What To Eat With Crab Cakes? 21 Mouth Watering Side Dishes

What To Eat With Crab Cakes? 21 Mouth Watering Side Dishes

Are you looking for what to eat and serve with crab cakes? Let’s see 21 side dishes fir crab cakes!

There is absolutely nothing more delicious than the chunks of sweet crab meat coated in breadcrumbs. You got it right! I am talking about the delightful seafood – crab cakes.

This tasty seafood reminds us of a summer vacation at Miami beach. Crab cakes, tropical fruit, and refreshing cocktails are the ideal summer snacks. The crisp, sweet, savory, and meaty taste of the crab cakes is precisely the taste of a perfect summer meal.

What can be better than crispy on the outside, soft and gooey on the inside, golden seafood patties? To be honest, we don’t even want to know.

These seafood goodies are an all-rounder treat. They can be served up as an appetizer for dinner parties, hi-teas, and even luncheons. You can even turn it into an entrée. All you must know are some great side dishes to pair it up with, and you’ll have a satisfying meal for the menu. 

What to eat with crab cakes? 21 Mouth Watering Side Dishes!

What to eat with crab cakes: side dishes

If you are a crab cake fan like us, you would want to read on. While crab cakes are a perfect seafood meal with their subdued flavors, it can be challenging to pair them up with side dishes that would be ideal and not overpower the meal.

They can be an excellent option for a dinner party menu. Still, they don’t go well with many meals, especially other barbecue entrées. 

We have an exciting list of some of the most fantastic side dishes that go perfectly well with crab cakes. Here are 21 easy side dishes, dipping sauces, and drink ideas to bring your menu to the next level.

1) Grilled Veggies

Grilled Veggies
Grilled Veggies

This is the go-to option for the side dish and, trust us, the yummiest as well. The sweet and savory flavor of crab cakes served with smoky and crispy veggies charred to perfection is a great meal.

Plus, it can be a perfect side dish for barbecue night.

Just grill some corn, eggplant, onions, asparagus, and tomatoes until you get the smoky flavor and serve them with golden crab cakes. 

2) Roasted Veggies

Roasted veggies
Roasted veggies

If you tend to avoid the smokiness and char that grilling would give, roasted veggies are a fantastic option.

Roasting veggies gives them the perfect amount of natural sweetness and caramelization, making it an ideal match for the savory of crab cakes.

If you want a sophisticated yet rustic feel to the meal, roasted veggies are going to give you precisely this vibe. Just sprinkle fresh basil and parsley on the chopped vegetables and roast them in the oven. You’ll be good to go. 

3) Steamed Vegetables

Steamed vegetables
Steamed vegetables

If grilled and roasted vegetables are not your favorite, but you still want veggies as a side dish, go for steamed vegetables.

They are easy to prepare, and their cooking time is shorter than grilled or roasted vegetables. It is a choice of personal taste of the vegetable you want to steam.

Still, if you ask us, carrots, peas, and cauliflower are a perfect option. 

4) Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet Potato Fries

Almost all of us would agree that French fries are a fantastic side dish for nearly all entrées.

If you are looking for a healthier option that is lighter and non-greasy yet has all that French fry goodness, sweet potato fries are the answer.

They are crispy, and their sweet flavor balances out with crab cakes perfectly well.

5) Rainbow Coleslaw

Rainbow Coleslaw
Rainbow Coleslaw

Rainbow coleslaw looks delicious to serve and makes your entrée look fancy. It’s a great side dish for crab cakes!

The fine-dine, sophisticated vibe we all wish for in our home dinners is the perfect side dish to consider. It looks impressive and is very easy to create.

You can add veggies from your personal preferences, such as carrots and cabbage. Then mix in some lemon juice and yogurt.

The zesty, tangy flavor would complement the crab cakes and take your menu up the notch. 

6) Corn on the Cob

Corn on the Cob
Corn on the Cob

If you still don’t know what to eat with crab cakes, I have another great alternative!

While this is a simpler option, it is not the taken to be ignored.

It is a perfect side dish when you are short on time but wants to prepare a satisfying meal. It is an excellent option for barbecue nights as well.

Kids love corn on the cob, and it tastes incredible alongside crab cakes. What’s not to love about them? 

