Most seafood cakes contain wheat flour. But, this easy keto crab cakes recipe will delight your taste buds without the unnecessary gluten and carbs.With a touch of lemon and old bay seasoning, these moist seafood patties will be a hit at your next get-together!
Article Index
- Ingredients
- Instructions
- ️ Serving suggestions
- FAQs
- Related recipes
- Recipe
Crab cakes make amazing lunch ideas or side dishes on seafood night. If you want the best authentic crab cakes, then you have to go to Maryland.
I live in Connecticut, which isn’t that far away, but even if you’re one state away from MD (like in Pennsylvania), finding a restaurant that serves the real-deal crab cake is difficult.
When I see Maryland crab cakes on a menu in Connecticut, I know that it’s not going to taste anything like those blue-collar shacks that serve it in the Baltimore and Chesapeake Bay region.
If you don’t live near the Chesapeake and love crab cakes, this easy keto crab cake recipe is second best. And, it’s certainly healthier than most restaurant versions as it contains no flour fillers.
Ingredients
To make low-carb crab cakes, you will use lots of the same ingredients that are in traditional crab cakes.
Crab Meat
If you have access to it, use fresh crab meat. If not, canned will work just as well.
Egg Yolks
You only need one yolk for this entire recipe. It binds all the ingredients together. If you leave it out, the crab cake will just fall apart.
Mayonnaise
Use your favorite type of mayo. I used avocado mayo since it has so many healthy fats (which are important on a keto diet).
You could also make your ownhomemade mayotoo.
Old Bay Seasoning
If you are trying to make Maryland-style crab cakes, then Old Bay Seasoning is required. It is a staple in seafood in this state!
Spices
In addition to salt and pepper, I used both lemon juice and myhomemade Worcestershire sauce.
Pork Rinds
I used pork rinds as a keto breadcrumbs substitute. This keeps the crab cakes gluten-free and keto-friendly. If you'd rather not use pork rinds, a mix of almond flour and coconut flour can be used instead.
Please note:Check out the recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients used to make this low-carb recipe.
Quick Tips:
- I like to pre-crush the rinds and keep them in the freezer as it helps remove some of the pork flavor and odor. Then, I have them ready to use in recipes likenearly no-carb bread!
- Alternatively, you can take whole pork rinds and place them in a ziplock baggie and roll over them with a rolling pin to crush them.
- Remember to remove any pieces of crab shells if you used fresh crab. Even if you are careful, pieces of the shell end up in the meat.
Instructions
All of the step-by-step directions for the low carb crab cakes are written out in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. First, here are some additional tips.
Prepare The Crab Meat
To begin, if you have fresh crabs, steam them. (If you used canned crab meat, you can skip this step).
Boil water, vinegar, and seafood seasoning. Then, layer thecrabsin the steamer insert, generously sprinkling the salt and remaining seafood seasoning on each layer ofcrabs. Cover the pot andsteam for about 30 minutes.
When it is fully cooked, set it aside.
Combine Crab Mixture
Next, in a large bowl, combine the egg yolk, mayo, crab meat, pork rinds,and seasoning. Also, add the Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and salt and pepper.
Be careful, however, not to over mix. I find that just a couple of minutes, max, does the trick.
Fry The Cakes
After a couple of minutes of mixing, you’ll want to create some patties out of the gluten-free keto crab cakes mixture. Then, take a skillet and, over low-medium heat, ever so delicately lay the cakes in the frying pan.
It only takes 3-4 minutes for each side to develop that golden griddle color.
But, don’t eat it right away – it’s way too hot at this point. To make it less oily, drain the cakes.
All that’s left is drizzling some lemon juice and the garnish.
️ Serving suggestions
These are delicious as a light lunch so just serve somecauliflower ricewith them.
If you would rather eat them as a seafood side dish, then serve them withketo-baked cod. It is both light and filling!
These crab cakes also work fantastically as a party appetizer. They taste fantastic withgluten-free coconut shrimptoo.
FAQs
Before we get to the recipe card, here are some questions people often ask about keto crab cakes.
Are these better than store-bought crab cakes?
Yes, it's always better to make your food at home whenever you can.
