If you want a truly decadent dinner, I have just the thing: Crab Imperial! And it’s pretty simple, just sweet blue crab meat tossed with mayo and a few flavor enhancers, topped with buttery crackers, and then baked. It’s like Maryland Crab Cakes, but in casserole form.
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, we’re bringing you one of the very best meals to impress your significant other. Sure, you could labor over a Steak Pizzaiola or Coq au Vin, but this crab imperial is much easier, and just as special occasion worthy.
What is Crab Imperial?
Crab imperial is a classic dish from the east coast, particularly Maryland. It’s an easy casserole with few fillers, allowing the sweet crab meat to shine, and is often served in individually sized ramekins.
It was especially popular back in the decades when creamy casseroles ruled, and was a staple on seafood restaurant menus, both as an appetizer and main course.
Although crab imperial is kind of a retro dish nowadays, it’s still one of my favorite ways to cook crab.
Ingredients Needed
You will find exact measurements in the recipe card at the end of this post. Here are the things you’ll need:
- Blue crab meat – I catch and pick my own crabs, so I use the meat of the entire animal, but traditionally imperial is made with lump crab meat. If you’re using store bought, look for refrigerated lump blue crab. Avoid the stuff in cans.
- Egg – Acts as a light binder so the mixture sets softly while baking. Unlike crab cakes, you’re not building structure here, just helping the custardy base hold together.
- Mayonnaise – This is the base of the “imperial sauce.” It gives that signature creamy texture. Use a good-quality mayo. I use Duke’s.
- Dijon mustard – For a little depth.
- Lemon juice – Freshly squeezed.
- Dry cooking sherry – A traditional addition. If you don’t have it, a splash of dry white wine works.
- Worcestershire sauce – Just enough umami to round everything out.
- Old Bay seasoning – This is Maryland’s fingerprint. You can’t skip it if you want authentic Chesapeake flavor.
- Hot sauce – Just a small splash. Crystal, Tabasco, or your favorite vinegar-based hot sauce works well.
- Fresh parsley – For freshness and color.
- Ritz crackers (crushed) – For the crunchy topping. Other options are crushed saltines or panko, but that buttery Ritz flavor goes so well here.
- Melted butter – I mix this with the crushed crackers.
Classic Crab Imperial Recipe
1. Make imperial sauce: Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk egg. Add mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, sherry, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, Old Bay and hot sauce. Mix well.
2. Mix in crab: Add in crab meat. With your hands, gently mix the crab with the sauce. Be careful not to break up the crab meat too much.
3. Prep cracker topping: In a small bowl, melt butter in microwave, the mix the crushed Ritz crackers into the melted butter.
4. Prepare casserole(s):Divide the crab mixture into 3 or 4 ramekins. (Alternately, you can use one small casserole dish). Top with buttered cracker crumbs.
5. Bake: Bake uncovered for about 20 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. (You will need to bake a few minutes longer if using a single casserole dish).
Serving Suggestions
Because it’s so rich, I usually have it as my main course. Again, I will typically have some crusty bread, along with a green vegetable or salad.
You can also use it as a stuffing for shrimp, fish or portobella mushrooms, or as a topping for steak. I have a Ribeye recipe that would make the perfect surf-and-turf pairing.
If you’re serving crab imperial as an appetizer, add some crackers or sliced crusty baguette on the side for scooping and some lemon wedges for squeezing.
Recipe Notes and Variations
- Try adding other seafoods: You can substitute part of the crab with small shrimp and/or bay scallops.
- For the crab, stick with blue: Snow crab and king crab just taste too different, and have a different texture.
- Veggie additions: Though it may be considered sacrilege to some, you could sauté onion, bell peppers or celery and add them to the crab mixture.
- Flavor variation: Old Bay is the undisputed king of crab seasonings, but I have tried swapping it with our homemade Creole Seasoning and the result was equally delicious.
- If you’re watching carbs, replace the cracker topping with grated parmesan cheese.
- Leftovers: Crab imperial is really best served fresh. But if you do have leftovers, you can refrigerate them for 1-2 days. I don’t recommend freezing it.
If you’re a seafood lover like I am, crab imperial is a can’t-miss recipe. It’s so easy to make, but one of the most delicious things you will ever eat.
Give it a try, and let us know how you like it in the comments below
More great seafood recipes:
Shrimp de Jonghe
Blue Crab Boil
Shrimp Po’ Boy
Frutti di Mare
Shrimp and Grits
Langostino Pasta
Oyster Stew
Recipe Video
Crab Imperial
Crab Imperial is a classic Maryland seafood casserole made with sweet blue crab, creamy imperial sauce, and a buttery Ritz topping. Elegant, easy, and perfect for date night or holidays.
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon dry cooking sherry
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (I use Crystal)
- 1 pound blue crab meat (see note)
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 12 Ritz crackers, crushed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, whisk egg. Add mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, sherry, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, Old Bay and hot sauce. Mix well.
- Add in crab meat. With your hands, gently mix the crab with the sauce. Be careful not to break up the crab meat too much.
- In a small bowl, melt butter in microwave, the mix the crushed Ritz crackers into the melted butter.
- Divide the crab mixture into 3 or 4 ramekins. (Alternately, you can use one small casserole dish). Top with buttered cracker crumbs.
- Bake uncovered for about 20 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. (You will need to bake a few minutes longer if using a single casserole dish).
- Serve hot.
Notes
- I catch and pick my own crabs, so I use the meat of the entire animal, but traditionally imperial is made with lump crab meat. If you’re using store bought, look for refrigerated lump blue crab. Avoid the stuff in cans.
- Try adding other seafoods. You can substitute part of the crab with small shrimp and/or bay scallops.
- Veggie additions. Though it may be considered sacrilege to some, you could sauté onion, bell peppers or celery and add them to the crab mixture.
- Flavor variation. Old Bay is the undisputed king of crab seasonings, but I have tried swapping it with our homemade Creole Seasoning and the result was equally delicious.
- If you're watching carbs, replace the crushed crackers with grated parmesan cheese.
- Leftovers: Crab imperial is really best served fresh. But if you do have leftovers, you can refrigerate them for 1-2 days. I don’t recommend freezing it.
Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 483Total Fat 30gSaturated Fat 7gUnsaturated Fat 24gCholesterol 179mgSodium 1802mgCarbohydrates 25gFiber 2gSugar 3gProtein 27g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former worldwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.
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