James Martin Crab Cakes

These James Martin crab cakes are crisp on the outside, soft and delicately flavoured inside, and packed with sweet crab meat. They are light, fresh, and beautifully balanced, making them perfect for a starter or a relaxed main course. This is an easy recipe with simple steps and no complicated techniques. From start to finish, they are ready in about 40 minutes.

Ingredients

For the crab cake mixture

• 300g fresh white crab meat, well drained
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• 1 small red chilli, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 medium egg, lightly beaten
• 50g fresh white breadcrumbs
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

For coating and frying

• 50g plain flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 75g panko breadcrumbs
• 3 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
• 20g unsalted butter

To serve

• Lemon wedges
• Mixed salad leaves
• Tartare sauce or garlic mayonnaise

How to Make James Martin Crab Cakes

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C fan. Place a shelf in the middle of the oven so the crab cakes finish cooking evenly after frying.
• Mix the crab filling: Place the crab meat into a large bowl and gently break it up. Add the spring onions, chilli, parsley, chives, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon zest, beaten egg, and breadcrumbs. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then mix gently so the crab stays chunky.
• Shape the crab cakes: Divide the mixture into four equal portions. Shape each one into a neat round patty about 2cm thick. Place them on a tray and chill for 10 minutes to help them firm up.
• Coat the crab cakes: Dust each crab cake lightly in flour, dip into the beaten egg, then coat evenly with panko breadcrumbs. Press gently so the coating sticks.
• Fry until golden: Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Fry the crab cakes for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden and crisp.
• Finish in the oven: Transfer the crab cakes to a baking tray and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until heated through.
• Rest and serve: Remove from the oven and allow them to rest for 2 minutes before serving with lemon wedges and your chosen sauce.

Tips

How do I stop crab cakes from falling apart?

Make sure the crab meat is well drained and chill the shaped cakes before coating and frying. This helps them hold their shape.

Can I use tinned crab meat?

Yes, but drain it very well and gently squeeze out excess moisture. Fresh crab gives the best flavour and texture.

How do I get a really crisp coating?

Use panko breadcrumbs and avoid overcrowding the pan. Fry over medium heat so they colour evenly.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with a crisp green salad and lemon dressing
• Pair with homemade tartare sauce or chilli mayo
• Add buttered new potatoes for a light main meal

Storage

Room temperature

Crab cakes should not be kept at room temperature for more than 1 hour.

Refrigerator

Store cooked crab cakes in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in the oven.

Freezing

Uncooked, coated crab cakes can be frozen for up to 1 month. Freeze on a tray first, then store in a container. Cook from frozen, adding a few extra minutes.

Nutrition

• Calories: 320 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 22g
• Protein: 24g
• Fat: 15g
• Saturated Fat: 4g
• Sodium: 480mg

Nutrition values are estimates and may vary based on ingredients used.

FAQs

James Martin Crab Cakes

Recipe by Milli RoseCourse: Starter, MainCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

Crisp on the outside and soft inside, these James Martin crab cakes are full of fresh crab flavour and finished with a golden crumb.

Ingredients

• 300g fresh white crab meat

• 2 spring onions, finely sliced

• 1 small red chilli, finely chopped

• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

• 1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 1 egg, beaten

• 50g fresh breadcrumbs

• Plain flour, for coating

• Panko breadcrumbs, for coating

• Olive oil, for frying

• Butter, for frying

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C fan.
• Mix crab meat with herbs, seasoning, egg, and breadcrumbs.
• Shape into four crab cakes and chill briefly.
• Coat in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs.
• Fry until golden on both sides.
• Finish in the oven until heated through.

Notes

• Drain crab meat thoroughly.
• Chilling helps cakes hold together.
• Serve immediately for best texture.