What are crab cake egg rolls? If you don’t live in Baltimore, you might not know about this new food trend. In fact, it really isn’t new, but it is finally being recognized.
And now it is spreading like wildfire. Indeed, putting all of our favorite foods inside an egg roll shell is, as shown by Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls and Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls.
It’s now possible for restaurants that sell crab cakes or crab dip to also sell crab cake egg rolls. One of the best Instagram users in Baltimore shared a picture of crab cake egg rolls from AJ’s on Hanover that went viral. The Baltimore Sun then published the picture.
Papi’s Tacos in Fells Point started making them, and now the iconic Jimmy’s Seafood is too. Everyone is jumping on the bandwagon. If you’re not from Maryland and want to know what they are, this dish is like a crab rangoon but with a lot more crab. It comes in an egg roll-like package.
Crab cake egg rolls are one of the hottest appetizers around right now. These crispy rolls stuffed with creamy, crabby filling are popping up on menus everywhere. While you can certainly order them at restaurants making crab cake egg rolls at home is so easy and delicious. I’m going to walk you through every step of crafting these incredible crab cake egg rolls from scratch.
Why Crab Cake Egg Rolls Are So Popular
Crab cakes are a classic dish, especially in coastal areas like Maryland. Their popularity makes sense when you consider how tasty crab meat is, especially when mixed with creamy fillers and seasonings. The only downside of crab cakes is that their delicate texture doesn’t always hold up to travel or being on a menu for awhile.
Stuffing the tasty crab cake filling into an egg roll wrapper solves this problem! The crispy outer shell protects the delicate interior Plus, by mixing the filling with other tasty ingredients like cheese and spices, the crab flavor really pops.
Egg rolls themselves are already crowd favorites, so putting crab cakes inside creates an appetizer that’s truly next level. Crab cake egg rolls are easy to eat with your hands, satisfying, and full of delicious flavors. It’s no wonder they are popping up everywhere from Baltimore to food blogs and Pinterest.
Now let’s get to making these at home!
Choosing the Best Crab Meat
The key to delicious crab cake egg rolls is using high quality crab meat. Don’t even think about buying the fake crab meat made of fish, also called surimi. Real crab meat may cost a bit more, but it’s 100% worth it.
Look for jumbo lump or lump crab meat. Jumbo lump consists of bigger chunks of meat from the body and claws. It’s the most coveted for its sweet flavor and tender, moist texture, perfect for crab cakes and crab cake egg rolls. Lump is similar but the pieces are a bit smaller.
Backfin crab meat also works well. It comes from smaller pieces of body meat. The texture is feathery rather than chunks. While it doesn’t have the impressive presentation of lump, backfin crab still has delicious flavor. Many recipes call for a blend of lump and backfin.
Special, claw, and flake crab meat have more filler and cartilage so they aren’t ideal in crab cake egg rolls. Ultimately, spring for the best crab meat you can afford. Your egg rolls will thank you.
Assemble Your Crabby Ingredients
In addition to premium crab meat, you’ll need a few binder ingredients for moisture and texture. The filling should be a blend of creamy and crumbs, not just 100% crab.
Creaminess: Cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream work well. They keep the filling from drying out. Cream cheese in particular gives great texture.
Crunch: For some texture, finely crush crackers, saltines, or bread crumbs. Panko breadcrumbs are my favorite for their crispy crunch.
Cheese: Go for a melty cheese like cheddar or pepper jack. The cheese fills in any air pockets so the filling stays creamy when cooked.
Seasonings: You need spices that complement crab. Old Bay seasoning is synonymous with Maryland crab. Cajun seasoning also works very well. Add Worcestershire and hot sauce for extra depth.
Alliums: Onions and garlic always improve a mixture’s flavor. I like using green onions, shallots, or garlic powder.
Herbs: Fresh parsley, chives, basil, or dill make the crab filling taste bright and vibrant.
Citrus: A squirt of lemon at the end brightens all the flavors.
Construct Crabby Filling
Now comes the fun part – making the crab cake filling!
First, thoroughly mix the mayo, cream cheese, and any dairy ingredients until smooth and creamy. Next, add the seasonings, cheese, herbs, and any crunchy elements.
Gently fold in the crab meat, being careful not to break up those glorious lumps. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. The filling should be highly seasoned since it will be divided up.
