
The baked crab cakes are out of this world! You'll think they came from a high end restaurant.
Serve these as an appetizer or enjoy as a meal with a salad.
Trying to come up with a low fat crab cake was quite a challenge, but you won't miss the fried version when you taste these. The sauce adds just the right amount of heat to them, but you can adjust to your taste.
I highly recommend using fresh crab meat rather than canned for best results. Do not skip refrigerating the patties before baking, this really helps them stay together.
Baked Lump Crab Cakes with Red Pepper Chipotle Lime Sauce
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1 cake • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 173.6 • Fat: 8.8g • Protein: 13.1 g • Carb: 11.7 g • Fiber: 1.3 g
Ingredients:
For the Crab Cakes:
- 9 ounces lump crab meat, picked free of shells
- 1/2 cup (about 13) reduced fat Ritz crackers, crushed
- 1 whole egg plus 1 egg white, beaten
- 2 finely chopped scallions
- 2 tbsp finely chopped red bell pepper
- 1 tbsp low fat mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro (or parsley)
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- salt and pepper to taste
- cooking spray
For the Zesty Chipotle Lime Sauce:
- 1 tbsp roasted peppers (jarred)
- 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
- 1 tsp minced canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
- 1 tsp fresh lime juice
Directions:
Red Pepper Chipotle Lime Sauce:
In a small blender (or magic bullet) puree mayonnaise, lime juice, roasted pepper and chipotle pepper.
Crab Cakes:
In a large bowl, combine crushed crackers, eggs, scallions, pepper, mayo, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper. Mix well, then fold in crab meat, careful not to over mix so the crab remains in large chunks. Gently shape into patties using a 1/2 cup measuring cup.
Chill in the refrigerator at least 1/2 hour before baking.
Preheat oven to 400°. Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray. Bake about 8-10 minutes on each side, until nicely browned.
Drizzle red pepper chipotle lime sauce over crab cakes and serve.


















The sauce sounds great, and I would like to use it on other foods! What is the Points value of it? Thanks!!!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE me some crab cakes...
ReplyDeleteI did a low fat one as well... http://greenlitebites.com/2007/11/14/maryland-ish-crab-cakes/
ans so does hubby. ;)
Did you use yogurt or light mayo in the sauce? The directions say yogurt but the ingredients say mayo?
ReplyDeleteThanks for noticing, the first batch had yogurt but I didn't care for it with yogurt so I remade it. I'll adjust that!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing Roni, I'll check yours out!!
ReplyDeleteI love crab cakes and these look fantastic. Never would guess they were figure friendly!
ReplyDeletewow those look wonderful...just delicious!!!
ReplyDeleteGina, I just want to THANK YOU for all your hard work in keeping this site!! Your recipes are AMAZING and your photos draw me in by their appearance of lusciousness!!! THANKS AGAIN!! I will be making yet another "Gina" recipe!! :o)
ReplyDeleteCould you use canned tuna as I am not a big crab fan? If so what would the points be?
ReplyDeleteYou could probably use chopped shrimp and make shrimp cakes, or cooked fish, but I'm not sure how it would taste with canned tuna.
ReplyDeleteThe chipotle sauce alone is 1 point per serving. (makes 4 servings) Serving size for sauce is 4 teaspoons.
ReplyDeleteThose are some lovely looking crab cakes - the sauce looks especially nice on top!
ReplyDeleteThese look SO GOOD! I love crab cakes, but rarely indulge...I may just have to change that! :o)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE crabcakes and have never made them at home. They have always been something I order out, so I cannot wait to taste these!!! Thanks again Gina!!!
ReplyDeleteI have been looking for a good crab cake recipe -- these look delicious! Especially with that sauce, I definitely like some heat :)
ReplyDeleteThese look A-W-E-S-O-M-E! Thanks so much for your blog--I read it all the time--just don't post much. I'll make these this weekend for sure!
ReplyDeletemmmm, these are gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteCould you use imitation crab meat?
ReplyDelete~Terry
You could use imitation crab meat, it just won't taste as good as fresh lump crab meat. Also, I've tried this with canned crab, but I did not care for the taste. It had a metallic taste to it. Fresh is best!
ReplyDeleteMmmm, I'm going to try this using shrimp, that would work, don't you think? I always have some shrimp around. I love the sauce too!
ReplyDeleteThese look soooo good!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to try this! I'm looking for an easy seafood salad recipe using imitation crabmeat. Just something I can throw on an Arnold Sandwich thin.
ReplyDeleteThis looks super yummy!
ReplyDelete@Proud, I think it would be great with shrimp!
ReplyDeleteYUMMMM!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI made these for dinner tonight. DELICIOUS! Thank you for the wonderful recipe. The only time consuming part was picking all the crab meat out of the shells. That took a long time LOL. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteGina - I just made these for dinner tonight and they were SCRUMPDIDDLYUMPTIOUS!! My husband and I both loved them. Thank you soo much! I love your site!
