How Many Carbs Are in a Crab Cake?

Crab cakes are a delicious and popular appetizer, sandwich filler, or main course But if you’re on a low-carb or keto diet, you may be wondering just how many carbs are hiding in these tasty crab treats. I decided to investigate further to find out the carb counts in different types of crab cakes so you can enjoy them guilt-free!

Getting to Know the Crab Cake

Crab cakes are made predominantly from crab meat, which is mixed together with breadcrumbs or crackers, mayonnaise, eggs, and seasonings The specific ingredients can vary based on the recipe, but crab meat and some sort of binder are always involved.

Popular versions include Maryland crab cakes made with blue crab, and New England crab cakes made with peekytoe crab. The meat can come from any part of the crab, but jumbo lump crab meat from the body tends to be premium. Crab cakes are then formed into patties and fried, broiled, baked, or grilled until golden and crisp.

So how do the carb counts differ between recipes? Let’s break it down.

Average Nutrition Facts in a Crab Cake

After researching multiple sites and crab cake recipes, here are the average nutrition facts for a 4-5 oz crab cake patty:

• Total Calories: 160
• Total Fat: 10g
• Carbohydrates: 5g
• Fiber: 0.5g
• Net Carbs: 4.5g
• Protein: 12g

As you can see, a single crab cake comes in at around 4-5 net grams of carbohydrates on average. This carb count comes mainly from the binding ingredients.

Now let’s look at how the nutrition can vary between different types and recipes.

Crab Cake Carb Counts by Preparation

Broiled or Baked Crab Cakes

Broiling or baking crab cakes without any breading will result in a lower carb count. For example, these Easy Baked Crab Cakes use almond flour instead of breadcrumbs to bind the meat.

Nutrition for 1 baked crab cake:

• 148 calories
• 10g fat
• 3g net carbs
• 12g protein

So baking or broiling and skipping the breading reduces the total carb count.

Fried Crab Cakes

Frying adds more fat and calories, but doesn’t significantly increase the net carbs. For instance, these Crispy Fried Crab Cakes are breaded and fried resulting in:

• 180 calories
• 14g fat
• 4g net carbs
• 10g protein

The breading adds a few carbs, but frying itself does not boost the carb count by much.

Restaurant Crab Cakes

Ordering crab cakes at a restaurant will add more variation depending on how they prepare them. For example, The Cheesecake Factory’s fried crab cakes with sauce contain 16g net carbs per cake. On the lower end, Red Lobster’s crab cakes with garlic aioli have 6g net carbs.

When dining out, your best bet is to ask for nutrient information and avoid any heavy sauces or sugary toppings. Sticking to broiled or baked crab cakes is ideal if you want to control carbs.

How Binders Impact Carb Count

The ingredients used to bind the crab meat together are where most of the carbs come from. Here are some common options from lowest to highest in carbs:

• Almond Flour or Meal: 2g net carbs per 2 tbsp
• Pork Rinds or Coconut Flour: 3g net carbs per 2 tbsp
• Panko Breadcrumbs: 5g net carbs per 1/4 cup
• Cracker Crumbs: 7g net carbs per 1/4 cup
• Breadcrumbs: 15g net carbs per 1/4 cup

Panko and pork rind crumbs add the least carbs. On the other hand, regular breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs can double the carbs. Going without crumbs and using almond or coconut flour instead is the best option for keeping carbs down.

Tips for Low-Carb Crab Cakes

Here are some tips for reducing carbs and calories in homemade crab cakes:

• Use almond flour, pork rinds, or coconut flour instead of breadcrumbs.

• Skip the crackers and just use mayo and egg as binders.

• Bake, broil or grill the crab cakes instead of frying.

• Avoid sugary toppings like honey mustard or sweet chili sauce.

• Count crab cake carbs as part of your daily 20g net carb limit.

• Stick to a 4-5 oz crab cake patty to keep carbs moderate.

• Ask for nutrition info if ordering crab cakes at restaurants.

Should You Eat Crab Cakes on a Low-Carb Diet?

Crab cakes can definitely fit into a low-carb lifestyle when keeping net carbs to around 5g per cake or less. Choosing baked or broiled over fried, using almond flour instead of breadcrumbs, and watching your portion size will allow you to eat crab cakes while maintaining ketosis.

Crab cakes are much lower in carbs than many other seafood dishes out there. You can enjoy them on occasion along with other keto-friendly foods like green veggies, eggs, and salads.

Just be mindful of recipes or restaurant versions that boost the carb count substantially. As long as you make smart swaps and check labels, crab cakes can be included as part of a healthy low-carb meal plan. Give some of these recipes a try and savor the flavor of fresh crab…guilt free!