These healthy, Baked Lump Crab Cakes with Red Pepper Chipotle Lime Sauce are out of this world, and so much lighter than frying!
Baked Lump Crab Cakes
I love crab cakes! They are great to serve as an appetizer or enjoy two as a meal with a side salad. You won’t miss the fried version when you taste these healthy baked crab cakes! The sauce adds just the right amount of heat to them, but you can adjust it to your taste. You make also like these Waffled Crab Cakes and Crab and Corn Cakes.
Lump Crab Cake Ingredients
- Crab: I highly recommend using fresh crab meat rather than canned, if possible, for best results.
- Ritz Crackers: Crush about 13 reduced-fat Ritz to get a half cup of crumbs.
- Eggs: Beat one whole egg and one egg white.
- Scallions: Chop two green onions.
- Bell Pepper: I used red bell pepper, but yellow or orange would also work.
- Mayo: Low-fat mayonnaise helps bind the mixture.
- Cilantro: If you’re not a fan of cilantro, omit it or sub parsley.
- Lime: Juice half a lime.
- Salt and Pepper to season
- Crab Cake Sauce: Roasted red peppers, light mayonnaise, chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, lime juice
How to Make Crab Cakes
- Make the Red Pepper Chipotle Lime Sauce: Puree the four ingredients in a blender.
- Mix: Combine crushed crackers, eggs, scallions, bell pepper, mayo, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Next, gently fold in the crab meat so it remains in large chunks.
- Make the Patties: Use a half-cup measuring cup to scoop the mixture and shape it into four patties. Chill them in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before baking.
Air Fryer Method
Making crab cakes in the air fryer, like baking is a much healthier alternative to frying them. Air fry them 370F until the edges are golden, about 10 minutes turning halfway, then drizzle the red pepper sauce over them.
What do you eat with crab cakes?
- Salad: One of my favorite ways to eat crab cakes is to serve them in a salad. Use your favorite kind of greens, like arugula, spinach, or butter lettuce, with whatever vegetables you have on hand.
- Sandwich: You could also sandwich them between potato rolls and top them with tartar sauce.
- Main Dish: Make the crab cakes the star of the meal and pair them with roasted veggies, potatoes, or rice.
How to Meal Prep Lump Crab Cakes
If your crab meat is recently purchased and fresh, you can prep the crab cakes up to 24 hours before you bake them. Crab meat can spoil within a few days, so buy it right before you plan on using it. Leftover baked crab cakes are good refrigerated for up to three days.
You can also form the patties and freeze them unbaked on a sheet pan. Once frozen, wrap them in foil or plastic wrap and store them in an airtight container for a month or two. To eat, thaw the cakes overnight in the fridge and bake them as instructed.
Crab Cake Variations
- Ritz: Sub the crackers with breadcrumbs or panko.
- Protein: These cakes would also work with cooked flaked salmon or cod.
- Sauce Swaps: Substitute the mayo for Greek yogurt or use half yogurt and half mayo. And if you don’t like spicy foods, leave out the chipotle.
More Crab Recipes You’ll Love:
- Crab Cakes Benedict with Avocado Relish
- Grilled Crab Legs
- Hot and Cheesy Crab and Artichoke Dip
- Avocado and Lump Crab Salad
- Crab and Avocado Phyllo Bites
Your comments are helpful! If you’ve tried this healthy Baked Lump Crab Cakes recipe or any other on Skinnytaste, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. And if you took a photo of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can reshare it on my Stories!
Baked Lump Crab Cakes with Red Pepper Chipotle Lime Sauce
Ingredients
For the Crab Cakes:
- 9 ounces lump crab meat, picked free of shells
- 1/2 cup about 13 reduced fat Ritz crackers, crushed
- 1 whole egg plus 1 egg white, beaten
- 2 finely chopped scallions
- 2 tbsp finely chopped red bell pepper
- 1 tbsp light mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, or parsley
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- kosher salt and black pepper , to taste
- cooking spray
For the Zesty Chipotle Lime Sauce:
- 1 tbsp roasted peppers, jarred
- 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon minced canned chipotle in adobo sauce, or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
Instructions
Red Pepper Chipotle Lime Sauce:
- In a small blender (or magic bullet) puree mayonnaise, lime juice, roasted pepper and chipotle pepper.
Crab Cakes:
- In a large bowl, combine crushed crackers, eggs, scallions, pepper, mayo, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper.
- Mix well, then fold in crab meat, careful not to over mix so the crab remains in large chunks.
- Gently shape into 4 patties using a 1/2 cup measuring cup. Chill in the refrigerator at least 1/2 hour before baking or freezer 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a baking sheet with oil spray.
- Bake about 8 to 10 minutes on each side, until browned.
- Drizzle red pepper chipotle lime sauce over crab cakes and serve.
