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I’m a seafood girl at heart, and these crab beignets are everything I love in one bite – crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside, and packed with lump crab meat. They’re rich, savory, and made with my zesty homemade remoulade sauce. In just 30 minutes, you can have these hot and ready on the table!
Oh my goodness y’all, these crab beignets are my newest obsession. It’s the perfect combo of a crispy crunchy outside with a crab packed inside that’s moist and SO flavorful.
Not to be confused with my New Orleans style Beignets, these savory beignets are equally delicious and are the perfect finger food for any occasion.
Added bonus – that remoulade sauce?! It’s the cherry on top. I honestly want to dunk everything into it.
Crab Beignets: Quick Overview
- 🥒 Prep Time: 20 mins
- 🦀 Cook Time: 10 mins
- 🕛 Ready In: 30 mins
- 👥 Makes: About 16 Beignets
- 🔥 Cook Method: Mix and Fry 🦀
- 🥣 Flavor Profile: Savory, Rich, Briny, Buttery
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
How To Make Restaurant-Style Crab Beignets At Home
Step 1: First, we make the remoulade sauce and use a portion of the sauce to flavor the crab meat.
Step 2: Grate onions with a box grater (I did this with my hush puppies recipe, it adds so much flavor) and add lump crab meat, reserved remoulade, eggs, and milk in a mixing bowl.
Step 3: Mix it all together. Add in the dry ingredients and melted butter mix until just combined! Don’t overmix, this will make the beignets tough and chewy.
Step 4: Fry em up! Heat vegetable oil in large saucepan or dutch oven. Scoop beignet batter and fry until golden brown. Sprinkle with a little leftover old bay and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Pro Chef Tips
- Don’t overcrowd the pot. This lowers the oil temperature and makes them absorb more oil. Fry 3-4 beignets at a time.
- Use a small ice cream scoop to scoop the batter into the hot oil. Also, use a slotted spoon to remove the beignets from the oil – this drains hot oil, ensuring that crispy outside while preventing sogginess. Place onto paper towels or a wire rack to drain completely.
- To control the temperature of the oil, I highly recommend using a deep-fry thermometer or a candy thermometer.
Serving Suggestions
Crab beignets are rich, crispy, and full of bold Cajun flavor, so I love serving them with something creamy and comforting like lobster bisque or shrimp and grits turns them into a full Southern-style meal.
For bigger gatherings, serve these alongside my cajun seafood boil recipe or shrimp creole for a flavor packed meal.
Recipe FAQs
Lump or jumbo lump crab meat is ideal because it’s sweet, tender, and gives you those beautiful chunks in every bite. Claw meat works too, but it has a stronger flavor and a slightly firmer texture.
This usually happens when the oil temperature is too low. Make sure your oil stays between 350–365°F and fry in small batches so the beignets cook quickly and don’t absorb excess oil.
No, I don’t recommend making beignets ahead of time. They’re best served fresh, right after cooking.
No, this batter is designed to be fried. If you try baking it, they’ll turn into flat little discs.
Store leftover beignets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat them in the oven or air fryer to bring back their crispiness.
More Crab Recipes
Seafood Recipes
Pan Fried Crab Cakes
Seafood Recipes
Crab Legs with Garlic Butter Sauce
Appetizers
Maryland Crab Dip Recipe
Appetizers
Crab Stuffed Shrimp
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Crab Beignets with Remoulade Sauce
Equipment
- Dutch Oven (or deep skillet)
- Candy Thermometer (optional)
- Box Grater
Ingredients
Remoulade Sauce
- 1 cup Mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 2 tbsp Ketchup
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 tbsp Hot Sauce
- 1 tbsp Relish
- 2 tsp Cajun Seasoning
- 1/2 tsp Sugar
- 2 cloves Garlic, (minced)
Crab Beignets
- 1 lb Lump Crab Meat
- 1/2 Yellow Onion, (grated)
- 1 tsp Old Bay
- 2 cloves Garlic, (minced)
- 2 large Eggs
- 1/2 cup Whole Milk
- 1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 cup Cornmeal, (finely ground)
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 2 tbsp Salted Butter, (melted)
- 4-5 cups Vegetable Oil, (or any high smoke point oil)
Instructions
- First, make the remoulade sauce. Combine mayo, dijon mustard, ketchup, lemon juice, hot sauce, relish, cajun seasoning, sugar, and minced garlic in a medium bowl. Whisk together until combined. 1 cup Mayonnaise 2 tbsp Dijon Mustard 2 tbsp Ketchup 1 tbsp Lemon Juice 1 tbsp Hot Sauce 1 tbsp Relish 2 tsp Cajun Seasoning 1/2 tsp Sugar 2 cloves Garlic
- Remove a 1/2 cup of the remoulade sauce and set the rest aside.
- In a separate bowl, use a box grater to grate the onion into the bowl. Then add crab meat, Old Bay seasoning, minced garlic, eggs, whole milk, and reserved remoulade sauce. Mix everything together until combined. 1 lb Lump Crab Meat 1/2 Yellow Onion 1 tsp Old Bay 2 cloves Garlic 2 large Eggs 1/2 cup Whole Milk
- Add in the flour, cornmeal, and baking powder. Fold everything together until a thick batter forms, then pour in melted butter and mix until butter is just incorporated. Batter should be thick enough to hold together but still scoopable. 1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour 1/2 cup Cornmeal 2 tsp Baking Powder 2 tbsp Salted Butter
- Add oil to a dutch oven or deep skillet – you want about 4 inches of oil. Heat oil to 350-360 degrees F. Let the batter rest while the oil is heating. For best results, use a deep fry or candy thermometer to monitor oil temperature. 4-5 cups Vegetable Oil
- Use a small small ice cream scoop or spoon out 2 tablespoon of the crab mixture. Place into the hot oil and fry for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown – flipping half-way through.
- Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and place onto a wire rack or paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with a dash of Old Bay and a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve with the reserved remoulade sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