ReplyDeleteExcellent!!! Glad you liked it!!
ReplyDeletegina- i kinda feel dumb asking this but i was wondering if you could explain what jarred roasted peppers are or where i could get them. is that something i could get at like safeway?
ReplyDeletesorry! i'm just getting into cooking! thanks for your help!
Thank you so much for this recipe- the crabcakes were delicious! I'm also very thankful for the tip you gave about gently folding the crab into the mixture. I've made crabcakes before and roughly combined all the ingredients. Eating chunks of crab doesn't even compare. Lovely!
ReplyDeleteYes, roasted peppers come in a glass jar, sometimes in oil, sometimes in water. Use the ones that come in water. Probably in the Italian section or near the olives.
ReplyDeleteare they peperoncinis?
ReplyDeleteNo, roasted red peppers. If you can't find them, you can make your own roasted pepper by charring the skin on a grill or stove. A little more involved.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, inspirational blog! thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteGina! You are the best! This recipe was so beyond delicious.
ReplyDeleteYou are an inspiration... My boyfriend said we need to send you a thank you gift, we have tried 7 of your dishes so far and have been amazed by all!
Tell your boyfriend he is very sweet!! Glad you liked everything you tried so far!
ReplyDeleteJust finished making/eating these. These were awesome. I have made a ton of your recipes but I think this is one of the best so far. I had no problems with using canned crab; tasted great. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for making Weight Watchers a little easier. I have loved all of your recipes that I have tried....especially the fish with the Thai coconut curry sauce....that one is Wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI ran across your recipe on tastespotting and made thme tonight! They are the best crab cakes I have ever had! Thank you
ReplyDeleteI made these as a special treat for my husband for Valentine's Day. Delicious, especially with the sauce! I doubled the recipe, in order to have leftovers. My husband took 2 to work the next day, and when he reheated them at his office, his coworkers wanted to know where he got such wonderful food! Thanks for making them think I'm a great cook!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy you all enjoyed them! And Donna, anytime!
ReplyDeleteMade these tonight with my fiance. Unfortunately our market was sold out of lump crab meat but we bought some pasteurized stuff in can. Expensive but tasted amazing! We also accidentally bought the peppers in oil so I just rinsed them. I've ordered crab cakes a few times and split them with my fiance, and they have NEVER been as good as these were! Seriously, filling but not overwhelmingly rich.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment Natasha!!
ReplyDeleteGina,
ReplyDeleteI noticed that you didn't have the Points Plus value so I put it in my recipe builder, it looks like they're now 5 points for one. Can you just confirm this?
Thank you!
Silly question, but can I let the cakes sit in the fridge overnight, or would they not hold well? I am trying to cut prep time for the day that I serve them.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all of your WONDERFUL recipes and willingness to help.
Can I use whole wheat bread crumbs instead of the ritz crackers?
ReplyDeleteHi Gina!
ReplyDeleteJust found this and I would like to try it out! I've never bought crab before, and I'm a little confused - everything I'm finding (even the fresh stuff) is already cooked. Is that what I should be buying, or should I be looking for uncooked lump?
Great recipe! It was refreshing having a crab cake where you can actually taste the crab and not just filling. The sauce is wonderful!! I made with the mussels and it was a wonderful meal!!
ReplyDeleteABSOLUTELY LOVED THESE :)
ReplyDeleteI can't believe I haven't seen this recipe on here before! We LOVE crab cakes. I'm going to make these this week. Thank you for making such yummy food!!
ReplyDeleteI made these tonight and they were WONDERFUL! My husband and I gobbled them up. The little ones didn't love them so much but they gave them a shot. That's fine with us since it meant more for my husband and I! :) I can't wait to make them again.
ReplyDeleteGina- I love your site! I had my parents & brother over for dinner last Saturday & my mom recently lost 30 pounds and has been a real pain at ANYTHING where food is served, making it hard to cook for the boys & her. My dad is obsessed with crab cakes, so I made these - no one but mom knew they were low cal & they were a HUGE hit. I served them with some pan friend corn & asparagus with a little olive oil and minced garlic. These were amazing!
ReplyDeletePan fried corn and asparagus sounds like a perfect side dish for this!
ReplyDeleteDelicious! My family loved these. Do you think it would be ok to make them the night before you plan to bake them for dinner? It would be great if I could do that and just have my husband put them in the oven. Thanks for sharing your fabulous recipes. I really think you should publish a book with all of them!
ReplyDeleteThanks Terri! I think that would work out fine!
