Southern Crab Beignets (2024)

Home » Posts » Appetizers » Southern Crab Beignets

By Kris Longwell - January 31, 2018- Updated December 8, 2021

As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Southern Crab Beignets.

It’s hard to find the words to describe how delicious thisrecipe is. But we’ll try.

Crunchy on the outside with a luxurious crab meat-filled inside. The flavor and texture is simply out of this world.

HOW TO MAKE SOUTHERN CRAB BEIGNETS AT HOME

We just can’t rave about these Southern Crab Beignets enough! And they are really very easy to make!

The ingredients are New Orleans at its very best. Go with the freshest crab you can find.

If you really want to impress, go with lump crab meat. It’ll cost you a bit more, but it delivers each crab beignet with full-on crab taste.

All the other ingredients complement the crab beautifully, and give just enough Cajun heat to make it worthwhile.

What we love about these crab beignets is that they stay so nice and tender on the inside.

All the flavors meld together so nicely, and as we said, it’s all about the crab.

Oh, yes!By the way, if you think these look good, you’d probably also love Bacon Parmesan Cheese Puffs

And just a minute or two in some hot oil produces the most amazingly crisp and crunchy exterior,andyet still the most tender, succulent crab mixture on the inside.

One word of warning, these do not last long at all when placed on a table in front of hungry guests. They are usually the first to go.

They are that good.

OTHER AMAZING CRAB DISHES TO TRY

Crab-Stuffed Shrimp
Jumbo Lump Crab au Gratin
Southern-Style Crab Cakes
Sautéed Soft-Shell Crabs
Homemade Crab Rangoon

But in the meantime, you’ve got to make a batch of these Southern Crab Beignets!

And, did we mention how creamy, crabby and ridiculously delicious the inside is? Oh we did? Well, we want to make sure you believed us.

I mean, just look these babies and tell us you are not getting yourself worked into a frenzy ready to whip up a batch as soon as humanly possible?!

Look at that!

We love to serve these amazing appetizers with a creamy White Remoulade Sauce. (Link to recipe is included below)

Now, let’s get onto to making this Southern Crab Beignets recipe!

These Southern Crab Beignets are supremely delicious. Try and find blue crab meat from your fish mongor or seafood market. If you can't find blue crab, any good quality crab meat will do. Amazing!

4.73 from 11 votes

Ingredients

▢ 1 lb blue crab meat or any good-quality crab meat
▢ 2 large eggs
▢ 1 cup mayonnaise
▢ 2 tbsp Creole mustard or, coarse grain mustard
▢ 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
▢ 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
▢ 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
▢ 1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
▢ 1/2 tsp black pepper
▢ Pinch cayenne pepper
▢ 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
▢ Canola oil for frying
▢ 1 cup White Remoulade Sauce

Instructions

Put the crabmeat in a bowl and use your hands to pick the meat free of any shells. Do this at least twice.
In a medium bow, whisk the eggs until they're light and foamy and then whisk in the mayonnaise and mustard.
Use a wooden spoon to stir in the lemon juice, scallions, red onion, salt, black pepper, and cayenne.
Fold in the Panko and then gently fold in the crabmeat so it doesn't get broken up from too much mixing. The batter should be just thick enough to barely hold together when frying. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to help it firm up further.
In a large, deep skillet or pot, heat 2 inces of canola oil to 350 F.
Using 2 medium-sized spoons, drop a few spoonfuls of the crab mixture at a time into the oil and fry until a nice golden brown color forms on the outside, 1 to 2 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beignets to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with the remaining batter, frying in batches so as not to crowd the pan.
You can keep the cooked beignets warm in a 200 F oven, if desired.
Serve with White Remoulade Sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 376kcal

Tried this recipe? Take a Picture!Mention @HowToFeedALoon or tag #HowToFeedALoon!

This recipe is adapted from Chef Donald Link | Real Cajun.

