Crab cake bites are baked to a golden brown slightly crunchy perfection instead of fried. Low calorie, gluten free, high protein appetizer!

If you need a crowd-pleasing appetizer that always disappears first, these Mini Crab Cake Bites are it. As a dietitian who loves fast, delicious, nutrient-packed party food, I am fully obsessed with these little guys. These will not be called “bready” crab cakes because they do not skimp on crab meat (or contain bread!). They’re made with premium lump crab, are naturally gluten-free, low-carb, and surprisingly high in protein—which means they’re just as satisfying as they are fun to eat.

What’s better? They bake in one batch. No frying. No babysitting a pan. No stress.
Just mix, scoop, bake… and look like the host who effortlessly has it all together. You can even prep them in advance!

Why Will You Love These Mini Crab Cake Bites?

• High protein, low carb, AND gluten-free → yes, all three. The crab meat, Greek yogurt, and egg really up the protein content of these crispy crab cake bites. 
• A showstopper, without the work -- let's be honest, anything with crab (or lobster) feels high-end and special.  These crab cakes are a great way to bring a home-cooked, high-end feel, but with very minimal work.  
• Babysitting the pan - Make a large batch in the oven or a couple of small batches in the air fryer.  Either way, these come together quickly without you babysitting a frying pan, trying to turn them over individually.  

What Ingredients Will You Need For These Mini Crab Cakes? 

Here’s a preview of what goes into these easy mini crab cakes, with dietitian notes to help you choose the best options.

Greek Yogurt

A little Greek yogurt boosts tenderness and protein, helps bind, and adds richness while keeping carbs low. You can use 2%, whole, or non-fat versions! I used 2% to mimic the creaminess of mayo. I don’t usually love Greek yogurt as a substitute for mayo, I tend to do half and half. But, in this recipe, it works because the tangy side of Greek yogurt perfectly complements your crab!  No Greek yogurt on hand? You can use regular plain yogurt, dairy-free yogurt, or mayo.  

Oat Flour

Oat flour acts as a binder. I love it and use it all the time.  However, you can use a variety of binders, such as breadcrumbs (gluten-free if needed).  If you still have some coconut flour on hand from when that was a trend, you probably need to toss it, but you can use it here if it's not expired.  

Egg

Your main binder—and what helps make these higher in protein. You can try a flax egg, but I haven’t tried it!  

Panko Breadcrumbs

For this recipe update, I used panko breadcrumbs to give these egg bites a super crunchy crust, but originally, when I posted this recipe, I used almond MEAL.  Almond meal is almond flour made from whole almonds; you can find it in the baking aisle where you find almond flour, BUT it will have specs of dark brown in it.  (This is the second picture, it's using almond meal intstead of panko.) You can not substitute almond flour here; it has to be almond flour from whole almonds/almond meal for it to have a yummy, crispy crust.  Another option is to use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs.  

Ingredient Buying Guide (Crab Meat 101)

This recipe does not skimp on flavor. It uses a full 16 ounces of crab meat instead of the usual 8 ounces. I bought mine from Costco  in the refrigerated section near the smoked salmon.  It was $31 (up from $22 8 years ago when I originally posted this recipe) for 16 ounces, so it's not the cheapest thing I've ever bought in my life. That being said, it was definitely worth it as a fun little treat, and they were super easy to whip up!  I think they would be a perfect Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve appetizer, because we are all about the appetizers in our house right now!

What are the Best Types of Crab Meat for Mini Crab Cakes?

• Lump crab meat – Best balance of texture + price.
• Claw meat – Slightly stronger flavor and more affordable.
• Canned crab – Works well if rinsed, squeezed, and dried thoroughly.

What Types Should I Avoid?

• Imitation crab – Not gluten-free and lacks real crab flavor.
• Pre-seasoned crab – This can overpower your spice blend and significantly change the flavor.  

Pro Tip:

If your crab is very wet, blot with a paper towel to prevent soggy, flattened cakes.

