The Key to a Perfect Crab Cake Is to Keep It Simple

Crab cakes are bastardized so often that you might have forgotten what a good one tastes like. Bad crab cakes have become ubiquitous on summer menus, and they’re a punishment we wouldn’t wish on our worst enemy. OD-ing on fillers and binders causes most restaurants’ cakes to resemble vaguely fishy fritters—on top of that, the meat itself might be canned, imitation, or just plain counterfeit.

The keys to a good crab cake are simple: don’t overthink it, and don’t overwork it. The ingredients are basic as can be, and the result will remind you why crab cakes became a thing in the first place.

So here it is, your straight-to-the-point, no-bullshit, real-deal crab cake recipe. No fillers, no fancy additions. Just a load of crab meat, mayo, egg, breadcrumbs, and, of course, a sizable hit of Old Bay.

All they need is a swipe of perfectly barebones homemade tartar sauce and they’re good to go—crab cakes, plain and simple, as they should be.