Gluten Free Maryland Crab Cakes | with Sauce Recipes
These gluten-free, Whole30, & keto crab cakes are a healthier version of the classic Maryland favorite. Features 3 dipping sauces, & oven, or air fryer cooking options!
This post is a long time coming! After living in Maryland for the last 20+ years (minus a brief stint in Charleston, SC), crab cakes have become one of my favorite foods. Crab cakes & football – it’s what Maryland does!
The Eastern Shore is the ONLY place to get a good crab cake. I’ve ordered them in other cities (pre-Celiac diagnosis), and nothing compares! If you’re missing the Eastern Shore and Chesapeake Bay area, love Maryland-style crab cakes, or just have a hankering to try an unbelievably good recipe, this one is it! Also, if you’ve been intimidated to make homemade crab cakes, don’t worry. These are incredibly simple to make!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What Makes This Maryland Crab Cake Recipe so Great?
Since having to eliminate gluten from my diet, it’s been tough to find a crab cake that I can actually eat. Most are made with bread or bread crumbs, which help to bind everything together. I decided to create a recipe that is not only gluten-free but completely Whole30 compliant, Paleo, and Keto-friendly, too! These are truly the best crab cakes!
These crab cakes are still as delicious as our favorite Maryland ones, but with little filler, gluten, and carbs! They are made with simple ingredients and taste fresh and delicious. Also, if you’re looking for sauces with your crab cakes, I’ve got you covered! This recipe features three crab cake sauces: Cocktail Sauce, Tartar Sauce, and Lemon Garlic Aioli! Yum!
What Type of Crab Should I Use for These Crab Cakes?
This is definitely going to depend on where you live and what is available at your grocery store! Make sure to look for “hand-picked” or “fresh-picked and use the freshest crab meat you can find. For my Maryland crab cakes I use a combination of jumbo lump crab meat and sometimes backfin, which I found in a plastic container at the seafood counter (at Safeway).
Jumbo Lump Crab Meat: The most expensive crab meat. It comes in larger chunks of crab meat, but is pricey because it’s more scarce on the crab and requires many crabs to get the most meat.
Lump: Moderately priced crab meat. It is smaller chunks of crab than jumbo lump, but still holds together very well.
Backfin: the least expensive of the three crab meats. Has a finer texture, but is still great for crab cakes!
Many people ask about using canned crab meat for crab cakes, but I would not recommend it, unless it is the type that is refrigerated at the seafood counter. I also wouldn’t recommend any fake or imitation crab meat for this recipe. If you have a hard time finding fresh crab meat, you can use canned.
Ingredients for Gluten Free Crab Cakes
- Crab meat: lump, or backfin – the most important ingredient and star of the show! I love getting my crab meat from Costco or the seafood counter at my local grocery store. It is important to use fresh lump crab meat vs canned for this recipe. Also, we use blue crab!
- Egg We use whole eggs – not just egg yolks.
- Mayo: My favorite Whole30 compliant brand is Sir Kensington’s Avocado Oil Mayo. I get a big jar at Costco.
- Fresh parsley
- Old Bay Seasoning or Primal Palate New Bae Seasoning
- Dijon mustard
- Coconut aminos This is my favorite substitute for worcestershire sauce.
- Almond flour: You can also sub coconut flour – just use 1 tbsp. You can also sub gluten-free bread crumbs – same amount as the almond flour!
- Fresh lemon juice I prefer to use fresh juice as opposed to lemon juice concentrate.
- Ghee or Vegan Butter
How To Make Gluten Free Crab Cakes
Prep
- Whisk the egg, mayo, old bay seasoning, lemon juice, coconut aminos, dijon mustard, and parsley in a large bowl. Add crab meat and almond flour and use a spatula to gently fold the mixture together. You want to be careful not to break the crab pieces apart.
- Chill the crab cake mixture in the fridge for minimum 20 minutes (up to overnight) – this will ensure it stays together when you form the cakes!
Oven Method Crab Cakes
- Preheat the oven to broiling. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy clean up. Brush 1/2 of the melted ghee onto the baking sheet.
- Use a 1/3 measuring cup to scoop the mixture into 6 cakes and place on the baking sheet. Use your hands to shape them/gently press down and secure any loose pieces of crab. Mine were about 1.5 inches thick and 3.5 inches wide. Brush the top of each one with the remaining melted ghee.
