These mini crab cakes are my go-to when I want something a little special. Golden, tender, and full of sweet crab. I always serve them with a spicy aioli.

crab bites
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Love crab recipes? Try Chicken Chesapeake or Maryland Crab Soup!

I have to admit that I was too intimidated to cook with crab for many years. However, all that changed when I discovered this crab bites recipe!

Loaded with chunks of crab meat, cream cheese, spinach, dill, and lemon juice, they’re packed full of flavor and look super impressive but are surprisingly easy to make. You can have them on the table, ready to eat in less than 30 minutes!

I make these crab cakes every year around the holidays. Paired with spicy aioli, they make for the perfect crowd-pleasing appetizer. I sometimes even serve them as a main course.

What are Crab Bites

Crab bites are crispy, oven-baked appetizers made with real crab meat, simple seasonings, and just enough binder to hold everything together. They bake up golden on the outside, tender on the inside, and are served with a spicy aioli for dipping.

Why You’ll Love This  Mini Crab Cake Recipe

  • Crispy without frying: These mini crab cakes bake up golden and crisp in the oven, so you get great texture without the mess of frying.
  • Perfect party size: The mini shape makes them ideal for appetizers, holidays, and entertaining.
  • Reliable crowd-pleaser: These disappear fast every time I serve them and always get asked for again.

Crispy Crab Bites Recipe Ingredients

The star of this recipe is crab meat. At the market, you can find canned, frozen, or fresh (refrigerated) crab meat. For this recipe, you’ll need fresh (refrigerated) crab meat. The fresher the crab meat, the better the crab bites will taste.

Look for lump crab meat, which is a combination of smaller or broken pieces of jumbo lump, along with other smaller pieces of body meat.

ingredients for crispy crab bites
  • cream cheese
  • mozzarella cheese
  • Dijon mustard
  • panko breadcrumbs
  • frozen spinach
  • green onions
  • fresh dill
  • lemon juice
  • fresh lump crab meat
  • butter

To make the Spicy Aioli, you’ll need mayonnaise, Sriracha sauce, and lemon juice.

How to Make Crispy Crab Bites

1. Preheat the broiler on the oven.

2. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with non-stick spray. Alternatively, line the baking sheet with parchment paper.

step by step on how to make crab bites recipe

3. In a mixing bowl, mix the cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, mustard, breadcrumbs, spinach, green onions, dill, and lemon juice.

4. Gently fold in the crab meat. Season with salt and pepper.

crab meat mixture in a bowl

5. Form the mixture into golf size balls. Lightly roll each ball in the remaining breadcrumbs, covering all around.

6. Place the ball on the prepared baking sheet and top with a small slice of butter.

crab bites on a baking sheet

7. Broil for 3 minutes. Flip the crab ball and broil for an additional 2-3 minutes. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.

spicy aioli in a bowl

8. To make the spicy aioli, whisk together the mayonnaise, Sriracha, and lemon juice. Serve the crab bites immediately with the spicy aioli.

Crispy Crab Bites Recipe Variations

  • Add Old Bay seasoning for even more flavor.
  • Including garlic powder, onion powder, or smoked paprika.
  • Include a dash of hot sauce for a kick of spice.
  • Swap the breadcrumbs with cracker crumbs.
  • Add a touch of honey for a hint of sweetness.
  • Swap the aioli for lemon remoulade or tartar sauce.

How to Air Fry Crab Bites

Follow the instructions as normal, combining all the ingredients, and rolling the crab balls. Then, arrange them in an even layer in a greased air fryer basket, leaving space between each piece.

Top each crab bite with a small slice of butter, and air fry at 400°F for 8–15 minutes or until they’re crispy and golden brown, flipping halfway through. Work in batches as needed to avoid overcrowding the air fryer, which can cause your crab bites to become soggy!

How to Make Fried Mini Crab Cakes

Follow the recipe as normal, combining the ingredients. Then, split the crab mixture into roughly 28 pieces. Refrigerate the crab balls while you prepare the oil.

