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Any native Virginian has probably enjoyed the sweet, savory, and rich taste of Crab Imperial. This traditional dish is made with lump crabmeat, topped with Parmesan cheese, and baked in the oven until golden brown. It tastes fancy, but the easy recipe is ready with just 10 minutes of prep!
Table of Contents
- How to Make Crab Imperial | 1-Minute Video
- What is Crab Imperial?
- Ingredients
- How to Make Crab Imperial
- How to Serve Crab Imperial
- Nutrition Information
- Preparation and Storage Tips
- Recipe Variations
- Tips for the Best Crab Imperial Recipe
- More Crab Meat Recipes to Try
- Virginia Crab Imperial Recipe
How to Make Crab Imperial | 1-Minute Video
Those of us raised in the southeast (and in Maryland) are very familiar with the wonder of blue crabs. The Chesapeake Bay and the Tidewater region are full of the popular shellfish, so dishes like crab cakes and crab imperial are practically a way of life. These favorite recipes have become part of the local culture, and most home cooks have their own preferred version.
What is Crab Imperial?
Crab Imperial is a classic American dish made with crabmeat that has been combined with mayonnaise or a sherried white sauce, and spooned into blue crab shells, scallop shells, or individual ramekins. The crab mixture is topped with Parmesan cheese or bread crumbs and baked until golden brown.
The Difference Between Crab Cakes and Crab Imperial
Crab Imperial tastes sweet and savory, and is very similar to crab cakes without the filler. Since it contains many of the same ingredients as a traditional crab cake recipe, crab imperial basically tastes like a baked crab cake in a casserole dish! We’re not adding breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs to bulk up the dish. Instead, each individual serving is bursting with lump crabmeat in a creamy, delicately seasoned sauce.
Ingredients
This is a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a delicious crab imperial recipe. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Red bell pepper and onion: fresh veggies that give the dish savory flavor, a bit of color, and a hint of sweetness in the background.
- Butter: to sauté the vegetables.
- Mayonnaise: the base of the creamy sauce the brings the fresh crab and other ingredients together.
- Dijon mustard: for a touch of acidity, zesty tang.
- Worcestershire sauce: provides salty, umami flavor.
- Egg: the binder.
- Pepper: just a hint for a more complex flavor.
- Old Bay seasoning: this classic seafood seasoning blend is a combination of celery salt, paprika, and other spices like red pepper and black pepper.
- Crabmeat: I use the good stuff — refrigerated jumbo lump crabmeat!
- Parmesan cheese: a finishing touch that adds sharp, salty flavor to contrast nicely with the sweet, creamy base. It also helps the top brown.
The Best Crab Meat for Crab Imperial
Jumbo lump crab meatis the best of the best! While it’s also the most expensive crab that you can purchase, it’s well worth the investment for special occasions. Nothing else has the same rich, buttery texture, bright white appearance, and large chunks.
I buy therefrigerated jumbo lump crab meat in the seafood sectionat the grocery store (not the canned version). This crab meat is fully cooked and ready to use in recipes.
If you don’t want to splurge on a container of jumbo lump crab meat, you can alsouse lump crab meat(which is a little bit smaller than the jumbo lump) or evenbackfin crab meat(or a combination of these). I do not recommend using canned crab, claw crab meat, or imitation crab meat for this recipe.
How to Make Crab Imperial
You can certainly serve your crab imperial in shells, but I’ve used individual ramekins here for ease. You can also bake one larger casserole dish if you prefer. It’s an easy 30-minute meal with tons of flavor in every bite!
The detailed directions are included in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick version:
- Sauté the bell pepper and onion.
- Whisk together the imperial sauce.
- Add the veggies and crabmeat to the sauce. Stir to combine.
- Divide the mixture between individual dishes or a single 1-quart baking dish.
- Top with mayo and Parmesan cheese.
- Bake until golden brown and bubbly.
How to Serve Crab Imperial
Crab Imperial is served as both an appetizer and as an entree, and is best warm from the oven. Since crabmeat is expensive, serving smaller portions as appetizers in scallop shells can be a nice way to stretch the quantity that you have.
The Crab Imperial also makes a great special occasion dinner. A little bit goes a long way (thanks to all of those rich ingredients), so a small 8-ounce ramekin should feed one person. Pair the dish with a couple of lighter sides for the perfect meal!
