I served these crab balls for happy hour last weekend, and everyone devoured them!
These golden, crispy balls are packed with tender, succulent lump crab meat and a medley of flavorful seasonings.
I love serving these hot out of the fryer with my favorite dipping sauces. Garlic aioli is my favorite.
They’re always a hit at parties, but you can even make a batch just for yourself! No judgment here!
Why You’ll Love These Crab Balls
Party Pleaser: They’re a surefire hit at any party or gathering. Their bite-sized shape and crispy exterior make them perfect for snacking and mingling.
Make-Ahead Magic: You can shape the balls ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to cook. So they’re great for entertaining.
Impressive Presentation: They look fancy and impressive when served at a dinner party or special occasion.
Customizable Recipe: The recipe can be customized by adding different seasonings or dipping sauces. You can even try them with shrimp or lobster.
Ingredients
- Lump Crab Meat: The star of the show, it’s tender and succulent. Choose high-quality, fresh crab meat for the best flavor and texture.
- Crushed Ritz Crackers or Saltine Crackers: Crushed crackers add a subtle crunch and help maintain the shape of the crab balls.
- Mayonnaise: The creamy base that brings all the ingredients together.
- Egg: The essential ingredient for binding and structure.
- Onion: Finely diced onion adds a hint of sweetness and depth to the crab mixture.
- Seasonings: Add Dijon mustard, fresh parsley, Old Bay seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and optional hot sauce.
- Vegetable Oil: Choose a neutral oil with a high smoke point for the best results.
How to Make Crab Balls
Follow these simple steps to whip up these crab balls:
1. MIX the crab meat, cracker crumbs, mayonnaise, egg, onion, mustard, parsley, Old Bay, Worcestershire, lemon juice, and hot sauce (if using).
2. SHAPE the mixture into golf ball-sized crab balls. Compress gently to hold them together. Place on a baking sheet.
3. CHILL for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
4. HEAT 2-3 inches of vegetable oil to 350°F in a large pot or Dutch oven.
5. FRY the chilled crab balls into the hot oil using a slotted spoon. Fry until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per batch. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
6. SERVE the warm crab balls with lemon wedges and your favorite dipping sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.
Tips For the Best Crab Balls
Follow these tips for the best appetizer:
- Treat yourself. Use high-quality, fresh lump crab meat for the best flavor and texture. Pick over the meat to remove any shells or cartilage.
- Be gentle! Gently fold the crab meat into the other ingredients to avoid breaking up the lumps too much. Don’t overmix, as this can make the crab balls tough.
- Ditch the oil. Use a slotted spoon or tongs to remove the fried crab balls from the oil. Place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Add some freshness. Serve crab balls with lemon wedges, as the citrus complements the rich flavor and adds freshness.
- Vary them up. Experiment with different seasonings like Old Bay, Cajun spice, or curry powder. Add finely chopped vegetables like bell peppers or jalapeños for extra flavor and texture.
- Make it a meal. Serve these with rice, pasta, or this yummy loaded baked potato salad for a complete meal.
- Air fryer method. Cook the crab balls at 400°F for about 8 minutes in an air fryer. Work in batches so as not to overcrowd the basket, and remember to shake them halfway through cooking.
How to Store
Follow these steps to keep your leftover crab balls fresh:
To Store: Place cooled crab balls in an air-tight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days. Do not leave crab balls at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
To Freeze: Flash freeze uncooked or cooked and cooled crab balls in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Transfer to a freezer bag for 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before cooking/reheating.
To Reheat: Place the crab balls on a baking sheet and reheat in a preheated 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes. You can also heat them in a skillet over medium heat with a little oil or butter.
Crab Balls
36
servings10
minutes10
minutes57
kcalThese fried crab balls are so good, you won’t be able to stop eating them! They’re packed with luscious crab meat and savory flavors.
Ingredients
1 lb lump crab meat, drained and picked over for shells
1 cup crushed Ritz crackers or saltine crackers
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp finely diced onion
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Dash hot sauce (optional)
Vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- In a large bowl, gently mix together the crab meat, cracker crumbs, mayonnaise, egg, onion, mustard, parsley, Old Bay, Worcestershire, lemon juice, and hot sauce (if using). Try not to break up the lumps of crab meat too much.
- Using your hands, shape the mixture into golf ball-sized balls, compressing them gently so they hold together. Place on a baking sheet.
- Chill the crab balls in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or overnight. This helps them hold together better when frying.
- When ready to cook, heat about 2-3 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven to 350°F.
- Working in batches, carefully lower the chilled crab balls into the hot oil using a slotted spoon. Fry until golden brown all over, about 2-3 minutes per batch. Remove with the slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Serve the crab balls warm with lemon wedges and your favorite dipping sauce, such as remoulade, cocktail sauce, or garlic aioli. Garnish with additional chopped parsley if desired.
Hi Kim,
your recipe for crab balls sounds amazing! I can’t wait to try them. Question: Do they need to be served warm or are they ok at room temp?
Hi, Janice! These will taste fine either warm or at room temperature. Some people even serve them chilled, though I don’t personally like them that way. Just keep all your food safety precautions in mind when letting them sit out. You should definitely refrigerate them after 90 minutes to 2 hours. 🙂
Can I bake these instead of frying them?
Hi, Trish! I’ve never tried baking crab balls using this recipe, so I can’t be sure how well it works. As far as taste and safety go, yes, absolutely. You can bake them. The only thing I’d be concerned about is the texture. I’m not sure they’d get as crispy if you bake them.
Still, I did some digging around on the web, and here’s what I’ve come up with.
You CAN bake these, but make the following tweaks to the ingredients:
– Remove the vegetable oil. You obviously won’t need that if you aren’t frying them.
– Add 1 cup of panko breadcrumbs to coat the crab balls. (I think this will help offset the lack of frying and help you retain the crispy coating.)
Then, follow steps 1, 2, & 3 from the original recipe. After that, follow these steps:
4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease it with oil.
5. Place the Panko breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Roll each chilled crab ball in them to coat evenly, then place them on the prepared baking sheet.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until they are heated through and the outsides are lightly golden brown. For extra browning, you can broil them for an additional 1-2 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning.
7. Serve warm with lemon wedges and your favorite dipping sauces!
If you try this, come back and let me know how it turned out please! <3
Air fry?
Hi Gina!
Here’s the air fryer method:
Cook the crab balls at 400°F for about 8 minutes in an air fryer.
Work in batches so as not to overcrowd the basket, and remember to shake them halfway through cooking.
I’ve added this to the post, too, so thanks for asking 🙂