If you’re craving crab meat, we’ve got some awesome crab meat recipes so you can experience the seafood beyond the standard crab cake.
Don’t worry; we also have a delicious Maryland Crab Cake recipe on this list.
Lump crab meat recipes can be redundant and have similar flavor profiles, so we compiled a list of truly innovative and unique crab recipe ideas.
Now, you can break out of the box and serve something that will impress your friends and family, and maybe even yourself, just like #20.
Check out our list to help you decide what to make with crab meat so you can start your tasty seafood journey.
We had to go back to its roots for the beloved crab cake and give you a Maryland recipe to showcase crab cakes properly.
If you’re just starting with crab, this is the perfect first recipe to make because it is a staple food made with crab.
Kids and adults love the zesty flavor from the dijon and Old Bay seasoning that holds the lump crab meat together.
For those that want simple lump crab recipe ideas, this linguine dish takes little technical skill and is perfect for a tasty weeknight dinner.
The recipe features a combination of white wine, heavy cream, and bacon to make the decadent sauce that coats the buttery crab meat.
This colorful plate will wow your family and take less than an hour to come together.
The next time you’re wondering what to make with crab meat on a Tuesday night, try out this easy and delicious linguine.
Move over, chicken fried rice, there’s a new rice recipe in town.
Chicken fried rice is a classic, but to elevate your weeknight dinner, you can swap out the poultry for some seafood and experience a new twist on this satisfying dish.
Recipes with crab meat can be complex or insanely simple, and this one is the latter.
You can whip this up in about 30 minutes and have a bowl of piping hot seafood fried rice that tastes better than takeout and probably took less time.
If you’re in a friend group with a lot of foodies and need to impress at your next party, bring this hot and cheesy lump crab meat dip that will shine on the appetizer table.
The recipe has a gooey mixture of cream cheese, sour cream, sharp cheddar cheese baked around the sweet crab meat and kicked up a notch with some hot sauce.
Serve this enticing dish with toasted bread or crackers, and you’ll be surprised how quickly it disappears.
Everyone knows avocado toast has risen to an iconic level thanks to millennials, but there are so many ways to make your avocado toast even better.
As far as crab recipe ideas go, this one may be the easiest on our list.
The recipe uses tomatoes, avocados, crab meat, and some seasoning for an ideal refreshing and tasty snack.
Add a few dashes of hot sauce or your favorite seasoning to customize this tasty toast.
6. Crab Bisque
This recipe with crab meat is fancy because it’s called a bisque, so make it to impress your foodie friends or judgy in-laws.
Like many soups, this is an easy recipe and can be made on a busy weeknight and still wow everyone with the flavor.
Crab bisque is perfect for a chilly winter night when you’re missing the fresh, summery taste of seafood.
Make some toast to sop up the crab bisque, or sprinkle some oyster crackers on top for an added crunch and hint of salt.
Stuffed bell peppers are a well-known dish and usually made with ground beef or turkey, but can use crab for a seafood twist on the healthy plate.
For a more delicate meal, this recipe uses mini peppers, so you can pick up the peppers and eat them by hand.
Cream cheese, mayo, and Old Bay make up most of the filling, and the crab, of course, for a creamy stuffed pepper with the perfect amount of kick.
The addition of cilantro and lemon makes this dish light and fresh while still filling you up.
If you’re at a loss for what to make with crab meat, a cold crab salad is always an easy and reliable option.
Many recipes with crab meat start with a cold crab salad, whether a leafy green salad or a crab sandwich.
Many ideas stem from the crab salad.
Crab salad uses the same general ingredients as tuna salad or a cold chicken salad and can store for several days after making it for a quick snack or lunch.
It’s hard to make a disappointing macaroni and cheese, but you can add crab to take your mac and cheese up a notch.
You can incorporate crab meat into your favorite go-to mac and cheese recipe, but in case you don’t have one, we’ve got you covered.
Ideal for a weeknight, this recipe just requires a cheese sauce, a crunchy topping, macaroni, and crab that all comes together in a baked dish.
Forget about your plain mac and cheese and make things enjoyable with this innovative crab mac and cheese.
10. Crab Cake Banh Mi
Banh Mi is a Vietnamese sandwich traditionally made with marinated pork, chicken, or beef, but this recipe changes the classic sandwich by substituting the protein for crab cakes.
This is a great recipe to try if you have leftover crab cakes and love Vietnamese food.
The standard toppings for a Banh Mi are vinegar-marinated carrots, cucumbers, jalapenos, or radishes that bring a refreshing but acidic flavor to the sandwich.
Crab works well with spice and vegetables, so this is the perfect kind of sandwich to use crab in.
Maryland is often associated with crab, but Louisiana chefs are no stranger to the sweet shellfish.
This casserole combines distinct Louisiana flavors with lump crab meat for an explosion of comforting seafood flavors.
The recipe features peppers, celery, saffron rice, cheese, tomatoes, and onions for a casserole packed with various flavors and textures.
12. Crab Carbonara
Carbonara is a pasta dish with pepper, egg, and parmesan sauce that envelopes the pasta, along with a protein, usually bacon or pancetta.
For this version, the protein used is lump crab meat which adds a sweetness to the delicate dish; don’t worry, there’s still bacon.
The result is a colorful, salty, and saucy dish that will become a staple in your house.
