The Fuss-Free Way To Cook Crab Cakes For A Crowd

Whether you opt for Maryland, Louisiana, or your own local twist, there's nothing quite like a crab cake. Delightfully crispy, but also light, it's the hallmark of any good seafood restaurant. With a good recipe in hand and the right ingredients, it's fairly simple to whip up a pretty good version at home, but there is one problem. If you're cooking for more than a couple of people, you're going to be standing over a pan cooking batch after batch, while the already-cooked cakes dry out.

The solution? Do all of the cooking in the oven. That way, all of your crab cakes will be ready to be served fresh and hot to your guests at the same time. Baking also allows you to use less oil in the cooking, and if your crab cakes have the tendency to fall apart, this will keep them in one piece.

This technique will work with any good crab cake recipe, but if you need some inspiration, check out our classic Maryland crab cakes. Mix your ingredients and form into patties as normal. If your recipe calls for extra breading on the outside, you can skip this step. What's vital at this point is that you chill your formed patties for at least 10 minutes, but ideally, 45 to 60 minutes, which will help them hold their shape until they firm up during the cooking process.

While you wait, you can prepare your baking sheets and preheat the oven. A hot oven is key to browning without drying out the crab cakes. Parchment paper will stop things from sticking, but adding some oil will help you recreate that pan-fried taste. Transfer the chilled crab cakes to the baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit until the bottoms are golden brown — around 10 to 15 minutes. At this point, you can flip them over and bake for another five to eight minutes to crisp the other side. Alternatively, add a small pat of butter to the top of each patty before baking to help brown the tops.

Now all that's left is to serve and enjoy with your favorite sauce. While you can't go wrong with a simple tartar, this dill mayo uses just three ingredients and adds a herby brightness to the dish.