Crab Imperial is a dish seriously fit for royalty! I whipped it up last night, and my tastebuds are still doing a happy dance.
Succulent lump crab meat is folded into a velvety mixture of mayo, egg, and a blend of spices, including Old Bay. Then, I baked it until it was golden and bubbly on top, with a crispy Panko topping.
You’ll also appreciate how easy it is to make. This dish offers fancy restaurant vibes right in your own kitchen!
Why You’ll Love This Crab Imperial
Versatile Presentation: Prepare this delicious Crab Imperial in a large casserole dish for family-style dining. Or impress esteemed guests by making everyone their own portion in a ceramic ramekin.
Coastal Charm: Crab Imperial brings a taste of seaside dining to your table. A single bite can evoke memories of beach vacations and add a touch of coastal elegance to any meal.
Decadent Indulgence: This recipe offers a luxurious dining experience with its rich and creamy texture. It’s perfect for special occasions or when you want to treat yourself to something rich.
Ingredients
- Jumbo Lump Crabmeat: Get premium-grade crab meat consisting of the large, succulent lumps from the swimming fins. It’s some of the highest quality crab meat you can buy.
- Mayo: The creamy base binds everything together and adds richness and tanginess.
- Large Egg: It holds the crab mixture together during the baking process.
- Worcestershire Sauce: It offers depths of umami goodness to enhance the flavor profile.
- Dijon Mustard: For a subtle heat and extra tanginess to complement the crab’s sweetness.
- Lemon Juice: Add a bit of freshly squeezed juice to brighten the flavors.
- Seasonings: You can never go wrong with salt and pepper. But this recipe also includes another crucial seasoning: Old Bay. It gives the dish that distinctive Chesapeake Bay taste.
- Unsalted Butter: To keep the crab moist while baking. It also adds another layer of richness to the recipe.
- Fresh Parsley: Mince and add it for an herbaceous flavor and pop of color.
- Topping: A mixture of panko breadcrumbs, melted butter, Parmesan, and paprika. It gives the dish a crisp, golden-brown topping.
How to Make Crab Imperial
Crab Imperial is similar to a casserole recipe. As a result, the recipe has several steps, but they’re super easy.
1. Prepare. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 1-quart baking dish or four small ramekins.
2. Make the crab mixture. Gently combine everything except the butter, parsley, and the topping ingredients in a large bowl. Once well mixed, gently stir in the butter and the parsley.
3. Fill the dishes. Spread the mixture in the baking dish or divide it evenly between the ramekins.
4. Make and add the topping. Combine the breadcrumbs, butter, and Parmesan in a small bowl. Mix until the breadcrumbs are well-coated. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the crab mixture. Dust the top lightly with paprika.
5. Bake. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown. If desired, broil for the last 1 to 2 minutes to brown the top.
6. Serve. Serve the Crab Imperial hot. Garnish with additional parsley and lemon wedges if desired. Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Crab Imperial
Crab Imperial is a pretty straightforward recipe. Still, I can never resist adding a few tips.
- Quality is key. It makes a big difference. Look for fresh jumbo lump crabmeat. Avoid claw meat.
- Keep things fresh! Aside from fresh crab, you’ll also want fresh parsley and freshly grated Parmesan. (Grate it yourself. Don’t get the bagged or bottled kind.) Same goes for the lemon juice. Fresh is always best!
- Be gentle. Crab is pretty delicate and easy to break, so be gentle when stirring it with the other ingredients. You want to keep it as undamaged as possible for the best texture.
- Add a splash of sherry. Just a splash of a high-quality sherry will add wonderful depths of flavor to the dish.
- Don’t oversauce the mixture! You want just enough sauce to hold everything together. If you add too much, it’ll overpower the crab’s natural sweetness.
- Give it a rest. Before adding it to the dish(es) and baking, let it sit for about 30 minutes after mixing. Doing so will give the flavors time to meld and make the whole dish taste so much better.
- Enjoy it your way You can serve this as the main course with sides like salads, roasted asparagus, or green beans. Or you can use it as a stuffing for salmon, flounder, etc. Finally, it makes an excellent appetizer when served with crackers or crostini.
How to Store
Perhaps surprisingly for a seafood recipe, Crab Imperial stores and freezes quite well. So be sure not to toss out your leftovers just yet.
To Store: Refrigerate cooled Crab Imperial in an air-tight container for up to 2 days.
To Freeze: Place in a freezer-safe dish and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
To Reheat: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Reheat for 10 to 15 minutes until heated through. Or microwave smaller portions for 30 seconds at a time. Stir between each interval.
Crab Imperial
4
servings15
minutes20
minutes309
kcalCrab Imperial is a decadent Maryland-style casserole no one can resist! The blend of jumbo lump crabmeat, mayo, Dijon mustard, and Old Bay seasoning is just too good.
Ingredients
- For the Crab Mixture
1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, drained and picked over for shells
1/2 cup mayonnaise (Hellman’s or Duke’s recommended)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
- For the Panko Topping
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese (optional, for extra flavor)
paprika (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease four small ramekins or a 1-quart baking dish.
- In a large bowl, gently mix the crab, mayo, egg, Worcestershire, Dijon, lemon juice, Old Bay, salt, and pepper until combined. Be gentle to avoid breaking up the lumps of crab meat.
- Gently stir in the melted butter and parsley until just incorporated.
- Divide the crab mixture evenly between the prepared ramekins or spread it in the baking dish.
- In a small bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs with melted butter (and Parmesan, if using). Mix until the breadcrumbs are well-coated.
- Sprinkle the panko topping evenly over the crab mixture. Lightly dust with paprika for color and added flavor.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until the top is golden brown and bubbly. For additional browning, broil for the last 1-2 minutes of cooking time.
- Serve hot, garnished with additional parsley and lemon wedges if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use high-quality jumbo lump crabmeat. Avoid claw meat.
- Adjust the amount of Old Bay to suit your tastes.
Mix the crab gently so as not to break it. - Don’t oversauce the crab mixture. Also, let it rest for about 30 minutes before adding it to the casserole dish.
- Add a splash of sherry for more depth.
Can you use this recipe as a dip with chips?
It’s pretty thick, so chips sometimes break. I prefer it with crackers simply because they’re sturdier. However, yes, you can definitely use chips. Just pick up sturdy ones that can withstand the heaviness. 🙂