To do so, add avocado oil or olive oil to a medium skillet over medium heat. Let the oil warm until it glistens and water sizzles when flicked onto the skillet.

Working in batches, carefully arrange the crab bites in a single layer, leaving space between each piece. Cook for 2-3 minutes on all sides or until the bites are golden brown.

Transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate, and repeat, cooking all the crab balls.

What to Serve with Mini Crab Cakes

This crab bites recipe makes a great appetizer to serve alongside the spicy aioli with a squeeze of lemon. But you can easily turn these crab bites into a meal by serving them with these side dishes:

How to Store Mini Crab Cakes

Let the mini crab cakes cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If stacking, place them in a single layer when possible to keep them from sticking.

How to Reheat Mini Crab Cakes

The best way to reheat mini crab cakes is in the oven or air fryer, which helps them crisp back up without drying out. Warm them at 350°F until heated through, about 5-8 minutes in the oven or 4-6 minutes in the air fryer. Avoid the microwave if possible, as it tends to make them soft instead of crispy.

baked crab bites recipe

Crab Bites Recipe FAQs

How do you keep crab cakes from falling apart?

Use enough binder to hold them together and gently mix the ingredients. If they’re falling apart, chilling the shaped crab cakes for 20-30 minutes before baking also helps them hold their shape.

Can I use canned crab instead?

For the best flavor and texture, I do not recommend using canned crab meat, but if you must, just be sure to drain it very well and gently pick through it for shells.

Can I make these larger instead of mini?

Yes. Shape them into larger cakes and increase the baking time until heated through and golden.

You May Also Like…

Crab and Corn Chowder

Chicken Chesapeake

Scallop Chowder

Shrimp Boil with Old Bay

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baked crab bites recipe

Crispy Crab Bites Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 4 reviews
  • Author: Katya
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 25 mins
  • Yield: 14 crab balls 1x
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

Baked crispy crab bites with a spicy aioli are rich in flavor, easy to make, and make a great appetizer or main meal!

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 4 oz. cream cheese, softened at room temperature
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 3 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 ¼ cups panko breadcrumbs, divided
  • ½ cup frozen spinach, thawed, drained and excess water squeezed
  • 2 thinly sliced green onions
  • 3 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 ½ cups fresh lump crab meat (not canned)
  • 3 Tbsp. butter, thinly sliced
  • Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
  • Lemon wedges, for serving

Spicy Aioli

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 ½ tsp. Sriracha sauce
  • ¾ tsp. fresh lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat the broiler on your oven. (My oven has two broil options –high and low, I set mine to high). Position the oven rack in the middle. Generously spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray and set aside. Alternatively, line with parchment paper, however, parchment does slightly burn.
  2. In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, Dijon mustard, ½ cup panko breadcrumbs, spinach, green onions, dill, and lemon juice. Gently fold in crab meat. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  3. Add the remaining ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs into a shallow bowl or rimmed plate.
  4. Scoop crab mixture by 2 heaping tablespoon portions forming into a ball, about a size of a golf ball.  Lightly roll each ball in panko, covering all around. Transfer onto the prepared baking sheet, and top with a small slice of butter. You should get about 14 balls.
  5. Broil for 3 minutes or until lightly golden. Check often so they don’t burn. Gently flip the crab balls and broil for additional 2-3 minutes or until lightly golden. (Mine took about 3 minutes on one side and 2 minutes on the other. Keep an eye on them as they burn easily). Serve immediately with spicy aioli.

Spicy Aioli

  1. Whisk together all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

  • Crab Meat: Use best quality fresh lump crab meat. I do not recommend canned crab meat for this recipe.
  • Leftovers: Store leftover crab balls in an airtight container for up to 3 days. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 crab balls
  • Calories: 343
  • Sugar: 2.5 g
  • Sodium: 711.2 mg
  • Fat: 23.6 g
  • Carbohydrates: 17.4 g
  • Protein: 14.2 g
  • Cholesterol: 63.5 mg

Recipe published 10/15/2014. Updated 6/18/2021.