I think the best way to pair any fried seafood is with a creamy, rich, savory, and spicy crab cake sauce. This recipe will help you make a quick and easy crab cake sauce at home in less than 5 minutes!
A perfectly seasoned, crispy golden crab cake just isn’t complete without a drizzle of cool, creamy crab cake sauce. This classic condiment adds a tangy, spicy kick that brings out the sweet succulence of the crab meat. But what exactly is crab cake sauce made of?
Crab cake sauce goes by many names—remoulade, rémoulade, or Louisiana remoulade But they all refer to essentially the same versatile condiment that can enhance everything from seafood to sandwiches
Let’s dive into the components that make this sauce so special. Here’s everything that goes into making authentic crab cake sauce from scratch.
The Base: Mayonnaise
Just like its cousin tartar sauce, crab cake sauce starts with a base of thick and creamy mayonnaise A quality store-bought mayo like Hellman’s works wonderfully Or you can make your own homemade mayonnaise for the freshest flavor.
Mayonnaise forms the foundation that binds everything together. It also contributes richness tang and moisture to balance the other assertive ingredients.
Depending on personal preference, crab cake sauce contains about 1⁄2 to 1 cup of mayonnaise per batch. Mix in more mayo for a richer, more emulsified sauce.
The Spice: Mustard
Mustard is arguably the most pivotal spice in crab cake sauce. It adds a sharp, tangy flavor along with a slight heat.
Traditional Louisiana-style remoulade calls for Creole or whole-grain mustard. But Dijon and yellow mustard also work well.
Add about 1-2 tablespoons of mustard per cup of mayo. Stir it in thoroughly so its potent flavor permeates the entire batch.
The Vinegar: Lemon Juice
No crab cake sauce would be complete without a splash of acidity to cut through the rich ingredients. Lemon juice adds the right punch of bright citrus.
Freshly squeezed lemon juice gives the best flavor. But bottled juice in a pinch also does the trick.
Start with 1-2 teaspoons of lemon juice per cup of mayo. Add more to ramp up the zing according to taste.
The Savoriness: Worcestershire Sauce
A few shakes of Worcestershire sauce brings a savory umami note to crab cake sauce. The fermented flavor from anchovies and tamarind perfectly complements the sweet crab.
Add just 1⁄2 to 1 teaspoon per cup of mayo so the Worcestershire doesn’t overpower. A little of this potent sauce goes a long way.
The Heat: Hot Sauce
No remoulade would be complete without a smack of heat from hot sauce. Louisiana-style versions use the iconic Tabasco or Crystal sauce.
For other takes, opt for sriracha, Cholula, Frank’s RedHot, or your favorite vinegary hot sauce.
Start with 1 teaspoon of hot sauce per cup of mayo. From there, tweak the amount based on desired spiciness.
The Herbs & Seasonings
Herbs, spices, and seasoning blends add complexity and regional flair to crab cake sauce. Popular additions include:
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Parsley – Fresh chopped parsley contributes grassy flavor.
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Chives – Finely minced chives give a subtle oniony note.
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Garlic – For added aroma, mince 1 clove per cup of sauce.
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Creole seasoning – This blend contains paprika, garlic, thyme, and cayenne.
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Old Bay – For Chesapeake-style flavor.
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Cayenne or red pepper flakes – For extra heat.
The Texture: Pickles & Capers
Finely chopped gherkins, pickles, or capers lend pops of crunch and acidity. Dill and cornichons work nicely.
Keep the pieces small—1-2 tablespoons total per cup of sauce—so they don’t overwhelm.
Customize the Flavors
One of the great things about homemade remoulade is that you can adjust it to suit your tastes. Play around with these variations:
- Creamy: More mayo
- Spicy: More hot sauce or cayenne
- Tangy: More lemon juice or vinegar
- Herby: More fresh or dried herbs
- Rich: Dash of olive oil
- Cooling: Grated cucumber
Make it your own by selecting your favorite flavors and textures. There’s no wrong way to remix this versatile sauce.
How to Make Crab Cake Sauce
Now that you know what goes into crab cake sauce, let’s walk through the easy process of putting it all together:
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In a bowl, combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, and any other flavorings.
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Whisk vigorously until completely smooth and uniform. The more you whisk, the thicker the texture becomes.
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Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Add more of any component to achieve preferred flavor balance.
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Transfer to an airtight container and chill for at least 30 minutes before using. This allows time for flavors to meld.
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Drizzle over hot crispy crab cakes, po’ boys, seafood baskets, and anything else that needs a creamy, zesty kick.
And that’s all there is to it! With a few pantry staples, you can whip up a flavor-packed crab cake sauce in 5 minutes flat.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between crab cake sauce and tartar sauce?
While they share a mayonnaise base, crab cake sauce has more mustard, hot sauce, and spice. Tartar sauce relies more on pickles, capers, and herbs.
Do you need to refrigerate crab cake sauce?
Yes, it’s important to store remoulade in the refrigerator to prevent the perishable ingredients from spoiling. It will keep for 3-4 days chilled.
Can I use imitation crab in crab cake sauce?
Absolutely! There’s no actual crab in the condiment itself. Imitation crab works great as a budget-friendly substitute in the crab cakes themselves.
Is crab cake sauce gluten free?
Most traditional recipes are gluten-free. But always check your specific mayonnaise, mustard, and hot sauce brands to be sure.
What’s a quick crab cake sauce substitute?
In a pinch, combine equal parts mayo and ketchup or mix mayo with Cajun seasoning. Stir in lemon juice and hot sauce to taste.
Take your crab cake game to the next level with this indispensable condiment made right in your own kitchen. Crab cake sauce adds the perfect piquant finishing touch to highlight succulent crab flavor. Once you try homemade remoulade, you may never go back to the store-bought versions again.
How to make crab cake sauce
There are a lot of things that go into this crab cake sauce, but it’s really easy to make. When you make this sauce at home, you can change it to fit your tastes, and it only takes five minutes. Just get the things you need, put them in a mason jar or mixing bowl, and mix them together.
Taste test your crab cake sauce and adjust from there. If you want more acidity, add more lemon. If you want more fat, add more mayonnaise. If you want more salt, add more mustard or creole seasoning. And of course, you could always add more heat to amp up the spice level.
When you’re prepping this simple sauce, keep in mind what you’re adding it on top of. For example, if the crab cakes are already pretty salty, don’t add too much salt to the remoulade to keep the flavors from clashing.
What’s a remoulade sauce?
Crab cake sauce is a remoulade, which is a basic mayo-based sauce that comes from France and is often compared to tartar sauce because it is based on mayonnaise. Tartar sauce, which is made with pickles, was meant to go with seafood. Remoulade, on the other hand, was meant to go with meat and was made with vinegar, mustard, and/or horseradish.
Remoulade is now often used as a general dipping sauce for seafood, and it comes in different forms all over the world. Louisiana-style remoulade is one of the most popular kinds. It is made with hot sauce, creole style mustard, and/or creole seasoning. It’s the best sauce for crab cakes, in po’boys, and with french fries.
The remoulade sauce in this crab cake sauce recipe is a lot like this New Orleans condiment, and it’s very easy to make at home.