What to Serve with Crab Cakes? Here are Our Top 9 Side Dishes
If you are hosting a party, entertaining people, or just serving up a fancy supper, then crab cakes should be one of the first things to pop in your mind. Crab cakes have become a quintessential part of the menu in many households. They serve up as a great appetizer or party snack. As fancy as the name sounds, it is just as easy to make. By following this recipe, you can easily make these at home. Believe us, these are truly a crowd pleaser.
Recipe For Making Crab Cakes
Most recipes for crab cakes include ingredients that undermine the flavor of the actual crab meat. They include ingredients and fillers in a way that does not let the crab flavors sing. This recipe is simple yet delectable and brings out the crab flavors in the best way. Following this strategic guide, you will achieve the ultimate recipe to make your taste buds sing in delight.
Step 1: Lightly beat an egg and add in mayonnaise, lemon juice, hot sauce and green onion. For seasoning, basic salt and crushed black pepper shall do the work.
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Step 2: Add in your crabmeat and gently mix in. Artificial crab meat or canned crab works fine as well. Mix it until you achieve the manageable consistency of handling it with your hands.
Step 3: Scoop out handfuls of the mixture and shape them using your palms into little cakes.
Step 4: For breading, prepare panko breadcrumbs with mixed herbs. Mix thoroughly and one by one, coat your crab cakes in the mixture.
Step 5: For frying, heat olive oil with a small cube of butter in a pan. Wait until the oil is hot. You can test this by first dropping a little blob of the mixture to check. If it sizzles, then the oil is ready.
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Step 6: Add the crab cakes but do not overcrowd the pan. In this way, it will only steam and not fry properly. Flip the cakes after 5 minutes on each side. They should turn a golden brown color.
Step 7: Your crab cakes are ready! Serve them hot with a side dish. There are many side dishes to choose from for this basic recipe. Read along to find out.
Top Nine Side Dishes To Serve With Crab Cakes
1. Remoulade Sauce
One of the best things to serve any fried food is with a good dipping sauce. A tartar sauce sounds good but a remoulade sauce is a classic when it comes to crab cakes. It is a spicy condiment originating from France but eventually got the spiced up versions in Louisiana. The classic hot flavors derive from a hot pepper sauce and Cajun seasoning.
To make this sauce, you will need mayonnaise, whole grain mustard, ketchup, minced garlic, grated horseradish, freshly squeezed lemon juice, chopped capers, parsley and onions. For seasoning, you will require, as mentioned earlier, Cajun seasoning and hot pepper sauce. Simply add all these ingredients in a mixing bowl and combine until it is a homogenous mixture and your classic remoulade sauce is ready.
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You can also serve this sauce cold and refrigerated. It is the best things to dip your crab cakes in and this will also bring out the exotic crab flavors.
2. Tomato Gazpacho
Another cool but hot liquid to serve with your crab cakes is a classic tomato gazpacho. Gazpacho is a cold soup mainly made with tomatoes. It originated in France and is served cold. It only takes a handful of ingredients to whip up, which might be already lying around in your pantry.
For a classic gazpacho, you will need stale bread (crust removed), water, large ripe tomatoes, cucumber (peeled and chopped), chopped celery stalk, onions, garlic and green bell pepper. Additionally, you will require olive oil, lemon juice, chopped mint leaves and cilantro, salt, sugar, pepper and cayenne pepper for seasoning.
To put the recipe together, soak your stale bread in water and peel off the tomato skins. Boil the tomatoes shortly before peeling; it will make the process a lot easier. Then, roughly chop up your ingredients and in throw them in a food processor or blender. Put in the tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, bell peppers, green onions and garlic. Lastly, add the soaked bread and give it a whiz. Then, simply add the olive oil and lemon juice.
Run the processor for a few seconds and then add the seasonings; salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and a pinch of sugar. Finally, blend it and stop at the consistency you want. You can keep it chunky or smooth.
3. Classic Coleslaw
If you want a snack to make you feel full, then pair up your crab cakes with this coleslaw. This fresh and zesty vegetable slaw will add the zing to your crab cakes. To make this slaw, you will need red and green cabbage, carrots and parsley. Prepare your vegetables first and keep them aside. Cut them lengthwise into long juliennes.
Next, prepare the dressing. For the dressing, you will need mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar and Dijon mustard for the liquids. For seasoning, you will require celery seeds, salt and ground black pepper. Prepare the dressing separately by adding the seasonings to the liquids. Then dribble it on the vegetable and mix well. Make sure all the vegetables are coated in that delicious dressing. You can serve it immediately or refrigerate it and serve cold.
4. Oven Roasted Vegetables
Another great addition to your crab cake platter is roasted vegetables. This is a healthy and delicious way to accompany your crab cakes. Typically, roasted vegetables are a great side dish for any dinner. If you want to keep yourself away from creamy sauces and greasy seafood sides, then this is your perfect pick.
