Crab cakes served on plates with mixed greens, sliced radishes, roasted corn, capers, lemon wedges, and creamy sauce.

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Crab Cake Salad

Name: Crab Cake Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 lb fresh or canned lump crab meat, picked over for shells; 1/3 cup mayonnaise; 1 large egg; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning; 2 spring onions, finely sliced; 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, plus more for coating; Salt and black pepper to taste; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon oil, for frying; 4 cups baby arugula or mixed salad greens; 1/2 cup sliced radish; 1/4 cup grilled corn; 1 avocado, sliced; 3 tablespoons good olive oil; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon honey; Salt and black pepper

20 mins prep·10 mins cook

Rate this recipe

I have always had a weakness for anything from the sea that comes pan-fried and golden. Crab cakes are the kind of thing I order whenever I see them on a menu, just to see how someone else does it, and then I come home and make my own version. This one sits on a bed of dressed greens, something crisp and cool underneath something warm and a little crispy, and the combination is, let me just say, very satisfying.

How to Make Crab Cake Salad

Ingredients

For the crab cakes

1 lb fresh or canned lump crab meat, picked over for shells
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 large egg
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
2 spring onions, finely sliced
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, plus more for coating
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon oil, for frying

For the salad

4 cups baby arugula or mixed salad greens
1/2 cup sliced radish
1/4 cup grilled corn
1 avocado, sliced

For the dressing

3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
Salt and black pepper

Directions

Drain the crab meat well and pick through it carefully for any shell fragments. In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, egg, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and Old Bay and mix until smooth. Fold in the crab, spring onions, parsley, and panko. Season with salt and pepper. The mixture should hold together when pressed, if it feels too wet, add a little more panko.
Shape the mixture into 8 small cakes, about 1 inch thick. Press each one lightly in extra panko to coat. Place on a plate, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This step keeps them from falling apart in the pan and it is worth not skipping.
Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, and honey in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Heat the butter and oil in a wide non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Once the butter foams and subsides, add the crab cakes. Do not crowd the pan, work in batches if needed. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deep golden. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
Toss the arugula, sliced radish, and grilled corn with just enough dressing to coat lightly. Divide between plates. Arrange the warm crab cakes on top, add the avocado slices, and drizzle a little extra dressing over everything. Serve straight away.