Crispy outside, tender in the center. These keto crab cakes start with fresh lump crab meat, mayo, stone ground mustard, and a few seasonings. Almond flour stands in for breadcrumbs, and it's just 0.5g net carbs.
I kept these simple on purpose. That’s the Maryland-style approach: let the sweet, delicate flavor of fresh lump crab meat do the talking. A good mayo (I use Best Foods or Dukes), stone ground mustard, and a few seasonings add just enough creaminess and tang without burying the crab. The whole thing comes together fast, which makes them one of the fastest low carb appetizers I put out.
What makes these low carb?
Instead of breadcrumbs, I use almond flour to bind everything together and keep them holding their shape in the pan. It gives the outside a light crunch, so they feel just like the traditional version. If you already stock almond flour for things like almond flour crackers, you have the main binder in your pantry.
I’ve fried hundreds of these at this point, and oil temperature matters more than anything. I wait until the surface is slick and glistening before the first one goes in. Too early and you get pale, soggy sides. Too hot and the coating burns before the inside warms through. Medium to medium-high heat, and watch the edges. When they go golden, flip.
One thing I get asked about a lot: pork rinds work as a 1:1 substitute for the almond flour if you need a nut-free option. Same 3 tablespoons, crushed fine. The only catch is pork rinds add more salt, so the Old Bay will taste stronger. I always taste the mix before forming them when I go that route. If you want to make your own, my homemade pork rinds recipe is worth the effort.
If you’re making these ahead of time, refrigerate the formed patties for 30 minutes before frying. The cold firms up the binding so they hold together better in the pan. I do this whenever I’m prepping for a party, and the difference in how well they flip is noticeable.
These work as more than just an appetizer. With 8.5g of protein per serving, I plate two or three alongside a big salad for a keto dinner. For a party spread, I set out a platter with stuffed mushrooms and salmon cucumber bites alongside these, and they always go first.
Which crab meat to buy
I prefer fresh lump crab meat because the flavor is noticeably sweeter and cleaner, and the chunks hold their shape when you fold them into the mixture. At the seafood counter, you’ll see a few grades. Jumbo lump is the premium pick (large, intact pieces from the body), but it’s pricey. Backfin is my go-to for these because it’s a mix of broken lump and flake that binds well and still tastes like real crab, at about half the price.
Canned works fine if that’s what you have. I drain it well and pick through for shells and cartilage. I use the same 8 oz the recipe card calls for. Canned holds more moisture, which means you need another tablespoon or two of almond flour, otherwise the mixture gets too sloppy to hold together in the pan. These are naturally gluten free and keto since there’s no flour or breadcrumb coating, just the almond flour binder.
Sauces I make for these
I make a quick remoulade by mixing 1/4 cup mayo, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon chopped capers, a squeeze of lemon juice, a dash of hot sauce, and a pinch of Old Bay. Takes about 2 minutes and tastes better than anything from a jar. I keep it in the fridge for up to a week.
When I want something different, a quick sriracha mayo with a squeeze of lime gives these a completely different feel. Just mix 2 tablespoons of mayo with a teaspoon of sriracha and some fresh lime juice. For a party spread, I’ll set out two or three options and let people choose. I’ve served these alongside bacon jalapeno popper dip as a shared dipping option, and people went for it. Avocado deviled eggs round out the spread nicely. For something lighter, a lemon wedge and fresh parsley let the crab flavor come through without competing. I’ve also done a garlic aioli when I wanted something richer.
How to store leftovers
Cooked leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. I reheat them in a skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes per side to get the crispiness back. The microwave works in a pinch, but you lose that crispy exterior.
If I’m making these ahead for a party, I form the patties and refrigerate them uncooked for up to 24 hours. That chill time before frying actually helps them hold together better in the pan, so it’s a win either way.
For freezing, I go with uncooked patties. I form them, set them on a parchment lined sheet in the freezer for about an hour, then transfer to a freezer bag. They keep for up to 3 months. When I’m ready, I fry them straight from frozen and add about a minute per side. The texture holds up well.
In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, parsley, green onions, lemon juice, Old Bay Seasoning, mustard, lemon zest and Worcestershire.
For this step
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon thinly sliced green onions
1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
1 teaspoon grain mustard
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2
You're crabby
Add the lump crab meat to the mayo mixture and gently combine. Keep the pieces in chunks since more ingredients still need to go in. If the crab is juicy, add about ½ tbsp extra mayo to help it bind into cakes. Don’t add too much or you’ll need more almond flour to compensate.