- Broil for 9-11 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the sides are crispy. For extra crispy crab cake, broil for 1-2 additional minutes. Serve with a wedge of lemon and my homemade crab cake sauce (also Whole30!).
Air Fryer Crab Cakes
- Place cakes in the air fryer basket (you may need to do this in batches depending on the size of the air fryer).
- Spray the tops of the crab cakes with oil.
- Cook at 375 for 10-12 mins – no flipping needed!
Check Out These Crab Recipes, too!
The BEST Sauces for Crab Cakes
Dipping crab cakes into sauce makes them even more delicious! There are a few types of sauces that work well with crab cakes, but these three below are my absolute favorite.
Pick one (or all three!) and enjoy your crab cakes with sauce!
Homemade Tartar Sauce
- Mayo
- Hot sauce
- Pickles – I love Grillo’s! They are Whole30, too.
- Apple cider vinegar
Combine all tartar sauce ingredients and mix well. Can be made 1-2 days ahead of time and will keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Whole30 Cocktail Sauce
- 1/2 cup compliant Ketchup (make sure to find Whole30 compliant ketchup!)
- 1 tbsp prepared horseradish
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp coconut aminos
Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Serve with crab cakes. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Lemon Garlic Aioli
- 1/2 cup mayo
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Combine the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. You can also make this up to 24 hours in advance and store it in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Mary’s Tips & Tricks
Batter: It’s important to not over-mix your batter. You want the lump crab to remain intact so you get those delicious juicy chunks in every bite!
Chill: The crab mixture is best to work with when chilled. It forms the best patties. Chill the mixture for at least 20 minutes, or overnight for best results.
Appetizer: To make these crab cakes as an appetizer, spoon the mixture out to form 12 smaller crab cakes. These will take less time – keep an eye on them until the tops are browned and crispy.
FAQs
Yes! To freeze, place the uncooked crab cakes on a baking sheet in the freezer just until firm, about 2 hours. Wrap each cake in plastic wrap and place in a plastic freezer bag. Freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost the crab cakes in the refrigerator overnight before cooking.
It’s really just preference! These keto crab cakes turn out super crispy and delicious with either method.
Yes! With only 3 net carbs per crab cake, this is a great low carb keto food. You can also serve your crab cakes with sauce, because all the sauces are also low carb!
Yes! All of the ingredients in this recipe are compliant. As always, make sure to check labels or look for the Whole30 logo!
Any of the sides below, and the 3 sauces listed go perfectly with crab cakes. They are also delicious on their own!
For this recipe, we use almond flour. You can also use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
Most of the time, crab cakes at restaurants are not gluten free due to the binding. Most places use breadcrumbs or regular crackers. Always ask your server or chef about the ingredients. Some places make them gluten free!
Unfortunately, no. It usually contains wheat. This is one of those foods that people usually assume is gluten free, but it is not. If you have Celiac or a gluten intolerance, it is important to avoid imitation crab meat in this recipe and also in sushi!
Great Crab Cakes Sides!
Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Lemony Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
Mexican Street Corn and Tomato Salad
Or, if you’re looking for another delicious seafood meal, try my Pan-Seared Chilean Sea Bass with Lemon Caper Butter!
Gluten Free Crab Cakes | with Sauce Recipes
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh lump crab meat, look for hand-picked at your seafood counter/refrigerator section.
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup mayo, I like Sir Kensington's avocado oil mayo
- 1 tsp Primal Palate New Bae Seasoning , or Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 3 tbsp almond flour, can sub 1 tbsp coconut flour for nut free
- 2 tbsp ghee, melted
Whole30 Cocktail Sauce
- ½ cup compliant Ketchup
- 1 tbsp prepared horseradish
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp coconut aminos
Instructions
- Whisk egg, mayo, seasoning, lemon juice, coconut aminos, dijon mustard, and parsley in a large bowl. Add crab meat and almond flour and use a spatula to gently fold the mixture together. You want to be careful not to break the crab pieces apart.
- Chill the mixture in the fridge for minimum 20 minutes (up to overnight) – this will ensure it stays together when you form the cakes!
- A few minutes before you are ready to bake the crab cakes, preheat the oven to broiling. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy clean up. Brush 1/2 of the melted ghee onto the baking sheet.
