My favorite crab cake Caesar salad — a classic, bright Caesar made with a homemade Greek yogurt dressing, buttery crab cakes, Old Bay croutons and plenty of Parmesan. Refreshing, satisfying, and perfect for warmer nights.
OH how I love this meal!
This crab cake Caesar combines tender lump crab cakes, crunchy Old Bay croutons, a tangy Greek yogurt Caesar dressing and crisp romaine. Pair with a lime seltzer or a glass of prosecco and you have an effortless, elegant dinner.
Light, bright and almost summery — this is exactly the kind of meal I crave right now.
I kept tweaking this for a while even though I already love both my crab cake and Greek yogurt Caesar recipes. Eventually it clicked and now it’s the version I want to make all the time.
It’s a texture lover’s dream. The key tweaks:
- Use Ritz crackers instead of saltines in the crab cakes — they add buttery flavor and help the cakes hold together while staying tender.
- Make Old Bay–seasoned croutons from multigrain sourdough, olive oil and plenty of seasoning, then toast until golden and irresistible.
Toss crisp romaine with the Greek yogurt Caesar, add finely grated and shaved Parmesan, top with hot crab cakes and finish with the crunchy Old Bay croutons. That balance of creamy, salty, crunchy and fresh is what makes this special.
The crab cake Caesar we all need to make this season!
Delicious and a little bit fancy, yet easy to prepare. It’s satisfying, crunchy and full of bright Caesar flavor.
The crab cakes are based on my grandmother’s recipe with minimal filler, so use good-quality jumbo lump crab meat for the best results. That’s what gives the cakes a restaurant-quality taste and texture.
The Greek yogurt Caesar is quick to make and stores well in the fridge for a few days. It calls for anchovy paste — an important ingredient that gives the dressing its classic savory depth without any fishiness when used judiciously.
Make extra croutons — they’re addictive straight from the pan.
Happy dinner!
Crab Cake Caesar with Old Bay Croutons
Crab Cake Caesar with Old Bay Croutons
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Ingredients
Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup olive oil
Crab Cake Salad
- 4 cups sourdough bread cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for cooking
- 1–2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
- 1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat
- 15 Ritz crackers, crushed
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- Kosher salt & pepper
- 10–12 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan
- 1/3 cup shaved Parmesan
Instructions
Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing
- In a food processor or blender, combine garlic, Greek yogurt, Parmesan, Dijon, red wine vinegar, anchovy paste, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Puree until smooth.
- With the processor running, stream in the olive oil until the dressing is creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning. Store in the fridge for 3–4 days if needed.
Crab Cake Salad
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Place bread cubes on a baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss. Season with 1–2 teaspoons Old Bay. Toast for 10–12 minutes, until golden and crunchy.
- While the bread bakes, make the crab cakes.
- In a bowl, gently combine crab, crushed Ritz, egg, parsley, Dijon, mayo and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Add a pinch of Old Bay if desired.
- Form into six to eight crab cakes.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium. Sear crab cakes until golden, about 4–5 minutes per side, working in batches as needed.
- Place romaine in a large bowl, season with salt and pepper and drizzle a few tablespoons of dressing. Add finely grated Parmesan and toss to coat. Stir in shaved Parmesan.
- Top the salad with crab cakes and the Old Bay croutons, crushing the croutons over the top if you like extra texture.
- Enjoy!
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That crunch!