Alaska Dungeness Crab Cake Benedict
Indulge and and make Crab Cake Eggs Benedict! Perfect for holiday brunch, or anytime you want to make weekend brunch extra special. This twist on the classic recipe is easy to prep in advance!
Indulge yourself this weekend and make Crab Cake Benedict! Learn how to make eggs Benedict with Alaska Dungeness crab perfectly anytime you want to make brunch extra special. This twist on the classic recipe is easy to prep in advance! This post is brought to you by Alaska Seafood.
Weekend brunch sounds like a good idea until you realize you’re the one cooking and have to actually peel yourself out from under the cozy blankets before everyone else. If you end up sleeping in, then what’s to be done? Well, go out for brunch, of course! And what’s on pretty much every single brunch menu? Eggs Benedict! Everyone’s favorite, the eggs benny — something my husband can’t seem to resist when we’re out for breakfast, and the one brunch item that seems to intimidate a lot of cooks to recreate at home. But I promise you, homemade eggs Benedict is easier than you think. First, let’s break down the eggs Benedict. A traditional eggs benny has Canadian bacon, a poached egg and hollandaise sauce, served atop an English muffin. I think that the minute someone mentions poached eggs, the fear emerges, and that’s before we even get started on a hollandaise sauce! With the holidays just around the corner, I thought we should make this brunch favorite even more special by making my favorite twist on the classic: Crab Cake Eggs Benedict. 
CRAB CAKE BENEDICT
Move over Canadian bacon, in my opinion, a Crab Cake Benedict is even more delicious! Delicious Alaska Dungeness crab, with its sweet and flaky white meat is irresistible in these simple crab cakes, topped with a perfectly poached egg and a hollandaise sauce!
HOW TO MAKE EGGS BENEDICT
I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to worry. Not only is an eggs Benedict simple to make, I have some tips so you can even sleep in before weekend brunch! The beauty of eggs Benedict is that you can do a lot of the prep work in advance so that all you have to do is fry up the crab cakes and whip up the hollandaise the morning of (it’s easy, I promise).
- Combine the crab, celery, cilantro, and chives in a bowl and stir. Add the mayonnaise and stir until it is well incorporated.
- Form into small patties about 3 inches wide and about 1 inch high. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, or overnight.
- Poach the eggs and set aside in an ice water bath. This can be done the night before; chill in the refrigerator in cold water overnight.
- Make the hollandaise sauce in a blender: blend the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, and cayenne pepper. Drizzle in melted butter while blending until thick.
- Pat the crab cakes on both sides with panko breadcrumbs.
- Pan-fry the crab cakes in olive oil for about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Serve the crab cakes on an English muffin, top with poached egg, hollandaise sauce, and garnish with chives.
ALASKA DUNGENESS CRAB
For the second recipe in my series with Alaska Seafood, I turn to my personal favorite: Alaska Dungeness crab! Alaska Dungeness crab is in season during the holidays, making it perfect for making your holiday meals extra special. Its sweet meat is flaky and delicious, and a wonderful source of protein! Like all Alaska seafood, Alaska crab is wild-caught, sustainable and responsibly sourced, and wonderful in crab cakes like this, salads, sandwiches, pastas, soups, and more! For more information about Alaska seafood, visit wildalaskaseafood.com. 
CRAB CAKE EGGS BENEDICT TIPS
What kind of crab should I use in crab cakes?
I love all kinds of crab in a crab cake, but if you can get your hands on Dungeness crab, it’s a real treat. I make mine with Alaska Dungeness crab, which has a longer harvest season and is more easily available — you can even find it frozen all year round. If you use frozen crab, be sure to pat the defrosted crab meat dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
How do I form the crab cakes?
Divide the crab mixtures evenly – take about 1/2 cup portion to make 4 crab cakes. To ensure uniformity, I use a 3-inch ring mold to pack and shape the crab cakes, then transfer it onto a lined baking sheet to chill.
Do I need to chill the crab cakes before cooking?
Yes, you should chill them at least 30 minutes to help them keep their shape when you cook it in the hot pan. If you’re preparing this for a crowd or for an early brunch, you can chill it overnight!
Can I make the crab cakes in advance?
You can prep and form the crab cakes a day before, but I recommend frying them up right before serving. Crab cakes cook quickly, so it isn’t so bad!
Can I make the poached eggs in advance?
Yes! Poach the eggs as early as one day before, chill in an ice bath, and store overnight in a bowl of cold water in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve, drop the eggs in hot water to warm them up again, then drain on a paper towel before serving.
Can I make hollandaise sauce in advance?
Yes, the hollandaise sauce can be made 1 hour before serving. Since it has raw egg, we need to be careful, so I recommend making this the day you are serving the dish. 