ReplyDeleteGina, I can't find the measurements for the sauce. The tablespoon of mayo goes in the crab cakes, but I don't see how much goes in the sauce. And, how much of the roasted red peppers. If you've answered this before, I apologize! This is my third recipe of yours I'm trying, and I am ADDICTED (in a good, non-obsessive way of course). :)
ReplyDeleteAGGHHHH! Just found the measurements for the sauce. Mommy brain!!! I apologize...
ReplyDeleteok good :)
ReplyDeleteThese are absolutely delicious! I made them tonight for my (pretty finicky) boyfriend and me. He loved the sauce and crab combo! I forgot the chipotle chilis in adobo sauce at the store, so I subbed chipotle powder. It still tasted pretty good. Thanks Gina!!
ReplyDeleteI made these for my family on mothers day.. they were amazing. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteGina, my boyfriend and I have been cooking our way through your website and we have had SUCH great luck with all of your recipes. I made these for him on Friday night... AMAZING. You're the best!
ReplyDeleteI love crab cakes! <3 I made this last night and it was amazing! It was a hit! Thank you so much for sharing! You have another subscriber that will visit you excellent food blog often! :) Joules
ReplyDeleteGood to hear!
ReplyDeleteThese were amazing! I love crab, but usually I'm not crazy about crab cakes. My sister and I gave these a shot and were NOT let down. Delicious; I can't wait to make them again.
ReplyDeleteThese are SO delicious! I am usually not a big fan of crab cakes - too rich, but my family loves them. We all thought these were great. We made them very small and served as appetizers at a family gathering. They were perfect, and Mom and I loved how many we got to eat for 5 pp! Thanks Gina, I will be making these for dinner soon.
ReplyDeleteWould it be good with oatmeal instead of Ritz crackers?
ReplyDeleteI'm not really sure, maybe bread crumbs.
ReplyDeletegreat recipe, can't wait to try it. i'm a little intimated by the fresh crab part.. can you explain what kind of crab, how to cook it, etc?
ReplyDeletethanks so much!
I made this for my husband last night, and he said it was hands down, the best thing I have ever made and definitely a repeater! Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteI just tried to make this for some friends. I made the crab cakes and let them sit in the refrigerator overnight in and air tight container to ensure that they would stay together. Otherwise, I followed your recipe to the letter and had terrible results. The cakes stuck to the baking sheet, despite my use of cooking spray. They also fell apart, no matter how delicate I was with them. What a waste of money.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear that, I wonder what went wrong, you're the first person who had a problem with them.
ReplyDeleteI made these for dinner tonight with canned lump crab meat as that is all we can get in our area right now. They were excellent! Picky spouse who is not on WW loved them too. Thanks for all the great recipes! I love your site!
ReplyDeleteThis recipe was amazingly delicious! I used canned crab from Costco and doubled the recipe. Hubby and I loved it and will use this sauce on everything! So glad I found your site and look forward to trying many more recipes!
ReplyDeleteI have just started getting into cooking and need to know where to find canned chipotle chillies in adobo sauce?
ReplyDeleteHi Gina, I can't say enough wonderful things about you and the work you have done with this website. My friend sent my a link last week and I have made about 8 recipes so far. Each better than the one before.
ReplyDeleteI'm not one for spicy so I didn't even bother with the sauce. What is the points value of the crab cakes alone and the sauce alone? Thanks again!
Am new to your website but have tried a few recipes and they are delicious! Can I freeze these crab cakes? Since I am cooking for 2, I try to pick recipes that can be cut in half or that I can freeze half. So my $.02 is if you could, where possible, indicate what can be frozen. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI think you could freeze them before baking. Then you'll have a meal for another night!
ReplyDeleteWow these were great! I didn't make the sauce to go with them (couldn't track down the canned peppers), and they were awesome anyways!
ReplyDeleteDidn't even taste like a "healthy" version - full flavor like the good stuff :)
Thank you!
I just had these for dinner tonight. Super easy to make and hubby and I LOVED them. The sauce is awesome. I actually made extra to use on sandwiches. :)
ReplyDeleteGina, these were delicious!! I did make them without your sauce only because of the heat factor. I made a lemon vinaigrette that I usually serve with crab cakes and served them on a bed of spring mix. Goes great with Pinot Grigio! Everyone wanted more so I will have to double the recipe next time!! TY for all your delicious and healthy recipes. I'll be making the spinach and zit, sofrito chicken stew, and the angel hair with shrimp and asparagus this week too! Can't wait to try them.
ReplyDeleteGross, spell check turned the ziti to zit in my post!.....and just did it again!
ReplyDeleteGina, I haven't tried any of your dishes as of yet, however they look DELISH! I am uber excited to try them all. I'll let you know how they turn out. Blessings!
ReplyDeleteJust made this and it was wonderful, the sauce was so good. I just found your site and can't wait to try more recipes. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI've been wanting to make these but my husband doesn't like mayo. Is there anything you can recommend as a substitution? I'm not concerned about the point value of a substitution since we are not doing WW.