- Use a 1/3 measuring cup to scoop the mixture into 6 cakes and place on the baking sheet. Use your hands to shape them/gently press down and secure any loose pieces of crab. Mine were about 1.5 inches thick and 3.5 inches wide. Brush the top of each one with the remaining melted ghee.
- Broil for 9-11 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the sides are crispy. Serve with a wedge of lemon and Whole30 cocktail sauce, if desired. Enjoy!
Whole30 Cocktail Sauce
- Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Serve with the crab cakes. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Homemade Tartar Sauce
- Mix ingredients together in a small bowl. Can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published on December 1, 2021 and updated with new helpful content on November 2, 2023.
79 Comments on “Gluten Free Maryland Crab Cakes | with Sauce Recipes”
This is a delicious little splurge for our household! Being in the Midwest Crab isn’t the easiest or cheapest to grab but my husband and I love to make this as a special weekend date night meal 🙂
I made these and LOVED them! However, now, due to some gut issues, I cannot have egg. Would the Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer work well in this as well as veganaise? Hoping to make for a surf and turf themed football day :). Thank you!
Yes those should work!!
Quick, easy and delish!
Thanks Rachael!
I rarely turn down crab cakes when I see them on a menu. I’ve had some great ones and some very bad ones over the years. Made this recipe tonight and they’re a BIG winner. Hubby loves them too. Made the tartar sauce with about half the amount of hot sauce (we’re wimps) and it was just perfect for us. I’ll be making these again soon! 😋. THANK YOU for the fantastic recipe!
These are amazing! My husband ate three, and my toddlers ate them too! Mom win! I did a combo of the lump and jumbo and really liked it! I also did it on 400 for 20 minutes since I was afraid to burn it (my boiler scares me)! Turned out great!
These were so good, hubby loved them too.
My whole family loves this recipe, even the kids! With crab season kicking off in Northern California, we will be eating these a lot! Love it!
Absolutely delicious! Best crab cakes I have ever made. Everyone loved them!
Thank you, Samantha!
These are the BEST! Maryland-born crab snob here… I buy my crab at Costco though and it’s delish. These are simply the best I’ve ever made myself and I’ve tried several recipes over the years. Chilling the crab mix helps with prep too. The broiler gets nice crispy edges. I’ve made this version several times now and shared with many friends. it’s a winner!
These are amazing! Ever since becoming gluten free I was so scared I was going to miss out on one of my favorite delicacies crab cakes until I started to follow Mary! These are now a staple in my house thank you for sharing all these yummy recipes with us!
Made these tonight for a fam irk vacation meal along with a shrimp and crab leg boil and they were SO good! Easy, flavorful and perfect for my sister in law who has several dietary restrictions! Someone even said “I don’t want to finish my crab cake because then it would be gone.” And another family member said, “It’s so healthy, we might as well call it a vegetable!” Thank you, so delicious!!!
Can’t wait to try these!!! I haven’t had a crab cake since my celiac diagnosis 3 years ago – so glad I found your site.
I have to limit my sodium intake. Which ingredients are responsible for such a high sodium content? Maybe I could substitute or omit some ingredients. I’ve never made crab cakes but I often order them in restaurants. You have so many rave reviews that I am excited to try your recipe! Also, is ghee safe for people with a dairy allergy?
Can I fry these in a pan instead of baking? For how long on each side?
The best crab cakes ever.
Amazing!! These are phenomenal. I can’t wait to make again! I’m going to attempt them as appetizers for Easter.
Thank you Katie! I hope they worked out!
Have you ever made these with an egg substitute? (like flax egg)
I haven’t so I can’t say for sure if it will work or not unfortunately!
These turned out great and pretty easy! I had a half pound so cut the recipe. Didn’t have coconut aminos so did without. Also didn’t have ghee and just used butter instead. Turned out great! This is how all crab cakes should be, lump meat with very little filling! Delicious and low carb!!!
Thanks Kimmie! So glad you enjoyed them!
I made these crab cakes last night and was blown away by how good they were. Restaurant quality with basically no filler and so much healthier for you. It was my first time making crab cakes at home and I was pleasantly surprised at how quick and easy they were to put together. Will definitely make again!
Hello,
Is there anything I can use instead of egg? My son is allergic to egg.