MORE CRAB RECIPES TO TRY
Chickpea Crab Cakes Crab and Corn Chowder (Dairy Free) Dungeness Crab Salad with Buttermilk Garlic Pepper Dressing Thai-Style Crab & Corn Chowder
MORE RECIPES IN THE ALASKA SEAFOOD SERIES
Thai-style Salmon Burgers Disclosure: This post was created in partnership with Alaska Seafood. Thank you for supporting brands that matter to me; sponsored posts such as this help behind the scenes at Kitchen Confidante. All opinions in this post are, as always, my own.
Crab Cake Eggs Benedict
Ingredients
For the Crab Cakes
- 12 oz fresh Dungeness crab meat or your favorite crab, cooked
- 4 tablespoons celery finely diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 tablespoon chives finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise add a touch more if the cakes need more binding
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Poached Eggs
- 4 large eggs
For the Hollandaise Sauce
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
For Serving
- 2 English muffins
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
Instructions
Prepare the Crab Cakes
- Pick through the crab meat and remove any shells. Carefully remove any excess liquid by straining or dabbing the crab meat with a clean paper towel.
- Combine the crab, celery, cilantro, and chives in a bowl and stir.
- Add the mayonnaise and stir until it is well incorporated.
- Form into small patties about 3 inches wide and about 1 inches high. If you have a 3-inch ring mold, this will make it easier. You should have enough for 4 crab cakes.
- Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or until ready to cook and serve.
Prepare the Poached Eggs
- Prepare a bowl with ice water and set to the side.
- Bring a deep sided sauté pan filled with water to a boil.
- Lightly salt the water when it comes to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer.
- Crack an egg into a ramekin. Swirl the simmering water, bring the ramekin close to the surface of the water, and gently drop the egg in. Repeat with remaining eggs. Cook until the eggs are softly set, about 3 minute, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs into the ice bath.
- Set aside until ready to serve. If preparing in advance, keep in the refrigerator; this can be done the night before.
Prepare the Hollandaise Sauce
- Melt the butter slowly over low heat until melted.
- Place egg yolks, lemon juice, salt and cayenne pepper in the blender. Blend on medium speed until the eggs are light in color.
- Lower blender speed to low, and while blending, slowly drizzle in the butter in a slow stream. Blend until the sauce is your desired thickness, perfect for a thick drizzle. Transfer to a small bowl, and keep warm -- you can place in a warm spot or in a bowl of lukewarm water.
Make the Crab Cake Benedict
- When you are ready to cook the crab cakes, pat the tops and bottoms of the crab cakes with the panko crumbs.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over over medium-high heat.
- Add the crab cakes and cook for about 2-3 minutes per side, flipping the crab cakes gently to help them retain their shape, until the cakes are golden brown on both sides.
- While the crab cakes are cooking, slice the English muffins in half and toast the 4 halves.
- Reheat the poached eggs by dropping them gently in a bowl of hot water. Transfer the eggs with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate and gently dab off any water.
- Place crab cakes on the toasted English muffins. Top with poached eggs. Drizzle with hollandaise sauce, and garnish with chives. Serve immediately.
Notes
- The crab cakes can be formed the night before: prepare up chilling step, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator overnight.
- The eggs can be poached the night before: store in a bowl of water in the refrigerator overnight. If you need to rewarm the eggs, drop them into a bowl of boiling water to heat again, but be sure not to cook them any further.
Nutrition
Comments
COOKBOOK
I followed this crab cake recipe. The cakes would not stay together. I formed them and refrigerated over night. I ended up frying them up in a pile and scooping them onto the English muffins. Tasted great. What did I do wrong?
Hi Robin, to trouble shoot, did you pat the crabmeat dry? Did you use a ring form or something similar to form the crab cakes? I also recommend in the recipe that if you needed, you can add more mayonnaise to help bind the crab cakes. Removing excess moisture and adding binding (mayonnaise), if necessary, really makes a difference, as well as using a very gentle hand when frying, and really allowing the crust to form before flipping. I’m glad the flavor was great, and hope these tips help! One last tip, I also make sure to use a small non-stick pan, and work in batches. Good luck next time!
My husband requested this for his birthday dinner…looks better than the rest …wish me luck
Aw, good luck, Mitzi!! And happy birthday to your husband! I hope you guys enjoy it ☺️
This looks so yum! Thank you for sharing the nice recipe. It’s so easy to understand with the instructions.
love this, thank you, a great idea for tomorrow’s brunch, I still love my traditional version but this is a wonderful change
Thank you, Sabrina! There isn’t an eggs Benny I didn’t like, but I admit, this one is special!! Hope you enjoy it!