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!

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

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, but they taste like they take all day!

Now that I’ve mastered the technique, I make these bites every year around the holidays. Paired with spicy aioli, they make for the perfect crowd-pleasing appetizer, and my guests always beg for the recipe. I sometimes even serve them as a main course.

I’ll teach you all my tips and tricks to achieve the best flavor and the perfect crispy exterior. In no time, this recipe will have you feeling like a professional chef, and it’s sure to become a staple for your holidays!

Crab Bite 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

Here’s the entire list of the ingredients you’ll need to make 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.

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:

baked crab bites recipe

You May Also Like…

Corn and Crab Chowder

Chicken Chesapeake

Scallop Chowder

Shrimp Boil with Old Bay

If you try crab bites, please leave a star rating and a comment letting us know how you liked the recipe.

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baked crab bites recipe

Mini Crab Cakes 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
Print Recipe

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 1/4 cups panko breadcrumbs, divided
  • 1/2 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 1/2 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

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 1/2 tsp. Sriracha sauce
  • 3/4 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, 1/2 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 3/4 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.