Easy Barefoot Contessa Crab Cakes Recipe for Perfect Seafood Joy

Barefoot Contessa’s crab cakes represent a seafood delicacy that transforms simple ingredients into an elegant culinary experience.

Delicate marine flavors mingle with fresh vegetables and subtle seasonings in these luxurious appetizers.

Crafting these delectable morsels requires precision and a keen understanding of texture and taste balance.

The combination of premium crabmeat and carefully selected aromatics creates a harmonious blend that captures sophisticated palate preferences.

Professional chefs and home cooks celebrate this dish for its versatility and rich maritime essence.

Each bite promises a delightful journey through coastal gastronomic traditions, blending crisp exterior with tender, succulent interior.

Prepare to elevate your cooking skills and impress dinner guests with this incredible recipe: Come hungry and leave inspired!

Why Contessa Crab Cakes Are Always a Hit

• Savor Complex Flavor Layers: These crab cakes burst with incredible depth from carefully balanced ingredients like capers, hot pepper sauce, and Worcestershire sauce, creating a symphony of tangy, spicy, and seafood notes.
• Achieve Perfect Restaurant-Quality Texture: The recipe ensures crispy golden exteriors while maintaining a delicate, moist interior by using precise cooking techniques like gentle pan-frying and chilling the mixture before shaping.
• Enjoy Quick Gourmet Meal Preparation: With just over an hour of total time and straightforward steps, home cooks can transform simple ingredients into an impressive dish that looks and tastes professionally crafted, making weeknight dinners feel special.
• Customize with Easy Variations: The versatile base recipe allows personal touches like adjusting spice levels, experimenting with different herbs, or serving alongside various sauces to match individual preferences and dietary needs.

Core Ingredients for Contessa Crab Cakes

• Crabmeat: Fresh lump crab meat is the star ingredient, best when high-quality and carefully picked for shell fragments.
• Bread Crumbs: Light and crispy binder that helps hold the crab cakes together, preferably fresh or panko style.

• Onion, Celery, Bell Peppers: Classic mirepoix mix that provides a flavor foundation and subtle sweetness to the crab cakes.
• Parsley: Fresh herb that adds bright, clean flavor and green color to the mixture.
• Capers: Tangy, briny ingredient that enhances the seafood's natural taste.

• Eggs: Natural binding agent that helps hold the crab cakes together.
• Mayonnaise, Mustard: Creamy condiments that add richness and tangy depth to the mixture.
• Hot Pepper Sauce, Worcestershire Sauce: Flavor boosters that provide subtle heat and complexity.
• Crab Boil Seasoning, Salt, Pepper: Spice blend and seasonings that enhance the overall taste profile.

• Butter, Olive Oil: Ingredients used for sautéing vegetables and frying crab cakes, providing rich flavor and helping achieve golden-brown exterior.

How to Prepare Contessa Crab Cakes

Step 1: Sauté Aromatic Vegetables

• Diced onion
• Diced celery
• Diced bell peppers

Stir in fresh chopped parsley, capers, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, crab boil seasoning, salt, and pepper. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.

Step 2: Prepare Crabmeat Mixture

• Fresh crabmeat
• Bread crumbs
• Mayonnaise
• Dijon mustard
• Beaten eggs

Fold in the cooled vegetable mixture until well blended. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up the mixture.

Step 3: Form Delicate Crab Cakes

Remove the chilled mixture from the refrigerator. Gently shape into small, uniform cakes using your hands. Each cake should be about 2 inches in diameter.

Step 4: Create Golden Crispy Exterior

Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Carefully place crab cakes in the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until they develop a beautiful golden-brown crust.

Step 5: Drain and Plate

Transfer crab cakes to paper towels to remove excess oil. Arrange on a serving platter.

Step 6: Prepare Zesty Remoulade Sauce

• Mayonnaise
• Chopped pickles
• Capers
• Dijon mustard
• Lemon juice
• Chopped fresh herbs
• Dash of hot sauce

Refrigerate until ready to serve alongside the crab cakes.

Serve immediately while crab cakes are warm and crispy.

Tips for Delicious Contessa Crab Cakes

• Preserve Delicate Texture: Handle crabmeat with extreme care to maintain its tender, flaky consistency. Light touches prevent breaking the delicate meat during preparation.
• Control Moisture Carefully: Pat crabmeat dry with paper towels before mixing to remove excess liquid. Removing moisture helps crab cakes hold their shape and develop a crispy exterior.
• Master Gentle Mixing Technique: Use a folding motion when combining ingredients to keep crab chunks intact. Minimal mixing prevents tough, compact crab cakes that lose their beautiful texture.
• Select Premium Protein: Invest in fresh, high-quality lump crabmeat from reliable seafood markets. Superior crab ensures rich flavor and excellent overall dish quality.
• Balance Binding Ingredients: Use just enough breadcrumbs and egg to hold cakes together without overwhelming the delicate crab. A light touch creates the perfect cohesive mixture that showcases the seafood's natural taste.

Safe Storage for Contessa Crab Cakes

• Vacuum Seal Method: Protect your delicate crab cakes by using a vacuum sealer. Remove excess air completely, which prevents freezer burn and preserves the delicate texture. Pack crab cakes individually, allowing for easy portioning and maximum freshness.
• Glass Container Technique: Transfer crab cakes to hard-sided glass containers with tight-fitting lids. Stack layers with wax paper between each cake to maintain their shape and prevent moisture buildup. These containers prevent odor transfer and keep your seafood pristine for quick reheating.
• Disposable Aluminum Tray Strategy: Wrap individual crab cakes tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a disposable aluminum tray with a secure lid. This method works perfectly for meal prepping and prevents potential crushing during refrigeration.