66 Comments

I have made this as one of the starters for our Christmas lunch for the last two years and they have been a huge success. We have a homemade tartar sauce as a accompaniment and they just disappear. One of my go to dinner party/buffet appetisers. Great recipe.
Reply
- Hi Sonia! We can’t even begin to tell you how happy this makes us! We LOVE that you make the crab beignets and have such great success with them! They really are divine, aren’t they? YUM!! Thanks so much for sharing and for the wonderful review. That honestly means the world to us! Please stay in touch! All the best, Kris & Wesley
  Reply
I made these as a part of a New Years Eve appetizer feast and they were DELICIOUS! It was easy– I followed the recipe as described and they were a treat, including the remoulade. Thank you! Definitely would make them again.
Reply
- Hi Rebecca! Yay! We are so so thrilled you made the crab beignets and had such great success!And even the remoulade! We recently made these again and just love them so much! Happy New Year! Thank you so so much for sharing and for the wonderful review. We appreciate that so very much! xoxo Kris & Wesley
  Reply
  See Also
  Maple Dijon Roasted Carrots
I would call these hush puppies or fritters perhaps. Beignets are hollow doughnut type desserts covered in powdered sugar, not filled with meat.
That being said….the recipe looks delicious.
Reply
Many thanks from us folks in Iowa, Wishing we could visit or move closer to water, crab, shrimp, lobster, fish and wonderful folks like you. Thank you FOR sharing.
Reply
- Phyllis! You just made us smile from ear to ear! Thank you so much and we hear you about being far from water! We live in North Texas. Fortunately, we can find decent seafood (even if it might have been frozen). We hope you get to make the crab beignets and enjoy them as much as we do. Keep us posted! All the very best, Kris & Wesley
  Reply
Thanks for sharing this recipe lol! So much flavor. These are surely to wow your guests. I used the crab claws meat instead of the lump and it was delicious. Also, crab claw meat is slightly cheaper if you’re worried about cost. My wife and sister in law were extremely impressed of the taste. Thanks again!
Reply
- Hi Anthony! Crab claw meat is a GREAT choice! We are so so happy you had such great success with the recipe! Thank you so much for sharing and for the wonderful review! That really means so much to us! Please stay in touch! All the best, Kris & Wesley
  Reply
Can the beignets be firmed and frozen to be fried in the future. Looking to Oreo ahead for an event. They are awesome – made them several times for small group and they were a hit.
Reply
How long will they keep? Want to use them for a buffet. Can they be eaten room temp?
What about frying them in a turkey fryer?
I am really struggling with a crab dish for a large party for the Preakness Stakes. CrBbis $35 a pound!
Reply
- Hi Michael! Sorry for the delayed response. They are definitely best served warm. You could absolutely fry them in a turkey fryer. They will keep warm if covered with foil for probably about 15 to 20 minutes. You could also keep them in a warmed chaffing dish and that would work well. And yes! The price of crab is painful! These can be a little tricky on your first attempt. Maybe pick up a small container of crab and do a test run. We’d hate for you to have any issues after you’ve invested in that crab! We hope it goes well and you have a spectacular party! Keep us posted! Best, Kris & Wesley
  Reply
  - Gmail, los freiste congelados, y cuanto tiempo?
What can I use to substitute the mayo in the recipe? I’m just not a mayo fan but would love to try this recipe! Thanks so much!
Reply
- Hi Camille, regular (not low fat) plain yogurt should work. Let us know if you try it and how it turns out!! Best, Kris & Wesley
  Reply
I made these for my family’s Christmas Eve get together. They are so very good! I also made the remoulade sauce as well. It was a hit!
Reply
- Hi Linda! So sorry for the delayed response! Yay!! We are so so glad you made the crab beignets AND the remoulade! And we are thrilled you had such great success with them! We hope you and your loved ones had a beautiful Christmas!! Thank you so much for letting us know and for the wonderful review. That means the world to us! Happy New Year!! xoxo Kris & Wesley
  Reply
Serves 8 people; how many does each person get enjoy? Planning for my Christmas feast 2021!
Thanks in advance!
Reply
- Hi Gail, they make about 16 beignets, so figure 2 beignets each for 8 guests. Hope this helps! Let us know how they turn out and Merry Christmas!
  Reply
These look amazing! Wondering if they’d work in an air fryer?
Reply
- Hi Blair! Absolutely!
  Reply
- What were the temp and time for the air fryer please?
  Reply
  - Hi Marie, set your air fryer to 350°F and cook for 5 minutes. Open the basket, and carefully turn them over. Close the basket and bake for another 5 minutes. We’ve not made these in an air-fryer before, but this timing and temp should work. However, maybe test one first, you might need to increase the cook time. Hope this helps! Let us know how they turn out!
These look amazing I was just wondering can you bake them in the oven instead of oil?
Reply
- Hi Lin! You can bake them, however, they may lose their shape a bit. We would recommend baking for 30 minutes at 375, flipping them half way through. Keep an eye on them so they don’t get too brown on the outside. Let us know if you make them and how they turn out!! Best, Kris & Wesley
  Reply
These are fabulous! Has anyone tried to freeze them and just re-heat later?
Reply
I have scallops in the freezer. Do you think they will work for this recipe?
Reply
- Hi Lin, that’s a good question. I can’t say that I’ve tried scallops in this recipe, but they have a similar texture as crab, once broken up. My guess is that they would work just fine, after you shred them somewhat. Let us know if you make them and how it turns out!! Good luck and all the best, Kris & Wesley
  Reply
- Can you prepare them the night before keep in fridge and cook next day
  Reply
  - Perfect!these are so delicious. Thank You,
    Gina
I want to make these. Here in Ohio, we don’t get fresh crabmeat, including fresh crabs. Do you have a recommendation for canned crabmeat or is that a huge no-no?
Reply
- Hi Jacki! You’ll still get great results with canned crab. You can find good-quality canned in the seafood section of your favorite supermarket. Even Chicken of the Sea has a premium canned option. These are so flavorful, you’ll still get wonderful results. Let us know if you make them and what you think!! Best, Kris & Wesley
  Reply
- Can you prepare these the night before then bake the next day?
  Reply
  - Hi Sherry! Sure! Just keep them refrigerated. They should bake up nicely!! Let us know if you try them and how they turn out!! All the best, Kris & Wesley
I’ve cooked these crab Beignets twice and they are absolutely wonderful. My dinner guest loved them and said they were the best they had ever eaten. The recipe is well prepared and easy to follow.
Thanks
Alvin
Reply