7) Corn Salad

Corn Salad
Corn Salad

Refreshing corn salad would give you the summer vibe you are going with crab cakes.

They are the perfect side dish that would make your meal fulfilling and light at the same time.

Prepare a bowl of corn, basil, and scallions and drizzle salt, pepper, and vinegar. The pairing of the sweet, tangy bowl of corn salad and soft, flaky crab cakes is absolutely divine.

8) Green Salad

Green Salad
Green Salad

Nothing speaks healthy louder than a green salad. It is super easy to prepare and fits perfectly well with crab cakes.

Just drizzle salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar on the freshly chopped salad of your preference, and you have yourself a unique, nutritious, and satisfying side dish.

Green salad is budget-friendly and low on fat, so it makes a perfect fuss-free option for a side dish.

9) Quinoa Salad

Quinoa salad
Quinoa salad

If you want to go for a fulfilling salad but a bit more complex than the basic green salad, quinoa salad is the option.

Quinoa works well with crab cakes, and both complement each other. It has more flavors than a plain salad, and it is a presentable side dish. It is not that time-consuming to prepare, and the variety of flavors is loved by almost all. 

10) Remoulade Sauce

Remoulade sauce
Remoulade sauce

The remoulade sauce is very similar to tartar sauce, but it has a yellow color to it.

Remoulade sauce is perhaps the most famous and well-known dipping sauce when it comes to crab cakes. It is a staple dipping sauce primarily for seafood meals.

Mix in mayo, ketchup, mustard, lemon juice, onion, and parsley. Season it with Cajun seasoning and paprika to make a remoulade sauce.

Serve remoulade with crab cakes, and your guests would be double-dipping to get the most of it. 

11) Dipping Sauces

Dipping sauces
Dipping sauces

While we think that the white wine sauce and tartar sauce are the only options for crab cakes, there are a variety of dipping sauces that work perfectly fine with crab cakes.

Mayonnaise and garlic mayonnaise are great options for dipping sauces.

Their flavors are not overpowering and work amazingly well with the entrée.

You can also choose ketchup and mustard if it is preferred by your guests. 

12) Bread Roll

Bread Roll
Bread Roll

If you still don’t know what to serve with crab legs, I have another great alternative for you, bread roll!

What if we tell you that there is a perfect hassle-free and budget-friendly side dish? Bread rolls served with butter not only complement the crab cakes, but they are easy and the simplest side dish ever.

The crab cakes can be placed between them or eaten separately. If you want to bake bread rolls at home, they would taste even better. 

13) Pretzel Buns

Pretzel Buns
Pretzel Buns

If bread rolls are too basic for you, you can go for pretzel buns as the side dish. They are a fantastic option to turn your crab cakes into a sandwich.

The aroma of these delicious, moist buns will have your guests drooling.

All you got to do is toast the pretzel buns, lather them up with a good amount of butter and place the flaky, savory golden seafood goodness between them. You’ll thank me later for this one. 

14) Mango Guacamole

Mango Guacamole
Mango Guacamole

We will not be doing justice to our summer dish if we don’t incorporate avocados and mangoes in any way.

So here it is, the all-in-one mango guacamole.

Mango might seem an unusual ingredient with guacamole. Still, it just adds the perfect amount of tanginess and zesty flavor that creamy avocados are missing. You can serve the mango guacamole dip with tortillas or directly add a dollop of the guac on crab cakes. 

15) Grilled Avocados

Grilled avocados
Grilled avocados

Pairing avocados and crab cakes are pairing too rich and creamy best buddies together. This is what makes them a perfect pair.

Aside from exceptional nutritious values and heavenly taste, grilled avocados have a smoky char, making them even better. It is an ideal side dish for a barbecue night and is easy to make.

16) Grilled Avocado Salad

Grilled avocado salad
Grilled avocado salad

You can take grilled avocados to the next level and up your menu game with a grilled avocado salad.

The salad bowl is packed with nutrition and flavors that would complement the savory crab cakes. Add chopped onions, lettuce, tomatoes, coriander, and top them with sliced avocados.

This budget-friendly option is hassle-free and would leave you satisfied without hunger pangs for hours. 