For this step
8 oz lump crab meat, fresh or canned
3
Add almond flour
Add in the almond flour and mix gently to just combine making sure not to shred the crab meat too much.
For this step
3-4 tablespoons almond flour
4
Form the cakes
Form the mixture into 6 cakes, about 2 oz (about 2 tbsp) for each cake and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet.
5
Fry them
Heat the olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium to medium-high heat. Fry in batches of 2-3 cakes, about 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Adjust the heat as needed so they cook through without burning. Set finished cakes on a lined baking sheet to keep warm. Serve immediately.
For this step
2 tablespoons olive oil
Nutrition
Per serving: 1 crab cake
Calories
148
Fat
12.2g
Protein
8.5g
Total carbs
1g
Net carbs
0.5g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bake these or make them in an air fryer instead of pan-frying?
Yes, I've done both. For the oven, preheat to 425F, set the patties on a parchment lined baking sheet, brush the tops with a little olive oil, and bake 12-15 minutes total, flipping once at the halfway mark. For the air fryer, spray the basket with avocado oil, cook at 375F for 8 minutes, flip halfway through, and give them space (3 at a time max). Both ways still crisp the edges and keep the inside tender, but neither gets as golden as the pan. I use the oven when I'm making a bigger batch and don't want to fry in rounds.
What can I use instead of almond flour?
Coconut flour works, but not 1:1. It absorbs far more moisture, so use about 1 tablespoon where I'd use 3 of almond flour, then add a half teaspoon at a time if the mix still feels wet. That version comes out a little denser, closer to a traditional crab cake, and holds together the same. Crushed pork rinds are the other swap, a touch more airy than almond flour, and I cover that one in the post above.
My crab cakes fall apart. Do I need to add an egg?
No, there's no egg in my recipe on purpose. The mayo and the almond flour together are what hold these cakes, so when one crumbles it almost always means the crab was too wet, not that an egg is missing. Drain it well, and if the mix still feels sloppy when you scoop it, use the fix I describe above: work in a little more almond flour and chill the formed patties for 30 minutes before they hit the pan.
Can I use imitation crab meat?
I don't. Imitation crab is surimi, a fish paste held together with starch and often sugar, so it brings carbs that real crab doesn't and mashes into a paste instead of staying in chunks. Lump crab is what gives these the tender center and keeps them at 0.5g net carbs per cake. If fresh lump is out of budget, backfin or canned crab both work, and I cover both in the post above.
Debated whether to bring these to a dinner party or stick with something I’d tested a dozen times. They held their crust and shape after sitting in a low oven for 20 minutes before serving, which was the real test. The one person there who orders crab cakes every time she sees them on a menu came back for two more without a word, just grabbed them. Four stars because I’d go heavier on the Old Bay for a bigger crowd, but that’s an easy fix.
Been working through a double batch since Sunday and figured out the reheating situation. Air fryer at 350 for four minutes brings them back crispy. Pan reheating just softens the outside. One thing that caught me off guard: at two cakes per sitting, the whole recipe is basically three meals. Good to know before you commit to it as a weekly prep thing.
Made these last week and they were great, but two of my six fell apart on the flip. Not sure what went wrong. I waited for the edges to brown, kept the heat at medium, and used a stainless pan instead of nonstick since that’s all I had. Does pan type actually affect how they hold together, or does almond flour just need more time to firm up than I gave it? Is there something besides edge color to watch for before flipping?
Hi Sonia, the stainless probably isn’t your problem. Moisture is. I chill the formed cakes for 20 minutes before they hit the oil, and if the mix feels wet when you scoop it, work in another tablespoon of almond flour. For the flip, nudge one with the spatula first: if it slides, it’s ready. If it grabs, give it another minute.
Pan fits four but three is the real answer. Crowding drops the oil temp enough that they just sit there absorbing instead of crisping, and almond flour can’t recover the way a thicker breading would. More space than seems necessary.
Oil temp is everything with almond flour. I’ve tried four and they just sat there sweating instead of crisping (recovery doesn’t happen the way it does with panko). Three max, even if the pan looks like it has room.
