Crispy Crab Bites Recipe

Baked crispy crab bites with a spicy aioli are rich in flavor, easy to make, and make a great appetizer or main meal!

📝 Ingredients

• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 1/4 cups panko breadcrumbs, divided
• 1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed, drained and excess water squeezed
• 2 thinly sliced green onions
• 3 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups fresh lump crab meat (not canned)
• 3 Tbsp. butter, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
• Lemon wedges, for serving
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 tsp. Sriracha sauce
• 3/4 tsp. fresh lemon juice

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Preheat the broiler on your oven. (My oven has two broil options –high and low, I set mine to high). Position the oven rack in the middle. Generously spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray and set aside. Alternatively, line with parchment paper, however, parchment does slightly burn.
2. 2In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, Dijon mustard, 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, spinach, green onions, dill, and lemon juice. Gently fold in crab meat. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. 3Add the remaining 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs into a shallow bowl or rimmed plate.
4. 4Scoop crab mixture by 2 heaping tablespoon portions forming into a ball, about a size of a golf ball. Lightly roll each ball in panko, covering all around. Transfer onto the prepared baking sheet, and top with a small slice of butter. You should get about 14 balls.
5. 5Broil for 3 minutes or until lightly golden. Check often so they don’t burn. Gently flip the crab balls and broil for additional 2-3 minutes or until lightly golden. (Mine took about 3 minutes on one side and 2 minutes on the other. Keep an eye on them as they burn easily). Serve immediately with spicy aioli.
6. 6--- Spicy Aioli ---
7. 7Whisk together all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.