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Crab cakes are one of those seafood dishes that pretty much everyone loves. I mean, my picky 5-year-old even enjoys these, which is saying a lot! Crab cakes are pretty easy to make, I mean, it’s essentially a meatball shaped into a patty instead of a ball…right? With lots of ingredients combined together and fried in oil. Yum. And let me tell you, these Whole30 Crab Cakes with Lemon-Garlic Aioli are YUM.
I’d say the most important tip for making absolutely delicious restaurant quality crabcakes is to get purchase quality lump crab meat. I bought the fresh (unpasteurized) lump crab meat from Whole Foods Market fish section, which can be a little pricey, but one pound is enough to make six generous crab cakes, which feeds my family of four easily. In a bind, you can buy pasteurized crab meat. It still works, but I am just saying for best results, find some fresh lump crabmeat if you can.
So here is the recipe for some absolutely delicious Whole30 Crab Cakes with Lemon-Garlic Aioli. I’ve also attached a little video tutorial for you, also, if you are a visual learner!
- 16 oz. lump crabmeat
- 1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
- 1 tsp. Bay Seasoning (I use Primal Palate New BAE)
- 4 tbsp. homemade or compliant mayo
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1.5 tbsp. cassava flour
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 2 tbsp. avocado or olive oil, for frying
- 3/4 cup homemade or compliant mayo
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. lemon zest
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- salt and pepper, to taste
- Combine all of the aioli ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- In a large bowl, combine the crabmeat, red bell pepper, green onion, bay seasoning, salt, pepper, mayo, and cassava. Mix until just combined.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using 1/2 cup measuring cup, scoop out crab mixture and form into uniform patties. Set on the parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for about 30 minutes so that they firm up.
- Place almond flour on a plate. Take firm crab cakes, carefully set each side of the crabcakes so that they are just lightly dusted (you don't want it caked on or they will taste dry when you bite into them). Set back on the parchment paper until all of the crab cakes are lightly coated.
- Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a non-stick skillet. When very hot, but not smoking, carefully set the crabcakes and sear until golden brown and slightly crispy, about 3-4 minutes per side. Using a sturdy spatula, carefully flip, and continue to cook on the other side for 3 more minutes. As they are complete, I recommend setting them on a wire rack so that they don't get soggy before serving.
- Serve with the aioli and enjoy!
- I served mine in butter lettuce cups, but these pair well with any greens. I also love them with roasted asparagus!
Could you use another flour besides cassava? Maybe tapioca or arrowroot?
Can you bake these instead?
Would another flour besides almond flour work here with similar result?
Cassava would work well here!
DO you think this would work with canned salmon? I hate switching up your awesome recipes but looking for a way to use up the canned salmon on hand. 🙂
I think it would still be so delicious!
My dad and I have crab cakes about once a month. We usually buy the premade ones from the store. Since I’m on whole 30 I decided to give these a try! My dad and I both LOVED them! So much better than premade! Thanks for sharing the recipe!