ReplyDeleteI feel like mayo is a must, maybe do half mayo, half Greek yogurt.
ReplyDeleteGina- My husband and I just finished the cakes and they were so yummy!! The only problem was that they fell apart a bit, which isn't a big deal for us, but I wondered if you had any other tips to try to get them to stick together a little better (besides putting them in the fridge)? More egg? Thanks in advance for your advice! We love your website and have really enjoyed everything we've made (at least over 10 of your recipes!). Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteScrum diddly umptions! WOW! Luckily I had enough points left to have 2 servings! Restaurant quality for sure! The sauce was spicy and a great compliment to it. Added a salad and asparagus. Thanks for this one...coconut shrimp tomorrow. You make "dieting" easy!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely Delicious! Made these for dinner last night and the fiance didn't even realize they weren't fried. The Chipotle sauce is absolutely perfect!
ReplyDeleteCan yo tell me the point value and calories for the crab cakes without the sauce?
ReplyDeletemy husband and i are trying these tonight. just put them in the oven and they already smell delicious. just wanted to say thank you for creating such amazing recipes. we definitely don't feel like we're on a "diet" but rather just eating healthy. thanks!
ReplyDeleteWhat about panko crumbs rather than ritz? Could that work?
ReplyDeleteI am going to make these crab cakes tonight. I attended a crab feed this past weekend compliments of my boss. He also attended (his wife was part of the group that sponsored the feed) and he threw out 8 crabs because they were sick of crab! He and I went dumpster diving (they were only in the garbage a few minutes) to retrieve the tossed crab! I plan on making as many cakes as I can and freezing them for future use. Thanks and I really enjoy your website!
ReplyDeleteJust made these tonight for dinner and they were amazing. We almost decided to skip the chipotle lime sauce, but I'm so glad we didn't. It was perfect and we also put avacado on top! I plan on trying the summer tomatoes, corn, crab and avacado salad tomorrow with the left over crab meat!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your recipes. My friend and I are in college and make a new recipe of yours every week! You make eating healthy so much more fun!
These are the best crab cakes I have ever eaten!
ReplyDeleteCrab cakes!! I crave them all the time! I can't wait to try your recipe!
ReplyDeleteGood morning! I just wanted to let you know that I shared this recipe on my weekly seafood roundup. Thank you for allowing me to share! http://carriesexperimentalkitchen.blogspot.com/2012/03/week-10-seafood-frenzy-friday.html
ReplyDeleteWOW! Absolutely delicious! My whole family said "wow they taste like they came from a high end restaurant" ! Thanks for sharing! Simply .... Amazing!
ReplyDeleteI made these for some friends over the weekend and they were a big hit! I was shocked at how easy they were to make as well.
ReplyDeleteI want to make these tonight. I have dried chipotle peppers and dried adobo seasoning. Do you think I could conjure up something close to the "canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce" with that?
ReplyDeleteI just want to thank you for sharing this recipe. It was beyond delicious. EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY difficult to have just one serving, so make sure your willpower's set to high!
ReplyDeleteI love your recipes, we cook very similar. I make these crab cakes at least once a month. Last night my husband requested them for fathers day:) I switched it up a little and put each crab cake on a large Portabella mushroom then baked for 20 or 25 minutes. Yum, so good!
ReplyDeleteI just made these today with white rice & creamed corn.. So, so delicious!! I will make them again! Made a double batch & may have one tonight on a multigrain sandwich thin :d
ReplyDeleteSo I really wanted to try this recipe but husband brought home canned of crabmeat. I don't even know where he found it. Could I use it or just wait till I get back to the store and try it all another night. Thanks!!!
ReplyDeleteI made these for a tailgate today and they were a huge hit! I tripled the recipe and made smaller appetizer sized patties. I ended up with 45. I made them the night before and baked them in the morning. I did find that there was a little too much lime juice, so they were sitting in the juice after being refrigerated for a couple of hours. After draining the juice, they were perfect. Thanks so much - your recipes are amazing!!
ReplyDeleteGina, you answered the mayo question above, but I'm hoping for a different answer:-). I'm allergic to eggs and dairy (the greek yogurt sub you suggested). Have you tried anything with vegan mayo and egg products? Think it would work? I haven't had crab cakes in so long, but I must try these!
ReplyDeleteI dont know what it is but altho I like all your recipes, your seafood ones always blow me away! This was soo good and my friend loved it. The only change I made was I added old bay seasoning to the crabcake mix and used extra roasted red peppers for the sauce.
ReplyDeleteCould you sub the Ritz Crackers for Panko breadcrumb? Or would it not taste as good?
ReplyDeleteAs these were sooo delicious and it left me wanting more but at $20 for only 8oz of lump crab I can't afford it. I will try it with shrimp as someone else suggested. I love this site!!
ReplyDelete