Tasty Variations of Contessa Crab Cakes

• Spicy Seafood Sensation: Replace bell peppers with jalapeños and add extra hot sauce for a fiery kick. Incorporate cayenne pepper into the mixture for an intense heat level that transforms the classic crab cake.
• Mediterranean Marvel: Swap out traditional herbs with fresh oregano and dill. Add crumbled feta cheese to the crab mixture and include chopped sun-dried tomatoes for a Mediterranean-inspired version that brings coastal flavors to your plate.
• Gluten-Free Coastal Classic: Use almond flour or gluten-free breadcrumbs instead of traditional bread crumbs. Mix in ground flaxseed for additional binding and texture, ensuring those with gluten sensitivities can enjoy these delectable crab cakes.
• Herb Garden Gourmet: Incorporate fresh chopped chives, tarragon, and basil into the crab mixture. Use herb-infused olive oil when frying to enhance the aromatic herb profile and create a garden-fresh interpretation of the original recipe.

A Note on Contessa Crab Cakes

Crab cakes embody coastal culinary magic, blending delicate seafood with aromatic herbs and zesty seasonings.

Barefoot Contessa’s recipe transforms simple ingredients into gourmet masterpieces that dance on restaurant-quality plates.

Succulent crabmeat mingles with crisp vegetables, creating layers of complex flavors that whisper maritime stories.

Home chefs can replicate restaurant-style elegance with careful technique and quality ingredients.

Professional presentation meets comfort food charm in this classic dish that celebrates oceanic abundance.

Passionate gourmands: dive into these golden-brown delicacies, share your culinary adventure, spread the recipe’s charm across social platforms, and ignite delicious conversations with fellow food enthusiasts.

Barefoot Contessa Crab Cakes Recipe

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4.8 from 27 reviews

• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

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Description

Ina Garten’s signature crab cakes blend Maryland’s coastal flavors with luxurious ingredients. Delicate lump crab meat, minimal filler, and a perfect golden crust promise a sublime seafood experience you’ll savor with each elegant bite.

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Ingredients

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Seafood (Main Ingredients):

• ½ pound (0.5 lb) lump crabmeat, drained and picked

Vegetables and Herbs:

• ¾ cup red onion, small diced
• 1 ½ cups celery, small diced
• ½ cup red bell pepper, small diced
• ½ cup yellow bell pepper, small diced
• ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 tsp fresh chives, minced
• 2 tsp fresh parsley leaves, minced

Binding and Flavoring Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ cup plain dry bread crumbs
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained
• 1 tablespoon capers, minced
• ¼ teaspoon hot pepper sauce (Tabasco)
• ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 ½ teaspoons crab boil seasoning (Old Bay)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cornichon, minced
• 1 or 2 anchovies, minced
• Salt and fresh

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Instructions

1. Transform diced onions, celery, and bell peppers into a flavor foundation by gently sautéing them in 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) butter and 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) olive oil until they become translucent and tender.
2. Enhance the vegetable mixture with chopped parsley, briny capers, zesty hot pepper sauce, robust Worcestershire sauce, traditional crab boil seasoning, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Allow the aromatic mixture to cool completely to room temperature.
3. In a spacious mixing bowl, delicately fold together premium lump crabmeat, fine breadcrumbs, creamy mayonnaise, tangy Dijon mustard, and whisked eggs until thoroughly incorporated.
4. Gently integrate the cooled vegetable mixture into the crabmeat blend, ensuring even distribution of flavors. Refrigerate the combined mixture for approximately 30 minutes to help firm up the texture and meld the ingredients.
5. Remove the chilled mixture from the refrigerator and carefully form compact, uniform crab cakes approximately 2 inches (5 centimeters) in diameter.
6. Heat 4 tablespoons (60 milliliters) butter and 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) olive oil in a large skillet over medium temperature, creating a golden cooking surface.
7. Carefully place the shaped crab cakes into the heated oil and butter mixture, cooking for 4-5 minutes on each side until they develop a crispy, golden-brown exterior.
8. Transfer the freshly fried crab cakes onto paper towels to absorb excess oil, ensuring a light and crisp texture.
9. Prepare the accompanying remoulade sauce by whisking together all designated ingredients in a medium bowl, then refrigerate until ready to serve alongside the hot crab cakes.

Notes

• Master the art of perfectly textured crab cakes by gently folding ingredients to preserve delicate crab meat chunks.
• Refrigerate mixture for at least 30 minutes to help crab cakes hold their shape and prevent crumbling during cooking.
• Fresh lump crabmeat transforms ordinary seafood into an extraordinary culinary experience with its sweet, delicate flavor.
• Kick up flavor complexity by adding unexpected ingredients like capers and hot sauce that dance beautifully with crab’s natural sweetness.
• High-quality mayonnaise acts as the crucial binding agent, creating a creamy foundation that elevates the entire dish.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Appetizer, Dinner
• Method: Frying
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 400 kcal
• Sugar: 3 g
• Sodium: 550 mg
• Fat: 30 g
• Saturated Fat: 6 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 22 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 20 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 12 g
• Cholesterol: 150 mg