Healthy Crab Cakes

Crab cakes are one of those things that I love, but they have to be done well. A bad crab cake is such a shame! I want it to be fresh with lots of real crab meat, plenty of fresh herbs and spices, and chopped vegetables. To help keep the patties together, I used avocado, whole wheat panko bread crumbs, and organic egg whites as healthy substitutes for the mayonnaise and regular bread crumbs that you often see in traditional crab cake recipes.

Crab Cakes
(makes 8-10 crab cakes)

Crab cake on a bed of red leaf lettuce.

1 lb. lump crab meat
1 avocado
2 garlic cloves
1/2 onion
3 stalks celery
1/2 red bell pepper
1 handful fresh cilantro
3/4 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs
2 egg whites
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. old bay seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Lemon juice (for topping)
Hot sauce (for topping)

Finely chop the onion, celery, and red bell pepper. Add the vegetables to a sauté pan with 1 tbsp. of olive oil and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Finely chop the garlic and add it to the pan with the old bay seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook for another 2 minutes. Remove pan from the heat and set aside to cool. Put the crab meat in a big bowl. If it comes in a can, be sure to drain away any liquid (if necessary). Finely chop the cilantro, and add it to the bowl along with the bread crumbs, egg whites, and dijon mustard. Remove the skin and pit from the avocado, mash it up and add it to the bowl. Stir everything together, breaking up the crab meat as you go. Add in the vegetables from the sauté pan and mix well. Put the bowl in the refrigerator for about 20-30 minutes to chill. Take the bowl out and form the crab mixture into patties. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a sauté or grill pan over medium heat and cook the crab cakes for about 4 minutes on each side until they turn golden brown. Drizzle a little lemon juice and hot sauce on top before serving.

Crab cake on a sprouted grain bun with red leaf lettuce, yellow mustard, and hot sauce.

Tip 1: If you want to make it a sandwich, do it healthy with a sprouted grain or wheat bun, yellow or spicy mustard, and lots of leafy greens (as shown above). Tip 2: If your crab cakes are thick, you can cover the pan with a lid for a couple minutes while you’re cooking to ensure they are heated all the way through. Tip 3: If you can’t find whole wheat panko bread crumbs (I use Ian’s Breadcrumbs), just look for regular whole wheat bread crumbs. Look for a brand with simple ingredients and no harmful additives.

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