Cajun Crab Balls With The Perfect Spicy Remoulade: A Step-By-Step Recipe

Anything in bite-sized ball form is guaranteed to be a winning appetizer, with the humble meatball being perhaps the most ubiquitous example. Crab balls are another great example of a winning spherical appetizer, taking flaky, decadent crab meat and transforming it into something with salty, savory, spicy, and rich flavors all packed into one succinct bite. Recipe developer Kara Barrett's recipe for Cajun crab balls incorporates Cajun seasoning into the mix for a distinctly bold flavor boost, and she pairs them with a spicy remoulade for the perfect, creamy, and tangy contrast.

"I like the Cajun and spicy twist on this recipe, including channeling a bit of the Holy Trinity with the sauteed bell pepper, onion, and celery," Barrett says. "The spicy remoulade adds an extra kick that perfectly complements the crab balls, making it a crowd-pleaser every time." Indeed, these Cajun crab balls and remoulade are a welcome addition to just about any appetizer spread, right next to the (now slightly underwhelming) meatballs.

Before you delve into making the crab balls themselves, you'll start by sauteeing some veggies to go into the mix in both butter and Cajun seasoning, namely red bell pepper, green onion, and celery. Then, these veggies will go into the crab balls along with salt, an egg, crab meat, Ritz crackers (plus more for topping the crab balls, if desired), Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, lemon juice, mayonnaise, and melted butter. 

For the spicy remoulade, you'll need more salt, Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, lemon juice, mayo, fresh chopped parsley, capers, and smoked paprika. Finally, when it comes time to serve, you may want some extra lemon wedges on hand.

Prepare the vegetables: In a medium skillet on medium heat, melt the butter with the Cajun seasoning.

Add chopped bell pepper, green onion, celery, and salt. Cook until softened and fragrant. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.

Make the crab balls: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the kosher salt, egg, crab meat, crushed Ritz crackers, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, lemon juice, mayonnaise, and the sauteed vegetables and melted butter that was set aside earlier.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight in order for the mixture to firm up.

In a small bowl, prepare the spicy remoulade by combining the kosher salt, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, lemon juice, mayonnaise, parsley, capers, and smoked paprika. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Add more mayo to thicken, as needed.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Using an ice cream scooper, portion 8 crab cakes onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

Use your hands to gently firm the crab mounds and brush them with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Optionally, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon crushed Ritz crackers.

Bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until the tops are crispy golden.

Serve warm with spicy remoulade and lemon wedges.

Though these crab balls come together pretty easily and don't require too much planning, it's always convenient to have a make-ahead option, especially when you're planning a big feast and want to get certain dishes out of the way. Fortunately, these crab balls are easy to make ahead of time, and better yet, you could even freeze them and make them well ahead of time if you're a big planner. 

To prepare these crab balls for freezing, simply follow the steps for making and shaping the balls. Once you reach the refrigeration step, either follow it as directed and refrigerate overnight if you just want to make these ahead by a day, or transfer the balls to the freezer, leaving them there until firm. "Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag," Barrett directs. Once you're ready to bake, you don't even have to worry about thawing. She says, "Simply place the frozen crab balls on a sheet pan and bake at 400 F for an additional 5–10 minutes."

As for the remoulade, you could easily make that a day or two before you plan to serve. That might even work better, allowing the flavors to meld together — just be sure to keep the sauce refrigerated in the meantime.

As we've already discussed, these Cajun crab balls work particularly well as an appetizer, so naturally, you could pair them with other appetizers for a truly winning spread. Something like these party-pleasing grape jelly meatballs would offer something a little different alongside the crab balls without stealing their thunder. If you want to stay on the seafood theme, consider incorporating other types of seafood into the mix by way of crispy shrimp toast, creamy shrimp dip, or air fryer coconut shrimp. 

Of course, you don't necessarily have to serve these crab balls as an appetizer, nor do you need to serve them alongside other apps. Instead, you could treat these crab balls more like a main course and instead focus on what sides would pair best. "They can be served with a variety of sides," Barrett says. "Some great options include a fresh green salad, coleslaw, or roasted vegetables." You could also enjoy these crab balls on top of a salad, à la crab cakes, and drizzle the remoulade right on top for an all-in-one meal approach.