Crab Cake Sauce

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This creamy Crab Cake Sauce is the perfect 5-minute dipping sauce for a variety of seafood dishes like po’boys, this Easy Blackened Shrimp Recipe and, of course, these Best Maryland Crab Cakes.

A white bowl filled with crab cake sauce next to a dish towel and bowl of lemons.

As a born and raised Marylander, I take more pride in my crab cakes than, well, pretty much anything else. So when I tell you that this remoulade is everything your crab cakes have been missing, I truly mean it. Like, I’m-not-even-using-exclamation-points mean it.

This aioli sauce features authentic Maryland flavors including Old Bay seasoning, fresh lemon juice, creamy tartar sauce, and Worcestershire sauce—the perfect combination for highlighting jumbo lump crab meat!

Why You’ll love This Recipe

A girl in a white sweater serving food.
  • 5 Minutes: Whip up a batch of this Old Bay Sauce in just five minutes. That’s like a commercial break (when people actually watched commercials).
  • Seafood Party: Even though it’s called Crab Cake Sauce, this creamy remoulade is also delicious on Baked Salmon Cakes, Cilantro Lime Spicy Shrimp Tacos and much more.
  • Authenticity: You’ll find a lot of recipes out there for Crab Cake Sauces. This one, though, is as true a Maryland Crab Cake sauce can get. Hey, I gotta represent!
Jordan

ingredients you will need

  • Tartar sauce: Some recipes call for mayo, but tartar sauce carries much more flavor.
  • Old Bay seasoning: No real seafood recipe is complete without the flavors of Old Bay Seasoning. It’s a mix of celery salt, red pepper, black pepper, and paprika.
  • Lemon juice: Seafood’s best friend, lemon adds zest and freshness.
  • Worcestershire sauce: Adds the perfect balance of tangy, savory, sweet, and salty flavors.

*For a detailed list of ingredients and measurements, please reference the recipe card down below.

How to Make Crab Cake Sauce

Mixing crab cake sauce ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Step 1: Combine ingredients. Whisk together the tartar sauce, Old Bay seasoning, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl.

Crab cake sauce in a white bowl with lemon wedges.

Step 2: Serve. Enjoy with your favorite seafood dish like crab cakes, lobster rolls, po’boys—you name it!

What is remoulade sauce made of?

Remoulade sauce (pronunced rei·moo·laad) was actually invented in France as a condiment originally meant for french fries! I know, right?

It has since transformed into different versions with different uses. Although, you can still dip it in your french fries if you so choose! Try my Air Fryer French Fries!

Depending on the area you are in your remoulade sauce will change. However, for the most part remoulade sauce has a creamy base like tartar sauce or mayonnaise, herbs, and spices. If you are in the south, expect some Cajun seasoning or even boiled eggs!

Recipe FAQ’s

What sauce do you eat crab cakes with?

I highly recommend using a remoulade sauce for crab cakes. However, if you’re looking to venture away from crab cake dipping sauces, try my 5 Minute Spicy Mayo, Chili Garlic Sauce, or Copycat Chick Fil A Sauce Recipe.

What makes a Maryland crab cake different?

Maryland crab cakes are iconic and beloved for their simplicity and emphasis on showcasing the sweet, delicate flavor of blue crab.

What goes well with crab cakes?

I love crab cakes so much, I always make sure they’re the star of the show. However, I’d suggest serving them with Roasted Yellow Squash, Red Wine Mushrooms, Air Fryer Broccoli, Roasted Broccolini, or Israeli Couscous Recipe.

What is the difference between tartar sauce and remoulade?

Remoulade and tartar sauce have very similar ingredients. However, remoulade adds a wide variety of herbs, vinegar, and sometimes hot sauce. Tartar sauce is made up of just a few ingredients, typically mayonnaise, capers, and sweet pickles.

How to store homemade crab cake sauce?

I love to store my homemade sauces in these Weck jars. You can also purchase wooden or plastic lids if you prefer those. The jars look so nice, I don’t mind leaving them on the counter!

Two crab cakes on a plate with a bowl of crab cake sauce on the side.

love crab? try these:

If you tried this Crab Cake Sauce or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and tell me how it went in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!

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4.78 from 35 votes

Crab Cake Sauce Recipe

This Old Bay Crab Cake Sauce is the perfect creamy dipping sauce for a variety of seafood dishes like po'boys, lobster rolls and, of course, Maryland Crab Cakes.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 33
Author: Jordan

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the tartar sauce, Old Bay seasoning, lemon juice, and worcestershire sauce.
    1/4 cup tartar sauce, 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning,, 1/2 of a small lemon, 1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
  • Serve immediately with crab cakes or store in a glass jar for later.
If you tried this recipe, please leave a review letting me know how it was!

Notes

  • Try to make sure you are using a tartar sauce you’ve tried and enjoyed, recently I made this using a new tartar sauce I haven’t tried before and it was not as good. I really enjoy the Whole Foods brand tartar sauce.
  • I love to store my homemade sauces in these Weck jars. You can also purchase wooden or plastic lids if you prefer those. The jars look so nice, I don’t mind leaving them on the counter!

Nutrition

Calories: 33kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 101mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.
Tried this recipe?I’d love to see your dish, mention @jzeats or tag #jzeats!
4.78 from 35 votes (20 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




22 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Made this sauce to have on hand for the week. It came in handy more than I thought it would! Ate it with both steak and seafood, wow!

  2. 5 stars
    This is a keeper! I had some leftover tuna steaks that we didn’t want to eat again as tuna steaks. I pretty much followed the recipe verbatim which is unusual for me but I was tired and did nit feel creative. Me and my husband both thought they were really good. I made a quick remoulade to go with them. I assume this would be equally good with other fish or seafood as the base.