written. Cook 3–4 minutes per side over medium heat, until golden and the centers reach 160°F (71°C).
Pork-free (almond flour): Almond flour replaces the pork rinds as the binder, for anyone who avoids pork. The cakes are a touch softer and very tender.
- Fold in the almond flour instead of the crushed pork rinds and chill the shaped cakes the full 30 minutes. They brown faster, so keep the heat at medium and turn them gently.
- Crab cakes
- Quick tartar sauce
- Nice to have (optional)
- Crab cakes
- Quick tartar sauce
- Nice to have (optional)
- Crab cakes
- Quick tartar sauce
- Nice to have (optional)
Estimated cost $33.20 for 4 servings ($8.30 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
In a large bowl, whisk the egg, 3 tbsp mayonnaise, Dijon, Worcestershire, Old Bay, lemon juice, parsley and green onion.
-
Add the crab and crushed pork rinds (pork rind panko) and fold gently with a spatula, keeping the lumps of crab as intact as you can.
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Shape into 8 cakes about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick and set them on a parchment-lined plate. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Chilling firms the binder so the cakes hold together in the pan.
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Meanwhile, stir together the tartar sauce ingredients and refrigerate.
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Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat until the butter foams. Cook the cakes 3–4 minutes per side without moving them until a deep golden crust forms, flipping once with a thin spatula. The centers should reach 160°F (71°C) because of the raw egg in the binder.
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Drain briefly on paper towels and serve hot with the tartar sauce and lemon wedges, with creamy coleslaw or a green salad on the side.
Tips for success
-
Use real lump crab (fresh or pasteurized), not imitation crab. Surimi is bound with starch and sugar and carries roughly 12 g net carbs per 3 oz. - To bake instead, place the cakes on greased parchment and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 12–15 minutes, flipping halfway.
- If the mixture feels too wet to shape, add another tablespoon or two of crushed pork rinds. If the cakes fall apart, chill them longer.
Nice to have, not needed
- A thin fish spatula makes flipping the delicate cakes much easier — any thin, wide spatula works.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 3 days in the fridge
- Freezes up to 2 months
Reheat: Oven or air fryer at 375°F (190°C) for about 8 minutes, until hot and crisp.
Prep tip: Freeze shaped, uncooked cakes on a tray, then bag them; cook from frozen over medium-low heat, adding 2–3 minutes per side, until the centers reach 160°F (71°C).
Refrigerate cooked crab cakes up to 3 days and reheat at 375°F (190°C) for about 8 minutes. Shaped, uncooked cakes freeze well for up to 2 months.
Variations
2 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosShrimp cakes
ProteinChopped raw shrimp makes springy, golden cakes at a fraction of the price of lump crab, with the same Old Bay seasoning and tartar sauce.
- lump crab meat → raw shrimp
1.4 g net · 429 kcal · 41 g protein · 29 g fat · ≈$4.56 per serving (same net carbs as the original)
Pork-free (almond flour)
SwapAlmond flour replaces the pork rinds as the binder, for anyone who avoids pork. The cakes are a touch softer and very tender.
- pork rinds → blanched almond flour
2 g net · 435 kcal · 35 g protein · 31 g fat · ≈$8.21 per serving (+0.6 g net carbs vs the original)
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