Refrigerate the filling for at least 30 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld and also firms it up which makes filling the egg rolls easier.
While the filling chills, prep the egg roll wrappers. Separate them and cover with a damp paper towel so they don’t dry out and crack.
Fill and Roll Up Egg Rolls
Once the filling is chilled, set up your work station. Lay an egg roll wrapper on a flat surface into a diamond orientation.
Place about 2-3 tablespoons of crab filling into the lower third of the wrapper, shaping it into a log shape.
Use a pastry brush to lightly coat the top and sides of the wrapper with an egg wash (beaten egg and water). This will act as a glue to seal the egg roll.
Take the bottom corner and pull it up over the filling, rolling it away from you halfway. Then fold in the sides and continue rolling into a tight cylinder.
Place the filled egg roll on a sheet pan and cover with plastic wrap as you work. Repeat the filling and rolling process until all the filling is used up.
Freeze Them for Frying Later
At this point, you need to freeze the uncooked egg rolls. Why freeze before frying? Several reasons:
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Freezing firms up the filling again which helps the egg rolls hold their shape during frying.
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It prevents leaks! Hot oil can make melty fillings ooze out. No one wants that mess.
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Uncooked egg rolls freeze well for up to 3 months. Fried egg rolls don’t freeze well at all.
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You can fry up just what you need. Freeze the rest for quick appetizers anytime.
Place the sheet pan of egg rolls in the freezer until solid, about 2 hours. Then transfer to freezer bags or containers, separating layers with parchment paper.
Fry Until Golden Brown
Whenever you get an egg roll craving, pull a few out of the freezer. You can fry them frozen which is easiest. Thaw first for a less oily exterior.
Heat at least 2-3 inches of oil to 350°F – 375°F in a heavy pot or electric fryer. Gently drop in a few egg rolls, taking care not to crowd the pot.
Fry for 2-3 minutes per side until the egg roll wrapper becomes golden brown and crispy. Watch closely to prevent burning.
Remove the finished crab cake egg rolls to a wire rack or paper towels to drain. Blot any excess grease.
Serve immediately while hot and crispy. But beware – the filling will still be molten lava hot!
Make Dipping Sauces for Dunking
Plain crab cake egg rolls are delicious enough to eat by themselves. However, having one or two dipping sauces steps them up even more.
Aiolis infused with citrus, garlic, or Old Bay are perfect complements to the crab. Homemade cocktail sauce also pairs well.
For a spicy kick, mix mayo with sriracha. Or make a chipotle ranch. So many tasty options!
Garnish your crab cake egg rolls with extra herbs before serving with dipping sauces on the side. Then dive into these succulent crabby treats!
Tips for Crab Cake Egg Roll Success
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Use the best lump or jumbo lump crab meat you can afford. The flavor difference is worth it.
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Resist any temptation to use imitation crab meat. It just doesn’t compare.
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Make sure to freeze the uncooked egg rolls before frying. This prevents leaks.
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Let oil come fully up to temp before frying. Too low and they’ll get greasy.
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Don’t crowd the pot when frying. Cook just 2-3 egg rolls at a time.
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Use tongs to carefully flip them while frying. Just takes a gentle touch.
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Drain on a wire rack not paper towels for best texture.
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Serve with fun dipping sauces for extra flavor and creaminess.
Enjoy the Fruits of Your Labor
As you can see, making restaurant-worthy crab cake egg rolls at home does take some effort. But every delicious bite makes it so worth it.
When you serve up these golden crabby treats at your next party, be prepared for endless compliments! Your guests will be amazed that you crafted such gourmet appetizers from scratch.
The entire process of preparing the components, constructing the egg rolls, frying, and saucing gives you a true feeling of accomplishment. I hope you’ll give this recipe a try soon.
Why You’ll Love Crab Cake Egg Rolls
If you like crab, you’re going to love these egg rolls.
- This is delicious because it combines the best parts of fresh crab with the richness of creamy, spiced crab dip. Also, the texture is just right, with the outside being crispy and the inside being creamy.
- Flexible—These can be served as an appetizer at any party, from a casual one to a fancy one. They also make a great snack for movie night and go well with many other foods as a side dish.
