Mary Berry Crab Cakes Recipe

This Mary Berry crab cakes recipe is a real treat for a sophisticated starter or a light lunch and so easy to make! No fussy fillers required, just combine the fresh crabmeat with a hint of chili and let the ingredients work their magic to create a golden, crispy, and delicate seafood delight. Make it once and you’ll never go back to store-bought patties again! It’s delicious with a dollop of lime mayonnaise, a crisp green salad, a wedge of fresh lemon, a glass of chilled Sauvignon Blanc; in fact most things.

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Mary Berry Crab Cakes Recipe Ingredients

• 450 g (1 lb) fresh crabmeat (a mix of white and brown meat is best for flavor)
• 250 g (9 oz) mashed potatoes (cold and dry)
• 3 spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 red chili, deseeded and finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
• Zest and juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 100 g (3.5 oz) panko or fresh white breadcrumbs (for coating)
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil (for frying)

How To Make Mary Berry Crab Cakes Recipe

1. Prep the base: Ensure your mashed potatoes are completely cold and quite firm. If they are too creamy or wet, the crab cakes will struggle to hold their shape. In a large mixing bowl, flake the crabmeat, checking carefully for any small pieces of shell.
2. The flavor mix: Add the cold mashed potatoes, spring onions, chopped chili, parsley, dill, lime zest, and Dijon mustard to the crabmeat. Season generously with salt and pepper. Using a fork, mix everything together gently—you want to keep the lumps of white crabmeat as intact as possible.
3. Shape the cakes: Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions. With lightly floured hands, shape each portion into a neat, round patty about 2 cm (3/4 in) thick.
4. The crispy coating: Place the beaten egg in one shallow bowl and the breadcrumbs in another. Dip each crab cake into the egg, ensuring it is fully coated, and then roll it in the breadcrumbs until covered.
5. The mandatory chill: Place the coated crab cakes on a plate, cover with cling film, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 4 hours). This is the “Mary Berry secret”—chilling firms up the potato and egg, ensuring the cakes don’t fall apart in the pan.
6. Fry to golden: Heat the sunflower oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Fry the crab cakes for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until they are crisp, golden-brown, and heated through. Serve immediately with a squeeze of lime juice.

Recipe Tips

• Crab Ratio: Using a mix of white and brown crabmeat is essential. The white meat provides the texture and “chunks,” while the brown meat provides that deep, savory seafood flavor that defines a professional crab cake.
• Dry Potatoes: When making the mash, steam the potatoes rather than boiling them to keep them as dry as possible. Do not add butter or milk to the mash used for this recipe.
• Chilling: Never skip the chilling time. Because these cakes use very little flour, they rely on the cold temperature to stay structural during the initial sear.
• Pan Temperature: Don’t crowd the pan. Fry them in two batches if necessary. If the pan temperature drops too much, the breadcrumbs will soak up the oil and become greasy rather than crisp.

What To Serve With Mary Berry Crab Cakes?

This Mary Berry Crab Cakes Recipe is a light, elegant meal that needs a zesty or fresh pairing! Zesty Lime Mayonnaise is the quintessential choice for a creamy, acidic dip. For a balanced lunch, a Crisp Fennel and Orange Salad adds a lovely crunch that pairs perfectly with the sweet crab! A side of Lightly Buttered Samphire or a glass of Chilled Chablis pairs wonderfully with the dill and chili notes.

How To Store Mary Berry Crab Cakes

• Refrigerate: Store cooked crab cakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
• Reheat: To maintain the crunch, reheat in a hot oven at 180 C for 10 minutes. Avoid the microwave as it will make the breadcrumbs soggy.
• Freezing: You can freeze the shaped, uncooked cakes for up to 1 month. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap. Defrost completely in the fridge before frying as per the recipe.

Mary Berry Crab Cakes Recipe Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 215 kcal (per cake)
• Total Fat: 9 g
• Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
• Cholesterol: 85 mg
• Sodium: 420 mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 18 g
• Protein: 16 g
• Fiber: 1.5 g

Nutrition information is estimated based on the original recipe yield.

FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• Mary Berry Chinese Crab and Sweetcorn Soup Recipe
• Mary Berry Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
• Mary Berry Thai Spiced Soup Recipe