Description
These Crab Cake Bites are a delicious and elegant appetizer featuring lump crab meat blended with creamy cheese and spices, nestled in a crispy Parmesan and panko crust. Perfectly baked until golden, they come with a tangy, flavorful sour cream dipping sauce that complements the savory bites beautifully.
Ingredients
Scale
Crab Cake Mixture
- 6 oz. lump crab meat
- 6 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 Egg, lightly beaten
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
- 2 tsp. lemon juice (divided; 1 tsp. in crab mixture, 1 tsp. in sauce)
- 1 tsp. lemon zest
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 Tbsp. finely chopped chives
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Crust
- ⅓ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 6 Tbsp. butter, melted
Dipping Sauce
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 Tbsp. finely chopped chives
- 1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
Additional
- Cooking spray, for pan
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Make Crab Mixture: In a large bowl, combine the lump crab meat, cream cheese, lightly beaten egg, ⅓ cup Parmesan, 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning, ¼ cup sour cream, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and about 1 tablespoon chopped chives. Season the mixture with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Stir gently but thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Prepare Crust: In a separate bowl, mix together the remaining Parmesan cheese, panko bread crumbs, and melted butter until well combined. This mixture will form the crispy crust.
- Assemble Crab Cake Bites: Divide the crust mixture evenly among the muffin pan cups. Press the crumbs firmly around the edges of each cup to create a crust shell. Then spoon the crab mixture into the center of each crust-lined cup, filling them evenly.
- Bake: Place the muffin pan in the preheated oven and bake the crab cake bites for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown and the filling is set.
- Prepare Dipping Sauce: While the crab bites bake, combine ½ cup sour cream, remaining chopped chives, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and remaining Old Bay seasoning in a small bowl. Stir well to blend the flavors into a tangy dipping sauce.
- Serve: Remove the crab cake bites from the oven and let them cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature with the prepared dipping sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
- You can substitute lump crab meat with fresh crab if preferred, but lump crab meat yields the best texture.
- Ensure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature to mix smoothly with other ingredients.
- Don’t overfill the muffin cups to prevent overflow while baking.
- These bites can be prepared ahead of time and reheated gently in the oven before serving.
- If you don’t have Old Bay seasoning, a mix of paprika, celery salt, and black pepper can be used as a substitute.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3-4 crab cake bites
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
