Why Mayonnaise Is Crucial For The Best Crab Cakes

Homemade crab cakes are not only delicious, but at this point are the closest thing I can get to a trip back to my native Maryland. (I've been an economic refugee in the landlocked Midwest for almost a decade now.) I haven't quite perfected the recipe just yet, though, and now I may finally know why. According to Roberta Muir, who is a cookbook author, gourmet tour guide, and the creator of Be Inspired, egg isn't the best binder. Instead, she prefers a different ingredient. "Unlike egg, mayonnaise acts as more than a binding agent," she told The Takeout.

So what can mayonnaise do that eggs can't? While both ingredients help get the eggs and breadcrumbs to stick together, Muir explained that the former "improves the texture of crab cakes, giving them a creamier, moister texture — a lusciousness — that you won't get with egg alone." 

Additionally, mayonnaise has yet another benefit to it, since it also serves as a flavor booster. Your crab cakes will get some tanginess from the vinegar or lemon juice used to make the mayonnaise, plus the flavor from any other seasonings used in the creamy condiment.

When we asked Roberta Muir about any possible substitutes for mayonnaise in homemade crab cakes, she only endorsed a single kind: plant-based vegan mayo. "Any mayonnaise should work as a binding agent, adding flavor and improving the texture of crab cakes," she told us, "even egg-free vegan mayonnaise." She feels that yogurt is too liquidy and might make the crab cakes "soggy" — but if you want to give it a go, you could always try straining it in a cloth or coffee filter-lined colander for 12 to 48 hours to remove the excess whey. Mashed avocado, however, is not recommended, unless you want to stir in some salsa and make guacamole-flavored crab cakes.

Sticking with mayonnaise, you still have a lot of wiggle room depending on which type you go for. You could go with the cult favorite Kewpie mayo, or the unsung hero Blue Plate — the best mayonnaise you don't know about. Muir says flavored mayonnaise is okay, so you could use grocery store mustard mayo, or make a batch of our homemade dijonnaise. 

Garlicky aioli would also work, as would spicy sriracha or chipotle mayo. Yes, you could even opt for the polarizing Miracle Whip instead of mayonnaise if that's what floats your boat, since it will moisten and flavor your crab cakes just as well. Conversely, you could go the slightly more difficult route of making homemade mayonnaise instead of using a store-bought product, since that way you can flavor it any way you wish.