I’d written off crab cakes when I went keto. Figured the almond flour swap would be a downgrade and just stopped ordering them. I was wrong. The Old Bay and stone ground mustard taste exactly like I remember, and the crust actually gets crispy. I’ve checked the macros three times because 0.5g net carbs per serving just doesn’t look right. Three batches in now. Chilling them 20 minutes before frying made a difference (the first batch fell apart on the flip; these didn’t). Made them for dinner last week. First crab cake in almost two years that didn’t feel like settling.
Not worth it for exactly that reason. Imitation is mostly pollock and starch, so the texture goes mushy and the net carbs climb for no payoff. Lump is what gives these the tender center.
I freeze them uncooked. Shape the patties, lay them flat on parchment, freeze until solid, then transfer to a bag. Cook from frozen and just add a couple minutes per side.
Wasn’t sure almond flour would hold these together like breadcrumbs do, but they fried up firm and didn’t fall apart once. The Old Bay comes through exactly like you’d want.
The mayo does more of the binding work than people expect. Almond flour is really just texture and crust. If you ever make a batch that feels loose before frying, 20 minutes in the fridge firms them right up.
My grandma made these every summer. Genuinely thought that was behind me when I went keto. The Old Bay smell hit me hard. Making these every spring from now on.
I’ve made crab cakes from scratch before and always figured the breadcrumbs were doing structural work that nothing else could replicate (they bind, they give texture, the whole thing). Made these mostly to prove a point to myself. The almond flour completely surprised me, the outside got this real sear, golden and almost crackling at the edges, and the lump crab stayed in actual big chunks instead of the mush you get from the cheap imitation versions. Three batches in now and I’m still not fully over it.
Batch four this spring and I keep forgetting to double it. The almond flour crust gets genuinely crispy in a way I did not think was possible without breadcrumbs, and the crab stays in real chunks the way it should.
Next time double it and freeze half raw. I set them on parchment, freeze until solid, then transfer to a bag. 20 minutes on the counter and they’re ready to go.
I’ve made traditional crab cakes plenty of times, but this is my first try with almond flour as the binder. Do they hold together as well, or do I need to pack them more firmly before frying?
They hold. The 3-4 tablespoon range in the recipe matters though – if your mix feels loose when you scoop, go with 4. I chill mine for about 20 minutes before they hit the pan and that does more than packing tightly.
Mine kept falling apart on the flip until I let them chill in the fridge for 20 minutes before frying. The flavor is there (the stone ground mustard adds something I wasn’t expecting), but I do think a note about chilling would save people some frustration.
If your cakes keep falling apart, try chilling them for 20 minutes before frying. The almond flour needs time to absorb everything and firm up. Made all the difference.
These came out really well and I’m genuinely impressed with how the almond flour held everything together without making them dense or grainy. The Old Bay with the lemon zest is such a nice combination, bright and savory at the same time. I’ve been searching for a crab cake recipe that didn’t feel like a compromise, and this one mostly delivers. My one note is that I’d probably pull back the mustard just slightly next time, maybe a touch less stone grain, because it was competing a bit with the crab flavor for me rather than just backing it up. The frying instructions were spot on though, medium to medium-high heat in batches gave me a really good golden crust without them falling apart. At half a gram of net carbs these are genuinely something I’ll keep coming back to, just with a small mustard adjustment on my end.
My daughter has a tree nut allergy so the almond flour is out. I’ve seen cassava flour work as a binder in other recipes (not strict keto, I know, but she’s not keto anyway), though I’m not sure it would hold these together since the mayo seems to be doing most of the binding work. Any nut-free options that would still get a crispy outside?
Pork rinds work here. Crush them small, 3 tablespoons, and they hold and crisp the same way. Cassava I haven’t tried in these but I’d expect gummy results. Pull back on the Old Bay with pork rinds though, they’re already salty.
Making these for my sister next week and she can’t have tree nuts, so almond flour is out. Would crushed pork rinds hold together as well, or would they fall apart when I flip them?
Pork rinds work. Crush them fine, same 3 tablespoons. They hold together on the flip, just a little more airy than almond flour. Only thing to watch: they’re salty, so hold off on extra salt until you taste the mix.
My husband is allergic to almonds, so almond flour is literally the only thing keeping him from these. Would crushed pork rinds work as a binder, or would that mess up the texture?
Pork rinds work, just crush them fine. Same 3 tablespoons. They’ll add a bit more salt so the Old Bay might taste stronger, worth tasting the mix before you form the cakes.
