Crab Cakes, Charleston Style

📍 Where this dish comes from: Charleston, South Carolina · Rainbow Row
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A proper Charleston crab cake is about the crab, not the filler — and this version leans even harder into that principle, using just enough almond flour and egg to hold everything together so the sweet lump crab meat stays front and center.

What You’ll Need

Crab Cakes, Charleston Style

Pan-seared crab cakes loaded with lump crab meat and bound with almond flour instead of breadcrumbs.

Print Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 310kcal

Ingredients

• 1 lb lump crab meat picked over for shells
• 1/3 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
• 2 green onions finely chopped
• 3 tbsp butter for frying
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

• In a bowl, gently combine crab meat, almond flour, mayonnaise, egg, Dijon mustard, Old Bay, and green onions, being careful not to break up the crab too much.
• Form mixture into 8 patties. Chill 20 minutes.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.
• Cook crab cakes 3–4 minutes per side, until golden brown and heated through.
• Serve warm with lemon wedges.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 310kcal | Protein: 24g | Fat: 22g | Fiber: 1g

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Health Benefits

• Crab meat is a lean, low-carb source of protein and selenium.
• Almond flour binds the cakes while adding healthy fats not found in traditional breadcrumbs.
• A minimal-filler recipe that keeps the focus on high-quality seafood.

Pairs Well With

• Pan-Fried Okra, Cornmeal-Style Crust
• Cucumber and Vidalia Onion Salad