For this quick fixture, choose your vegetables. You can go for baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, yellow bell pepper, and asparagus. Cut your vegetable to long strips or bite-size pieces. Preheat your oven and spread them onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil just enough to coat them. Then add your seasonings. This would be basic salt, pepper and dried herbs but you do your way, the sky is the limit. Roast them in the oven for thirty minutes and flip them halfway through.
Do not overdo them or else the vegetable will lose its natural juices and become lumpy. Serve it on the side with your crab cakes and it will deem a fantastic combination.
5. Sautéed Corn and Bell Peppers
A corn side dish is a winner with any seafood, especially if it is sautéed with classic Mexican flavors. It will give you that soft and succulent yet crunchy bite with your crab cakes. For this recipe, you will need a variety of bell peppers including red, green and yellow bell peppers. You will also need corn, red onions, tomatoes and cilantro.
First, chop your vegetable into little cubes, much like the size of a single corn. Do the same for all the vegetables and finely chop the cilantro and garlic. Take out all the corn from the kernel and boil until they are soft, this should take about 15-20 minutes. In a nonstick pan, add some butter and sauté the onions and garlic first until you get a nice aroma. Then add in your corn and other vegetables.
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Keep sautéing and then add Mexican seasoning spice, salt, pepper and chili flakes. Stir well and combine all ingredients. Take it off the heat and serve hot accompanying your crab cakes. This is another healthy take on a side dish.
6. Herb Roasted Potatoes
This is a hearty addition to your crab cakes. This carbohydrate packed side dish will keep you full for long and can turn your supper into dinner. Roast potatoes are another classic household favorite and they pair along well with crab cakes. For this side dish, firstly you will need to pick your potatoes. Choose from a hard variety such as russet or Yukon gold potatoes. This will give you the crunch you are looking for.
We will keep this recipe simple and herby so that it does not override the flavor of crab cakes. If you wash your potatoes well then you do not need to peel them. Cut them into bite-size chunks. Place them on a baking tray and drizzle with good quality extra virgin olive oil. Then add your herbs and spices; chopped cilantro and garlic, turmeric powder, oregano and dried parsley, salt and pepper.
Make sure to be generous with salt but in a way that it does not overpower it. It’s a delicate balance really. Salt brings out the natural flavors of potato. Turmeric will enhance the yellow color of the potatoes. Rub all the herbs and spices well with the potatoes and roast them in a preheated oven for 20 minutes. Flip them and let them roast for another 20 minutes. You will know they are ready when they look golden on the outside and have a mouthwatering aroma. Your potatoes should have a crispy outside and a soft and fluffy interior.
7. Mayo Potato Salad
If you are not willing to go through the effort of roasting potatoes, then here is an easy alternative for you. A potato salad, which is just as delicious! Potatoes are a versatile ingredient and are usable in many different ways. This salad is bursting with flavor, but just enough not to undermine your crab cakes.
First of all, wash your potatoes and parboil them with the skins on. Do not boil potatoes fully, fifteen minutes is the optimal time to boil them. After that, drain the water and let them cool slightly, chop them into bite-sized cubes. Now you can peel off the skins and this will be much easier to do with chopped parboiled potatoes. Now it is time to add the seasonings. Add olive oil, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, Dijon mustard, mixed herbs and chopped cilantro. Toss these well while the potatoes are still warm. This will help coat the spices well.
You can have the potatoes as it is or you can upgrade the recipe to a new level with just two additional ingredients. Add in mayonnaise and deep-fried onions. This will add a delectable creaminess and crunch to your potatoes. These creamy potatoes will serve as a great side dish complementing your crab cakes.
8. Fresh Green Salad
If you want to have a healthy choice for a side dish to balance all the grease in your crab cakes, then this fresh green salad is the perfect way to go. It is very similar to a Greek salad but there are modifications to the traditional recipe. This healthy salad is a nutritious take on the ordinary side dishes. It features lettuce, green cabbage, green bell pepper, fresh cilantro and baby spinach. Additionally, you will need pecans and goat cheese.
Chop up the lettuce, cabbage and bell pepper lengthwise. Put the bell pepper and spinach on a strainer on top of boiling water and steam them for ten minutes. Next, toast some pecans on a pan on medium heat and cut cubes of goat cheese. Toss everything together and prepare the dressing. A simple and quick olive-lime dressing is the mix of olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. Put these in a jar and shake well. Then drizzle over the tossed salad. There you go; a healthy side dish in a matter of minutes!
9. Mango Salsa
A ripe mango salsa is the perfect pairing of sweet and spicy. The sweetness of juicy mangoes, the crunchiness of onions and the spiciness of jalapenos is the flavor trinity of this salsa. Chop a mango into small cubes and do the same with a red onion, a red bell pepper and some jalapenos. Toss these ingredients together and squeeze in fresh lime juice. Add in some chili flakes and finely chopped cilantro. Combine well and serve it as the perfect pairing with your crab cakes.
We hope these recipes will be useful to you in serving your crab cakes. All these recipes are handpicked that taste delicious, require minimal effort and most importantly go amazingly well with crab cakes.
Sources:
- The Best Side Dishes for Crab Cakes – Coastal Living
- This Is The Best Side Dish To Serve With Crab Cakes – Southern Living
