Crabby Patties

2 T. finely chopped onion
2 T. finely chopped celery
4-6 T. vegetable oil
1 tsp. thyme
1 lb. imitation crab meat, finely chopped
3/4 C. seasoned bread crumbs
1 T. Dijon mustard
2 T. mayonnaise
2 eggs, lightly beaten
salt and pepper to taste

Optional Dipping Sauce:
1 C. mayonnaise
3 T. ketchup
*Mix together*

Saute the onions and celery in 1 T. oil. Add thyme, lower the heat, and cook until the onions are translucent.

In a large bowl, combine crabmeat, onion/celery mix, bread crumbs, mustard, mayonnaise, egg, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Shape into round patties (using a small ice cream scoop, if desired) and gently pat flat.

Heat 3 T. oil in large skillet. Working in batches, place the crab cakes in a skillet and cook until golden brown (about 2 minutes per side). You may need to add more oil for the second and third batches.

Preheat the oven to 400*. Transfer crab cakes to a greased baking pan and bake for 10 minutes. They can be kept in a warm oven for approx. 30 minutes or they may be reheated at serving time. Serve with dipping sauce if desired.


This is another recipe courtesy of my husband. *gush* We were planning to have a traditional summer meal of grilled burgers, when my hubby came up with the idea to make "Crabby Patties" from the show "Sponge Bob". He looked online and found several recipes but this one stuck out. While it seems a bit cannibalistic for Mr. Krab to serve crab in his patties, this is great kid-friendly recipe and also an easy crab cake recipe. My son ate his like a hamburger and so did my daughter---even putting regular ketchup on hers. I ate mine without a bun (like I would a crab cake) and even reheated some the next day for left-overs. It was so good!! My husband and I LOVE crab cakes, so we'll definitely try this again. I'd take it to the next level and use REAL crab meat next time (although it's good enough with the imitation crab meat) and I'd love to try it with a spicy sauce. (We did not make the dipping sauce, but I'm sure that would have been a nice touch.) Just know that when the recipe says "gently pat", it really means it. These are some fragile "burgers"--too fragile to grill in my opinion. Still, the flavor was fantastic!!

Family Chef's Grade: A