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These Quick and Easy Crab Balls are made with lump crab meat and store bought stuffing. It is a simple and delicious party appetizer ready in 20 minutes or less!

Close-up of golden-brown crab cakes on skewers, placed on a black plate, garnished with a sprig of parsley in the background.


 


These Quick and Easy Crab Balls are one of my go-to party appetizers because it is so simple to make and it takes less than 20 minutes to make from start to finish.

You can also make these crab balls ahead of time and freeze them so on party day all you have to do is pop them in the oven!

Baked crab cakes on a black baking sheet surrounded by parsley.

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Lump crab meat – Good quality lump crabmeat is the key to any good crab ball!
  • Stove Top stuffing – You’ll use the unprepared mix and crush it to make deliciously seasoned breadcrumbs.
  • Egg – This acts as a binder for the crab balls.
  • Mayonnaise – The creamy mayonnaise is a binder but also adds a little fat to the crab balls giving them a great flavor and texture.
  • Parsley – Fresh chopped parsley adds a bright, fresh flavor to the crab balls.
  • Old Bay seasoning – This slightly spicy seasoning goes perfectly with any and all seafood! You’ll have enough to make our Cheesy Shrimp Casserole, Maryland Crab Cake, and Maryland Crab Dip too!
  • Lemon – Fresh squeezed lemon juice brightens up the flavors.
Hands holding a broken crab cake, revealing flaky crab meat inside.

How to Make Crab Balls

  1. Combine ingredients. In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients except the crab meat.
  2. Fold in the crab meat. Gently fold the crab meat into the mixture trying to break up the lumps of crab meat as little as possible
  3. Roll into balls. Roll the mixture into golf ball size balls (approximately 1 ounce each). Place each ball on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
  4. Bake. Place the baking sheet in the oven on a rack approximately 6-10 inches from the heating element. Broil on high for 7-10 mins until golden brown. Keep a close eye on them, they can burn easily.
  5. Serve. Remove from the oven, put a toothpick in each ball and serve hot. If you want to serve them with a dip try our Easy Lemon Aioli.
Close-up of crab cakes on a black plate, each pierced with a decorative wooden skewer.

Can You Freeze Crab Balls?

Yes. After placing your crab balls on the baking sheet place it in the freezer and let freeze for 30 minutes. Then remove from the freezer and place the balls in an airtight container with parchment paper between each each layer of crab balls.

Return them to the freezer until ready to use.

How Do You Cook Frozen Crab Balls?

Remove the crab balls from the freezer and place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Let them thaw for 1 hour.

Once thawed place them in the oven and bake on BROIL for 7-10 minutes or until golden brown on the outside and warmed through on the inside.

Close-up of five crab cakes on a black plate, each skewered with a bamboo pick. A parsley garnish is in the background.

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Servings: 24 balls
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Quick and Easy Crab Balls

Created By: Kat Jeter & Melinda Machado
These Quick and Easy Crab Balls are made with lump crab meat and store bought stuffing. It is a simple and delicious party appetizer ready in 20 minutes or less!
Close-up of golden-brown crab cakes on skewers, placed on a black plate, garnished with a sprig of parsley in the background.
Print Recipe
4.24 from 63 votes

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces Lump crab meat
  • 1 cup Unprepared Stove Top stuffing, crushed
  • 1 Egg
  • 2 tablespoons Mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon Parsley, chopped
  • 3 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
  • 1 Lemon, juiced

Instructions

  • In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients except the crab meat.
  • Gently fold the crab meat into the mixture trying to break up the lumps of crab meat as little as possible
  • Roll the mixture into golf ball size balls (approximately 1 ounce each).
  • Place each ball on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
  • Place the baking sheet in the oven on a rack approximately 6-10 inches from the heating element. Broil on high for 7-10 mins until golden brown. Keep a close eye on them, they can burn easily.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ball, Calories: 56kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 15mg, Sodium: 268mg, Potassium: 66mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 35IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition Disclaimer: We are not certified nutritionists. Nutrition facts are an estimate and are provided as a courtesy. They are generated by an online API which recognizes ingredient names and amounts and makes calculations based on the serving size. Results may vary.
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Handwritten signature for Kat & Melinda