✔ Updated · oven, air fryer, skillet + broiler times, fresh or frozen
How to cook premade crab cakes: brush them with a little oil and bake at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes if refrigerated or 20 to 25 minutes if frozen, flipping halfway. It’s my favorite weeknight shortcut.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Brush the crab cakes with a thin coat of oil or melted butter before baking or air frying. Without it the crumb coating stays pale and dry instead of turning golden and crisp.
The air fryer, a skillet and the broiler all work too, and the times for each are below. Whatever the method, check the package first: raw crab cakes are done at 145°F in the center, while fully cooked crab cakes you are reheating should reach 165°F.
Why This Method Works
- Golden and crisp outside, moist inside, with almost no added fat.
- Hands-off: make a sauce or salad while they bake.
- Fresh or frozen: no need to thaw when you use the oven or air fryer.
How to Cook Premade Crab Cakes: 4 Ways
All four methods work for refrigerated store-bought crab cakes. For frozen ones, the oven and air fryer are the best choices because the center heats through before the outside overbrowns. Times are for 3 to 4 oz crab cakes about 1 inch thick; package directions vary, so use these as a guide and confirm with a thermometer.
- 1. Oven: the most reliable method and the one in the recipe card. Brush with oil, bake on parchment and flip once.
- 2. Air fryer: preheat, brush or spray the crab cakes with oil and cook in a single layer. Smaller air fryers may need two batches.
- 3. Skillet: heat the oil until it shimmers, add the crab cakes without crowding and leave them alone until a golden crust forms before flipping. Drain briefly on a rack.
- 4. Broiler: set the crab cakes on a foil-lined sheet, brush with oil and broil, turning once. Heat comes only from above, so thick crab cakes can stay cool inside; check with a thermometer.
| Method | Heat | Thawed / refrigerated | Frozen | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Oven | 400°F, parchment-lined sheet | 12 to 15 min, flip halfway | 20 to 25 min, flip halfway | Even, golden, very little fat |
| 2. Air fryer | 375°F, light oil spray | 8 to 10 min, flip halfway | 12 to 15 min, flip halfway | Crispiest with the least effort |
| 3. Skillet | Medium heat, 1 to 2 tbsp oil | 3 to 5 min per side | Thaw first | Restaurant-style crust |
| 4. Broiler | High, rack 6 inches from heat | 4 to 5 min per side | Thaw first | Fast, but watch closely |
Safe Internal Temperature for Crab Cakes
Crab cakes look done on the outside long before the center is hot, especially from frozen. Push an instant-read thermometer into the side of the thickest crab cake, to the middle.
Raw (uncooked) crab cakes: cook until the center reaches 145°F, the safe temperature for seafood. Fully cooked crab cakes: reheat until the center reaches 165°F. If the outside is browning too fast, lower the heat or move them to the oven to finish.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Read the label. Packages say either fully cooked (reheat to 165°F) or uncooked/raw (cook to 145°F). Many fresh seafood-counter crab cakes are raw, so never assume they are ready to eat.
- Don't crowd them. Leave about 2 inches between crab cakes on a sheet or in the air fryer basket, and fry in batches, so they crisp instead of steaming.
- Flip with a thin spatula. Crab cakes are delicate, especially lump-crab ones. A fish spatula keeps them in one piece; tongs tend to break them, and I’ve lost a few good crab cakes that way.
- Thaw for the skillet and broiler. Frozen crab cakes brown outside before the center heats in a pan or under the broiler. Thaw them overnight in the fridge first, or use the oven or air fryer from frozen.
- Keep them crisp. If you need to hold cooked crab cakes, set them on a wire rack in a 200°F oven rather than on a plate, where steam softens the crust.
Oven-Baked Store-Bought Crab Cakes
4
servings5
minutes15
minutes260
kcal20
minutesThe easiest way to cook premade crab cakes: brushed with a little oil or butter and baked at 400°F on a parchment-lined sheet until golden and crisp outside and hot in the center. Works for refrigerated or frozen crab cakes.
Ingredients
4 store-bought crab cakes (3 to 4 oz each), refrigerated or frozen
1 tablespoon olive oil or melted butter
1 lemon, cut into wedges
1/2 cup tartar sauce or remoulade, for serving (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, to garnish (optional)
Directions
- Heat the oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Check the package to see whether the crab cakes are raw (uncooked) or fully cooked, since that sets the target temperature.
- Pat the crab cakes dry with a paper towel and set them on the sheet at least 2 inches apart. Brush the tops and sides lightly with the oil or melted butter so they brown and crisp.
- Bake refrigerated or thawed crab cakes for 12 to 15 minutes, or frozen crab cakes for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping them gently with a thin spatula halfway through, until both sides are golden brown.
- Check the center of the thickest crab cake with an instant-read thermometer. Raw store-bought crab cakes are done at 145°F; fully cooked crab cakes you are reheating should reach 165°F. If they are not there yet, bake 3 to 5 minutes more.
- Let them rest for 2 minutes so they hold together, then serve hot with lemon wedges, tartar sauce or remoulade and a sprinkle of parsley.
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What to Serve With Crab Cakes
Crab cakes are rich, so pair them with something fresh and tangy: lemon wedges, a crisp green salad or coleslaw, corn on the cob, roasted asparagus or oven fries. For sauces, try tartar sauce (see our copycat tartar sauce), remoulade, cocktail sauce or a squeeze of lemon with a little mayo. Find more pairings in our what to serve with crab cakes guide, or try our imitation crab recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to cook frozen crab cakes?
Bake them from frozen at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes, or air fry at 375°F for 12 to 15 minutes, brushing with oil first and flipping halfway. Both heat the center through before the outside burns. Check the middle with a thermometer: 145°F for raw crab cakes, 165°F for fully cooked ones.
Are store-bought crab cakes already cooked?
Some are and some aren't, so check the label. Packages marked fully cooked only need reheating to 165°F in the center. Ones labeled uncooked, raw or cook thoroughly, which includes many from the seafood counter, must be cooked until the center reaches 145°F.
Is it better to bake or fry crab cakes?
Pan-frying gives the crispiest, most restaurant-style crust but needs more oil and attention. Baking is easier, uses very little fat, cooks several at once and works from frozen. The air fryer sits in between: crisp outside, quick and almost hands-off. I bake mine on busy nights and save the skillet for company.
How long do you cook premade crab cakes in the air fryer?
Preheat the air fryer to 375°F, brush or spray the crab cakes lightly with oil and cook thawed ones for 8 to 10 minutes or frozen ones for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway. Cook in a single layer with space between them.
How do you store and reheat leftover crab cakes?
Refrigerate cooked crab cakes within 2 hours and eat them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven or 350°F air fryer for 8 to 10 minutes, until the center reaches 165°F. The microwave works in a pinch, but the coating turns soft.