How to Make Mini Crab Cakes - Dietitian Pro Tips 

• Don’t over-mix the crab — Mix all the ingredients except the crab and panko first, then gently "fold in" the crab.  This just means mix in gently.  This keeps your crab nice and chewy, giving the best crab texture within the bites.  
  

• To avoid mushy crab bites, ensure the crab is dry and adjust the mixture accordingly.  Ensure your crab meat is thoroughly dry before adding it to the mix; this will help prevent excess moisture.  Also, if your mixture seems too wet to roll into balls, you can mix in more breadcrumbs or oat flour to firm it up.  Alternatively, if it seems dry, you can add a bit more Greek Yogurt.  You know your texture is right if you can scoop with a spoon or cookie scoop and somewhat shape it into a ball before dipping it in the panko bread crumbs.  It will be wet and stick to your hand, but not so wet that it won't hold its shape.  This is best explained by watching the video I posted on social!
  
• Also, use a cooking scoop to portion out your bites! Each bite will be exactly the same, meaning they will cook evenly in the oven.

• Spray the pan and the top of the bites with cooking spray & flip halfway through.  These steps ensure your bite is all around crispy! Mine took the full 25 minutes, flipping at 13 minutes in.  

• Finish with the broiler. For an extra crispy finish, I flipped my bites one more time and then finished them off by broiling for 2-3 minutes.  This mimics the deep fried crisp without all the calories!
• Let the bites cool for 3–5 minutes before removing so they firm up.
• Make ahead: Chill the uncooked mixture up to 24 hours before scooping, rolling, and baking. You can also make the balls and freeze them uncooked, see below.  

How Do I Store, Freeze, or Reheat These Mini Crab Cake Bites?

Fridge: Store cooked crab bites in an airtight container for up to 3 days.  Reheat using the reheat function in the air fryer, microwave (although not as crispy), or pan-fry them quickly to restore their crispiness.  In our house, we simply reheat them in the microwave; although they aren't as crispy, they're still delicious!

Freezer: Freeze prepared, uncooked or cooked crab cakes on a sheet pan until they are firm, then store them in a bag for up to 2 months. To reheat uncooked crab cakes, I would air fry them at 350°F from frozen for 10-12 minutes.  To reheat cooked crab cakes, you can air fry them at 350°F for 7-9 minutes or bake them for 8-10 minutes.  Note: I have not tested these times; they are my best guessimate, please watch them carefully! 

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4.20 from 10 votes

Mini Crab Cake Bites

Crab cake bites are baked to a golden brown slightly crunchy perfection instead of fried. Low calorie, gluten free, high protein appetizer!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, Appetizers

Cuisine: American

Keyword: mini crab cakes

Servings: 18 bites

Calories: 51kcal

Author: Kelli Shallal MPH RD

Equipment

• non stick sheet pan
• Cookie Scoop
• bowl

Ingredients

Meat:

• 5 ounces Greek Yogurt any percentage
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoon Worcestershire
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon old bay seasoning
• 16 ounces crab meat drained and dried
• ½ cup oat flour or breadcrumbs
• ½ cup panko bread crumbs gluten-free or almond meal if needed
• ½ teaspoon old bay seasoninglemon to garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with foil and grease the foil. Combine yogurt, egg, Worcestershire, Dijon mustard, old bay seasoning, salt and oat flour in a medium or large bowl.
  
• Fold in the crab mixture.
  
• Mix panko, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon old bay seasoning in a small bowl. Use a cookie scoop to make the crab mixture into the balls. Roll each ball in the panko crust and place on a baking sheet.
  
• Place the balls on a greased cookie sheet and spray the tops with cooking spray. Bake for 16-25 minutes or until they are golden brown on the outside and hot in the center. Flip halfway through. Optional to flip again and broil to finish for 2-3 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before serving.
• Garnish with lemon wedges and serve with cocktail sauce and tartar!

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1bite | Calories: 51kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 306mg | Potassium: 89mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 28IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?I'd love to see what you made! Tag me @hungryhobbyRD or tag #hungryhobby if you try this recipe!

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