These crab cakes have been in my family for a very long time. I remember my mom entertaining with this dish when I was a teenager – before I, or probably most people, knew what a canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce even was. I have the recipe scribbled on oil-stained notepaper, and it’s old enough to have margarine written right into the ingredient list!

It’s been updated and written for clarity, but mostly kept intact. This is one of those recipes I’ve made many times over the years, though I tend to keep it in my “special occasion” file – good crabmeat is pricey. When I do make it, I serve it to people I love and enjoy every crispy, golden bite.

You can pair these crab cakes with a simple soup and salad for a balanced, satisfying meal, or serve them alongside a creamy risotto and a seasonal vegetable if you’re wanting something a little more elegant.

You can use 2 (6-oz) cans of crabmeat, but Costco often carries fresh lump crabmeat in a 16-oz container in the refrigerated section, which works beautifully here and the option I prefer for this dish.

I hope you enjoy one of my fancy childhood favorites.

Cheers,
Christina

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Chili Crab Cakes with Chipotle Aioli

Crispy, golden crab cakes with sweet corn, green onion, and warm spices, served with a smoky chipotle mayonnaise and fresh lemon wedges. They make a great appetizer or as an entree.

Prep Time20

Cook Time15

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Keyword: crab cake

Servings: servings

Calories: 594kcal

Author: Christina Shoup

Ingredients

For the Chipotle Mayonnaise

½ cup mayonnaise
1 single canned chipotle chili pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped (do not drain)
1 tsp fresh lemon juice

For the Crab Cakes

2 tbsp butter
½ cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
¼ cup finely chopped green onion
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp crushed red pepper
3 large eggs beaten
⅔ cup fine dry bread crumbs
12 ounces crabmeat, fresh or canned drained, flaked, and cartilage removed
3 tbsp cooking oil avocado oil or expeller-pressed canola oil
Lemon wedges for serving

For Coating

3 tbsp fine dry bread crumbs
1 ½ tbsp cornmeal
1 ½ tbsp all-purpose flour

Instructions

Make the Chipotle Mayonnaise

In a small mixing bowl, stir together mayonnaise, finely chopped chipotle chili (with adobo sauce) and lemon juice.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Prepare the Crab Cakes

In a medium skillet melt the butter over medium heat and cook the corn, green onion, coriander, salt and crushed red pepper until the corn is tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together eggs, ⅔ cup bread crumbs, and crabmeat. Stir in the cooked corn mixture.
Using a full ⅓ cup of crab mixture for each, shape into eight ½-inch thick patties.

Coat the Crab Cakes

In a shallow dish, combine bread crumbs, cornmeal, and flour.
Coat each patty lightly in the mixture.

Cook the Crab Cakes

In a large skillet, heat cooking oil over medium heat.
Add half of the patties. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels. Keep warm in a 300°F oven while cooking remaining patties.
Serve warm with chipotle mayonnaise and lemon wedges.

Notes

Leftover chipotle peppers in adobo sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
For longer storage, freeze individual peppers with some of the adobo sauce in small portions (such as an ice cube tray) and thaw as needed.
For extra crispy crab cakes, chill the shaped patties for 20 – 30 minutes before cooking.

Nutrition

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