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Crispy Crab Cake Bites with Zesty Lemon-Dill Sauce | Easy Appetizer Recipe

Crispy Crab Cake Bites with Zesty Lemon-Dill Sauce

These crispy crab cake bites are golden on the outside, tender on the inside, and full of fresh crab flavor. Paired with a zesty lemon-dill sauce, they’re the perfect bite-sized appetizer for parties, holidays, or elegant snacking.

  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 16 bites 1x

Ingredients

Scale

🟡 For the Crab Cake Bites:

8 oz lump crab meat (drained and picked over)

1/3 cup breadcrumbs (panko or regular)

1 egg

2 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning (or paprika)

Salt & pepper to taste

Oil for pan-frying

🟡 For the Lemon-Dill Sauce:

1/3 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt

1 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest

1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)

Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl, gently combine crab meat, breadcrumbs, egg, mayo, mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire, parsley, and seasoning.

2. Use a spoon or small scoop to form bite-sized balls (about 1 tablespoon each). Place on a plate and chill for 15–20 minutes to set.

3. Meanwhile, whisk together all lemon-dill sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Chill until ready to serve.

4. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry crab cake bites in batches for 2–3 minutes per side until golden and crisp.

5. Transfer to paper towel–lined plate. Serve warm with lemon-dill sauce on the side or drizzled on top.

Notes

Make ahead: shape and refrigerate up to 1 day in advance.

Bake instead of fry at 400°F for 12–15 minutes for a lighter option.

Perfect for serving with toothpicks or in lettuce cups for party platters.

  • Author: Mila Bryn
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Pan-Frying
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 bites
  • Calories: 110
  • Sugar: 1g
  • Sodium: 310mg
  • Fat: 8g
  • Saturated Fat: 2g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 5g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 4g
  • Fiber: 0g
  • Protein: 6g
  • Cholesterol: 40mg

Keywords: crab cake bites, lemon dill sauce, seafood appetizer recipe