- You can make these as spicy or mild as you like, serve them with different dipping sauces, or add other spices.
These simple ingredients are all you need to make the most delicious crab cake egg rolls.
- If you want to know how to pick the best crab meat, read the next section.
- Cream cheese—The cream cheese needs to be softened so it blends better.
- You can pick your favorite brand of mayonnaise or make your own at home.
- For the filling, use full-fat sour cream to get the creamy texture you want.
- Worcestershire sauce: This is often used in crab cake recipes because it adds umami to the filling.
- Hot sauce—Use your favorite hot sauce and make changes based on your taste.
- Old Bay Seasoning: You have to have a seasoning mix like this one. The Crab House Seasoning Blend from J O. Spice.
- White pepper—White pepper adds a light floral note and a little heat.
- Shredded cheese—You can use cheese that has already been shredded, but it will work better if you shred it yourself.
- These crab egg rolls can’t be made without wonton wrappers. They are often in the fruit and vegetable section of the grocery store.
How to Make Crab Cake Egg Rolls
It really is simple to make this delicious fried appetizer.
- Make filling. Put cream cheese, mayo, and sour cream in a large bowl and mix them together until smooth. Add Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, Old Bay, and white pepper. Then, fold in crab meat and cheese.
- Fill the egg rolls. While you work, put any wrappers that haven’t been used under a damp towel. Set the wrapper down on a cutting board or another flat surface. Add about half a cup of filling to it.
- Fold. Fold the egg roll wrappers in half like an envelope. Repeat until all of the filling has been used.
- Freeze. The shells don’t have to be 100% solid, but the filling needs to be almost solid to make sure it doesn’t melt and leak while deep-frying.
- Fry. Put the egg rolls into a pan with hot oil and fry them until they are golden brown. When they’re ready to be taken out, they should have a crispy crust.
- Drain. Move to a wire rack above a plate or sheet pan lined with paper towels. Keeping them suspended prevents the bottom from getting soggy.
- Make the dipping sauce. If the crab cake egg rolls weren’t so tasty, I’d say this was the best thing about the meal. One of my testers put this on their pizza to dip it in. It’s called Old Bay Chipotle Aioli, and it tastes great.
Don’t be tempted to make these egg rolls with imitation crab meat — it doesn’t taste the same. If you have never bought blue crab meat before, here is a quick rundown of the names and what they mean.
- Claw– This is dark meat that comes from the claw. It’s a little more stringy than other varieties.
- Special– This variety comes in smaller pieces. It comes from small cracks or the “special” parts of the crab and can be used to season food or make dips.
- When you look at the back of the shell, you can see some bigger lumps called backfins. It’s whiter meat that works well in crab cakes because it’s feathery.
- Jumbo lump– These are large lumps of meat. There are big pieces like these that are used in crab meat cocktails. You can also just pop them in your mouth because they are so tasty and moist.
The Best Crab Cake Egg Rolls | This is so Good
How do you make crab cake egg rolls?
Make the Crab Cake Egg Rolls: 1. In separate mixing bowl, whisk together the egg and water to make an egg wash. 2. Add ½ cup of crab mixture to each egg roll wrapper. 3. Sprinkle in a few pinches of shredded cheddar on top of crab mixture. You may skip the cheese if desired. 4. Brush the edges of egg roll wrapper with the egg wash.
What are crab cake egg rolls made of?
Traditional crab cake egg rolls typically focus solely on crab meat, but the addition of shrimp and crawfish elevates this seafood egg roll recipe to another level. Living in Maryland means we’re all about that blue crab life and the iconic Old Bay seasoning.
How do you make a crab cake wrapper?
Lay an egg roll wrapper diagonally on a flat surface. Place 1/3 cup of crab cake mixture near the bottom corner of the wrapper. Fold the bottom corner over the filling, tuck the sides, and roll tightly into a cylinder shape. Brush egg wash on the opposite corner to seal. Place finished rolls seal side down on a parchment-lined sheet pan.
How do you make egg roll wrappers?
1. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the egg and water to make an egg wash. 2. Add ½ cup of crab mixture to each egg roll wrapper. 3. Sprinkle in a few pinches of shredded cheddar on top of the crab mixture. You may skip the cheese if desired. 4. Brush the edges of the egg roll wrapper with the egg wash.