What to Eat with Crab Imperial
Here are some of our favorite sides that go well with crab recipes:
- Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette,Caesar Salad,Wedge Salad, or our favoriteHouse Salad with Candied Pecans
- French Baguette, a loaf of crustyDutch Oven Bread,or No-Knead Cast Iron Focaccia
- Southern Cornbread,Skillet Cornbread,Bakery-Style Corn Muffins,Sweet Cornbread,Cornbread with Cake Mix,Pumpkin Cornbread,Old-Fashioned Corn Sticks,orJiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn
- Angel Biscuits (shown here), Southern Buttermilk Biscuits,Flaky Biscuits,3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits,Sweet Potato Biscuits,Cheese Biscuits,Easy Drop Biscuits
- Homemade ColeslaworVinegar Coleslaw
- Tomato SaladorTomato Cucumber Onion Salad
- Cucumber Dill Salad or Cucumber Radish Salad
- Hush PuppiesorHoe Cakes
- Charleston Red RiceorRice Pilaf
- Sauteed Spinach with Garlic
- Southern Collard Greens
- Southern-Style Green Beans
- Okra and Tomatoes
- 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins
- Macaroni SaladorEasy Pasta Salad with Mayo, Lemon, and Basil
- Potato Salad
- Baked Potato Wedges or Baked Potatoes
- Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower
- Roasted Broccoli, Broccoli Cauliflower Salad, or Broccoli and Cheese
- Roasted AsparagusorSauteed Asparagus
- Fried ApplesorBaked Apple Slices
- Southern Succotash
- Amish Green Beans with Brown ButterorSouthern-Style Green Beans
Nutrition Information
This Crab Imperial recipe is a keto-friendly low-carb dish. Each serving has about 433 calories, 36 grams of fat, 22 grams of protein and only 1.3 grams of carbohydrates.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: You can prepare the Crab Imperial up to 1 day in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Allow the dishes to come to room temperature on the counter for at least 30 minutes before baking. It’s perfect for entertaining!
- Leftover crab meat recipes will keep in the fridge for 1-2 days.
- Do not freeze Crab Imperial. The creamy mayonnaise mixture will “break” when thawed.
- How to Reheat: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the dish in the hot oven and bake just until the dish is warmed through (about 10 minutes).
Recipe Variations
- I prefer jumbo lump or lump crab for this recipe, but you can substitute with backfin or a combination of lump and backfin. I do not recommend using canned crabmeat.
- If you don’t have individual ramekin dishes, you can substitute with one 1-quart baking dish.
- Cooking Just for Two? Cut all of the ingredients in half and bake two portions of the recipe instead of 4. The rest of the instructions remain the same.
- Many crab meat recipes call for sherry, which I do not include here. If you like, you can add a splash of sherry to your mayonnaise mixture.
- Instead of Dijon mustard, add a dash of dry mustard to the crab mixture.
- Make it spicy by adding a dash of cayenne pepper to the sauce.
Tips for the Best Crab Imperial Recipe
- If available, use a wedge of Parmesan cheese and grate it yourself instead of using canned pre-grated Parmesan cheese. The freshly-grated version has a richer taste and melts better.
- Use the crab imperial as stuffing for shrimp, salmon, or flounder. This is another great way to stretch the flavor of the pricey crab.
- Serve the creamy dish with lemon wedges or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for a bright, acidic contrast. Chopped fresh parsley or sliced green onion are also classic finishing touches.
- Offer crackers or fresh, crusty bread alongside for scooping. It’s like a hot crab dip!
More Crab Meat Recipes to Try
These are the classic crab recipes that every crab-lover will enjoy!
How to Make Crab Cakes
1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
10-Minute Crab Dip Recipe
10 minutes mins
Aunt Bee’s Crab Bisque
40 minutes mins
Prep: 10 minutes minutes
Cook: 20 minutes minutes
0 minutes minutes
Total: 30 minutes minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 433.5 kcal
A traditional Crab Imperial tastes fancy, but this easy dish is ready for the oven in just 10 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons finely diced red bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons finely diced onion
- ¾ cup mayonnaise, divided
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1 lb. crabmeat (jumbo lump, lump, or backfin)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray 4 (8-ounce) ramekins or one (1-quart) casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper and onion; sauté until soft (about 5 minutes). Set aside to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, whisk together ½ cup of the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, egg, pepper and Old Bay seasoning. Stir in the cooled vegetables. Add the crab and gently fold to mix, being careful not to break up the crab.
Divide the mixture among the 4 prepared dishes. Use the remaining ¼ cup of mayonnaise to spread about 1 tablespoon on top of each dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, or until browned and bubbly.
Video
Notes
- If available, use a wedge of Parmesan cheese and grate it yourself instead of using canned pre-grated Parmesan cheese. The freshly-grated version has a richer taste and melts better.
- Use the Crab Imperial as stuffing for shrimp, salmon, or flounder. This is another great way to stretch the flavor of the pricey crab.
- Serve the creamy dish with lemon wedges or a squeeze of lemon juice for a bright, acidic contrast. Chopped fresh parsley or sliced green onion are also classic finishing touches.
- Offer crackers or fresh, crusty bread alongside for scooping. It’s like a hot crab dip!
- I prefer jumbo lump or lump crab for this recipe, but you can substitute with backfin or a combination of lump and backfin. I do not recommend using canned crabmeat.
- If you don’t have individual ramekin dishes, you can substitute with one 1-quart baking dish.
- Cooking Just for Two? Cut all of the ingredients in half and bake two portions of the recipe instead of 4. The rest of the instructions remain the same.
- Many crab meat recipes call for sherry, which I do not include here. If you like, you can add a splash of sherry to your mayonnaise mixture.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ramekinCalories: 433.5kcalCarbohydrates: 1.3gProtein: 22.4gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 7.9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 1.6gCholesterol: 155.7mgSodium: 708.8mgPotassium: 35.2mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 5.1g
Keyword: crab imperial, crab imperial recipe, crab meat recipes
Course: Appetizer, Dinner
Cuisine: American, Southern
Author: Blair Lonergan
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This recipe was originally published in July, 2020. The photos were updated in June, 2023.
