Quick and Easy Crab Balls

Name: Quick and Easy Crab Balls
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
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)

published on December 20, 2024 by Melinda 53 comments

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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

Combine ingredients. In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients except the crab meat.
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
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.
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.
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

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 20