This easy keto crab cakes recipe has far less cholesterol than the non-keto, regular version. Furthermore, many businesses that ship crab cakes around the country add preservatives to the cakes, such as sodium benzoate.
Store-purchased crab cakes can also contain corn syrup. That's an obvious no-no if you're trying to cut down on your net carbs.
Why should I use pork rinds on crab cakes?
So why have pork rinds been making their way into Paleo-approved crab cake recipes?
The simple answer is that pork rinds make for an excellent high-carb breading surrogate. Sure, pork rinds don't sound healthy.
When you think of the term, you might think back to old-school vending machines that sold them in bags. Of course, those pork rinds were unhealthy.
If you can buy some organic pasture-raised pork rinds, you'll be sticking to a Paleo-approved ingredient.
So how do you get pork rinds looking like bread crumbs? In this recipe, I just add the pre-crushed rinds to the other ingredients and mix them in a bowl.
How many crab cakes is one serving?
The serving size for these low-carb crab cakes is about one 2-inch cake.
Do you need tartar sauce for crab cakes?
Some people think that you need crab cake sauce like tartar. But as I mention in the intro to this recipe, if you do them up the proper way, you certainly won’t need any tartar sauce.
Plus, if you become an expert at making this easy keto crab cakes recipe, you probably won't need any lemon juice to top it off either.
If you enjoyed these crispy crab cakes, then I have more low-carb seafood recipes you should try next. They are some of my go-to's!
- Shrimp Lettuce Wraps are the perfect lunch - especially with this creamy Cajun sauce!
- Keto Tuna Casserole is a creamy recipe, fortified with spinach, and makes enough for a filling dinner.
- Low-Carb Clam Chowder is easy to make in an Instant Pot and is incredibly rich and creamy.
- Shrimp Spaghetti Squash is covered in alfredo sauce - add some broccoli for a filling dinner.
- Fish Tacos are a fun party food or a delicious lunch that wakes up your taste buds.
Follow us on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, and INSTAGRAM for even more tasty keto-friendly recipes!
Recipe
Easy Keto Crab Cakes with Pork Rinds
4.60 from 15 votes
Most seafood cakes contain wheat flour. But this easy recipe will delight your taste buds without the unnecessary gluten and carbs.
Prep Time:10 minutes mins
Cook Time:8 minutes mins
Total Time:18 minutes mins
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Print Pin Review Recipe Save Recipe
Servings: 10 people
Calories: 79
Video
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups crab meat boiled fresh crabs or can
- 1 large egg yolk see note
- ½ cup crushed pork rinds
- ¼ cup avocado mayonnaise
- 1 to 1 ½ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice divided
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- olive oil or coconut oil for frying
- fresh parsley & lemon slices for garnishing
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
In a bowl, combine cooked crab meat, egg yolk, pork rinds, mayonnaise, seasoning, worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, salt and ground pepper. Do not over mix.
Form crab meat mixture into patties.
In a skillet or non-stick pan with low to medium heat, lay crab meat patties gently and fry for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden in color.
Drain crab cakes, drizzle the remaining lemon juice, garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
Notes
Make sure the crab meat do not have any shell left.
Others have had trouble getting the cakes to bind together. Using two whole eggs should help bind things together better.
You can pre-crush the rinds and keep them in the freezer for up to six months. Freezing also helps remove some of the pork flavor and odor.
Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for 5-7 days or placed in the freezer for at least 3 months.
Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart
Nutrition
Serving: 1patty | Calories: 79 | Carbohydrates: 0g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 394mg | Potassium: 90mg | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 35IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 0.3mg
Additional Info
Net Carbs: 0g | % Carbs: 0% | % Protein: 47.1% | % Fat: 52.9% | SmartPoints: 2
Notes on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Copyright
© LowCarbYum.com - Unauthorized use of this material without written permission is strictly prohibited unless for personal offline purposes. Single photos may be used, provided that full credit is given to LowCarbYum.com along with a link back to the original content.
First published August 30, 2018. Post updated on August 5, 2021, with clearer images and additional recipe information.
 Armendariz, Montxo - [PDF Document])