17) Grilled Mango Salsa

Grilled mango salsa
Grilled mango salsa

If I say peanut butter, it is most likely that your mind would wander to jelly.

This is the exact scenario with crab cakes and tropical fruit. Grilled mango salsa is the burst of flavors that would transform the mood of your dinner party.

The sweetness, tanginess, and spice are all filled in this bowl. Dice some limes, jalapenos, mangos, onions, and tomatoes and slightly grill to give them a smoky oomph.

Serve it with chips and crab cakes, and you have yourself a new summer snack.

18) Sautéed Green Beans

Sautéed green beans
Sautéed green beans

Bright green beans can be a dreadful sight for most of us who dread green veggies.

If you ask me, they make an amazing side dish to serve with crab cakes. They are easy to make and hassle-free, making them an ideal side dish when short on time.

A good tip is to sauté your beans in olive oil and butter for one to two minutes. This would enhance their flavor and still keep them bright green. 

19) Chickpea Salad

Chickpea salad
Chickpea salad

Chickpea salad is an incredible amalgamation of all your preferred vegetables in a bowl.

Chickpeas are combined with refreshing cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, creamy avocados, and fresh herbs. Just drizzle some salt, pepper, and fresh lime to make a perfect bowl of refreshing salad.

Chickpea’s salad is an excellent option for summers and fits in with crab cakes. If you are health conscious, then this protein-packed salad is proper for you. This pair would not leave you unsatisfied. 

20) Bloody Mary Cocktails

Bloody Mary cocktails
Bloody Mary cocktails

There is no party without a delicious cocktail to take the edge off. When thinking of the right cocktail with crab cakes, the award has to go to Bloody Mary.

The tanginess of tomatoes, the spice of peppers, and the vodka buzz are the perfect pair to complement crab cakes’ rich, flaky, and meaty goodness. 

21) Wine

Want to know what we should drink with crab cakes? I recommend wine!

If you are going for an elegant and sophisticated vibe with crab cakes, go for champagne or Chardonnay. You want to choose the wine that would not overpower crab cakes. Instead, it should be lighter to balance out all the flavors and make an excellent meal. White wine and Pinot Blanc are good options as well. 

Final Words

Well, I think I have got you covered with varying options of side dishes to complement your crab cakes entrée. A good idea to make a fabulous menu with crab cakes is to think about options that would be lighter options that balance out the flavors.

Here are a few tips to help you choose the best dish:

  1. You must think of the time constraints and budget when picking a side dish.
  2. Grilled side dishes would be a good option for barbecue nights to make the entire meal with smoky flavors.
  3. Go for options that are lighter, nutritious and subdued flavor to compliment crab cakes.
  4. Opting for side dishes would be easy if you keep the summer vibe in mind. The side dishes have to be refreshing and flavorful to become perfectly paired with crab cakes.
  5. Avoid going for side dishes that are too heavy and overpowering.

So, do you already know what to eat and serve with crab cakes? Please, feel free to use the comments below to suggest another crab cakes side dishes!

Amazing side dishes:

What To Eat With Crab Cakes? 21 Mouth Watering Side Dishes

What To Eat With Crab Cakes?

What to serve with crab cakes and the best side dishes for this delicious food.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 People

Ingredients
  

  • Grilled Veggies
  • Roasted veggies
  • Steamed Vegetables
  • Sweet Potato Fries
  • Rainbow Coleslaw
  • Corn on the Cob
  • Corn Salad
  • Green Salad
  • Quinoa salad
  • Remoulade sauce
  • Dipping sauces
  • Bread Roll
  • Pretzel Buns
  • Mango Guacamole
  • Grilled avocados
  • Grilled avocado salad
  • Grilled mango salsa
  • Sautéed green beans
  • Chickpea salad
  • Bloody Mary cocktails
  • Wine

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the crab cakes.
  • Prepare your delicious side dishe.
  • Enjoy your meal!
Keyword crab cakes side dishes, what to eat with crab cakes
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Candy Seideman has been cooking for most of her life. In fact she is referred to as "The Chef" by most of her close family not only because she attended culinary school and was an actual chef, but also because she has a passion for cooking for friends and family.