Many lump crab recipe ideas make excellent side dishes for the main meal or bring to a party.
Crab and corn are two flavors that work perfectly to create a sweet and savory combination that is comforting yet fresh in taste.
Baking lump crab right into a cornbread muffin adds a new texture and amps up the flavor of the corn mix used in the recipe.
You don’t need to wait for Chinese delivery next time you want crab rangoons because you can make them at home super easily!
This recipe comes together with wonton wrappers, cream cheese, crab, and just a few seasonings for an explosion of flavor.
You can fry these in oil to perfectly crisp the wontons, or you can pop them in an air fryer to avoid the mess of frying.
Crab recipe ideas are fun and tasty, and this one allows you to make individual servings so everyone feels special!
This creamy crab mixture is baked in a small dish and topped with phyllo dough, pre-made to save time, or you can make your phyllo for a more authentic dish.
These little pies are like seafood pot pies but without a bottom crust.
The crab filling is creamy and salty; you can add your favorite white cheese from cheddar to brie if you want a gooey crab pie.
16. White Crab Chili
Lump crab recipes ideas can lead you to new culinary dishes that may excite you, and this white crab chili is one of those dishes.
Everyone pictures chili as a dark-colored, reddish dish with red meat and a rich flavor, but this white chili is a sharp divergence from that.
Like any decent chili, this recipe includes veggies and ingredients that bring the dish to life and highlight the sweet flavor of the crab meat without making a sweet dish overall.
A rich tomato chili would drown the flavor of the crab, but the white chili perfectly showcases the lump crab.
Crab and corn are ingredients that have a sweet and salty flavor simultaneously, making them a match in heaven.
The recipe includes red peppers and thyme for an aromatic and flavorful soup that tastes good served warm and cold.
Because the dish is Creole-spiced, there is heavy seasoning with cayenne and paprika that adds a kicky flavor that warms your heart while giving you a taste of sweetness.
This crab meat recipe uses corn puree and whole kernels, but feel free to play around with that ratio depending on if you like whole kernels in your soup.
Take crab cakes to another level with this cajun crab burger that makes ground beef sound like old news.
A crab burger is a lighter option than a beef burger, making it ideal for a summer dinner or weekend lunch.
This recipe tops the burger with the standard lettuce and tomato but get creative and use avocado, coleslaw, hot sauce, a remoulade, or whatever you think would elevate the flavors of this cajun burger.
19. Crab Nachos
If you enjoy making lump crab meat recipes regularly, you may be looking for something out of the box to try.
Crab meat on nachos is an unexpected crab recipe that is surprisingly refreshing and delicious.
The recipe calls for flour tortilla chips, but they elevate the dish and give it an Asian twist if you can find wonton chips.
Don’t knock this recipe until you try it because once you do, you’ll wonder why this isn’t on more restaurant menus.
An easy way to convince your kid’s seafood isn’t icky, and this crab grilled cheese offers the gooey warmth of a grilled cheese mixed with the kick of Old Bay and sweet crab meat.
For the best sandwich, use the Gruyere and cheddar recommended in this recipe, along with fresh sourdough.
If you don’t have the exact ingredients, this recipe is flexible and can work with other cheeses or bread.
Experiment with different components to see what ingredients make your idea of the perfect crab meat grilled cheese.
Recipes with crab meat are often heavy and hot, so to cool you off, we included this recipe for a loaded Cobb salad complete with lump crab meat.
This recipe also adds shrimp for a well-rounded seafood salad packed with blue cheese, bacon, tomatoes, and everything that finds home in a Cobb.
Like with any Cobb salad, you can swap out ingredients for what you prefer and skip anything you aren’t a fan of; the crab is the star of the salad anyway.
The bottom line
Some people may think you have to buy a whole crab and break it down to enjoy lump crab meat’s fresh, sweet flavor.
Whether it’s canned crab, frozen crab, or imitation crab, you can create beautiful and flavorful seafood dishes.
Our collection of crab meat recipes showcases the versatility of lump crab meat and the many lump crab recipe ideas that you can easily make at home.
Don’t shy away from shellfish because you think it’s too much work because you’ll miss out on these stellar recipes that are much easier than you may think.
🦀🦀 Here are sides you can serve with crab cakes. Enjoy! 🦀🦀
21 Ways To Cook With Crab Meat
Looking for ways how to make crab meat recipes? We have 21 fantastic crab meat recipes that you’ll surely get excited about!
Ingredients
- Maryland Crab Cakes
- Crab & Bacon Linguine
- Shrimp & Crab Fried Rice
- Cheesy Hot Crab Meat Dip
- Crab & Avocado Toast
- Crab Bisque
- Crab-Stuffed Peppers
- Cold Crab Salad
- Baked Crab Mac & Cheese
- Crab Cake Banh Mi
- Louisiana Crab Casserole
- Crab Carbonara
- Crab Cornbread Muffins
- Cream Cheese & Crab Rangoons
- Individual Crab Pies
- White Crab Chili
- Creole Corn & Crab Soup
- Cajun Crab Burger
- Crab Nachos
- Crab Grilled Cheese
- Seafood Cobb Salad
Instructions
- Check out our list of crab meat recipes for your next dish!
- Gather the ingredients.
- Start cooking your new dish!
- Enjoy and share your insights on our FaFacebook pageebook page!