Thai Crab Cakes with Lemongrass and Lime Leaves
Crispy, golden Thai crab cakes packed with fresh lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and Thai basil. These aren't your typical mayo-heavy crab cakes—they're bright, herbaceous, and loaded with Southeast Asian aromatics that make the sweet crab shine. Ready in 30 minutes and perfect for weeknight dinners or entertaining.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lump crab meat
- 2 stalks lemongrass bottom 4 inches only, minced
- 4 kaffir lime leaves center vein removed, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup Thai basil leaves chopped
- 2 Thai bird chilies minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 large egg beaten
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon palm sugar or light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil for frying
- Sweet chili sauce for serving
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Mince lemongrass until very fine. Remove center vein from lime leaves and slice into thin ribbons. In a large bowl, whisk together egg, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and white pepper.
- Add lemongrass, lime leaves, Thai basil, chilies, and garlic to the egg mixture. Gently fold in crab meat, breaking up large chunks without shredding. Add panko and fold until just combined.
- Cover and refrigerate mixture for 15 minutes. Form into 8 patties about 3 inches wide and 3/4 inch thick.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry patties for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. Drain briefly on paper towels and serve immediately with sweet chili sauce.
Notes
Substitutions: Use regular basil if Thai basil is unavailable. Serrano peppers can replace Thai chilies for less heat. Light brown sugar works in place of palm sugar.
Storage: Refrigerate cooked cakes for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 375°F oven for 8-10 minutes to restore crispiness. Freeze uncooked patties for up to 2 months; cook from frozen, adding 2-3 minutes per side.
Make-Ahead: Form patties up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate covered until ready to fry.