Description
Crab Cake Poppers with Spicy Aioli are crispy, golden bite-sized appetizers made with seasoned lump crab meat and served with a zesty garlic-chili aioli. Perfect for parties, game day, or elegant gatherings, these mini crab cakes are flavorful, fun, and sure to impress.
Ingredients
1 lb jumbo lump crab meat
2 tbsp butter
¼ cup green onion, diced
2 tbsp red bell pepper, diced
2 tbsp celery, diced
Kosher salt, to taste
1 tbsp parsley, minced
1 egg
¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ tsp dry mustard
¼ tsp cayenne pepper or Sriracha
1 ¼ cups Panko breadcrumbs, divided
1 ½ cups canola oil (for frying)
For the Spicy Aioli:
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp chili sauce
Instructions
- Rinse crab meat and remove any shell fragments. Drain well and place in a bowl.
- Sauté onion, bell pepper, and celery in butter with a pinch of salt for 3–5 minutes. Stir in parsley, then add to crab.
- Whisk egg, Worcestershire, mayonnaise, dry mustard, and cayenne (or Sriracha). Add to crab mixture.
- Fold in ¾ cup breadcrumbs. Shape into 1-inch balls and roll in remaining breadcrumbs. Chill 30 minutes.
- Heat ½ inch canola oil in skillet over medium-high. Fry crab balls in batches for 3–4 minutes per side until golden. Drain on paper towels.
- Mix mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic, and chili sauce to make aioli.
- Serve crab cake poppers hot with spicy aioli.
Notes
- Chill crab balls before frying to help them hold shape.
- Fresh lump crab gives best flavor, but canned can be used.
- Bake at 400°F for 15–18 minutes for a lighter version.
- Make aioli up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate.
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 poppers with aioli
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 310mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 7g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
