Crab Cakes Eggs Benedict

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Crab Cakes Eggs Benedict reigns supreme on all brunch menus. Make this fancy, yet easy, recipe at home with homemade crab cakes, perfectly poached eggs, and a creamy, luxurious Hollandaise sauce.

Crab Cake Eggs Benedict is my go-to when I spot it on a brunch menu. ANY Eggs Benedict recipe honestly but served over crab cakes is ultimately my favorite version. Instead of an English Muffin you swap it out for a crab cake. This dish can be slightly pricey at restaurants but with this recipe you can get restaurant-quality for a fraction of the cost. And with lots of leftovers! Serve for breakfast, brunch, or even dinner. This Crab Cakes Eggs Benedict will become a favorite of your family and friends. The crab cakes can easily be prepared ahead of time to allow for Sunday morning to remain somewhat lazy.

What is Eggs Benedict?

Eggs Benedict is a popular gourmet American brunch or breakfast dish traditionally consisting of two halves of an English Muffin topped with ham or bacon, a poached egg, and Hollandaise sauce. The story goes that NYC restaurant regular LeGrand Benedict created this idea in the 1860s when he got tired of the other menu offerings. Let's all raise a glass to this man. Hollandaise sauce has French origins though. You’ll find it used in a variety of dishes in places like New Orleans or Quebec in North America due to its French ancestry.

While this is the “original” way to serve Eggs Benedict, my favorite thing about the dish is how versatile it is. You can customize it in many ways including this Crab Cakes Eggs Benedict version.

Ingredients

Homemade Crab Cakes

You can use store-bought crab cakes for this recipe; however, these homemade ones are truly the best. And they make an enormous batch! My crab cakes consist of lump crab meat, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, egg, Worcestershire, lemon juice, spices, and breadcrumbs. I buy my crab meat fresh or canned in the refrigerated seafood section of my local grocery store. At some stores (e.g., Kroger) you can find claw meat which is generally less expensive and works just as well. Full recipe is linked above.

Eggs

Depending on how many servings of Crab Cakes Eggs Benedict you’re preparing you’ll need two eggs for each person. If making for two, use four eggs.

Hollandaise Sauce

A delicious mixture of egg yolk, butter, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and spices (ground cayenne, salt, fresh ground pepper). As you can see the flavors of the sauce compliment those of the crab cakes.

Crab Cakes Eggs Benedict Instructions

Prepare Crab Cakes

Follow instructions here for making crab cakes. Crab cakes can be made a few days ahead of time. If frozen, they can last up to six months! To prepare previously frozen crab cakes, simply thaw in the refrigerator, then pan fry in some olive oil on the stove until heated through (about five minutes). You can also heat them up in the oven at 350 degrees if preferred.

Perfectly Poached Eggs

Poached Eggs are a very important part of Crab Cakes Eggs Benedict, so we want to cook them correctly. I have a trick for this, and it involves using tea/coffee cups! Start by bringing a large pot of water to boil with a dash of vinegar. Add each of the eggs to a separate teacup. Once boiling, carefully lower teacup into water. Tip and dump egg into water. Repeat with other eggs. Cook 3-4 minutes. You want eggs runny so that gorgeous yolk runs down the crab cake when you slice into it.

It is normal for white foam to form on the top of the water when poaching eggs. You can simply skim off with a spoon.

You want both the eggs and sauce to stay warm when you serve them.  To do this, I bring the water for the eggs to a boil and while they're cooking, I mix together the Hollandaise ingredients.

Quick Creamy Hollandaise Sauce

Mix together egg yolk, lemon juice, Worcestershire, mustard and spices in a magic bullet, food processor or blender. Warm butter in microwave, add to bullet and mix again until just combined. Easy! Prepare this sauce right before serving as its best warm.

Crab Cakes Benedict Assembly

Place two crab cakes on each plate. Top with poached egg, carefully, so they don’t break. Next, drizzle Hollandaise sauce over the top. Sprinkle fresh parsley if you’d like.

Variations/Substitutions

This is Crab Cakes Eggs Benedict after all, however you can either swap the cakes for English muffins or add the muffins under the crab cakes for an additional layer. Serve on avocado toast or bagel is another idea. Bacon, ham, lobster, and smoked salmon are also delicious additions. Or use a fried green tomato as your base. The options are endless.

Serve with...

I like to serve fresh avocado on the side of Crab Cakes Eggs Benedict and get a little on my fork with each bite. This dish is filling on its own, but home fries or hash would go great alongside it. Or some fresh fruit.

As for cocktails, try a Bloody Mary, Tuscan Bellini, Grand Bubbly, or Easy Rosé Punch.

FAQs

Can I make the poached eggs ahead of time for this Crab Cakes Benedict?

I wouldn’t recommend making the poached eggs or Hollandaise sauce ahead of time. They are both best served hot and fresh. The crab cakes absolutely though!

 Is this recipe keto?

It’s definitely low carb due to swapping the English muffins from a traditional Eggs Benedict for protein-packed crab cakes. The crab cakes contain breadcrumbs, though, so I wouldn’t consider it keto.

Is this recipe healthy?

The crab cakes used are lower calorie than typical crab cakes as I make them without mayo (using Greek yogurt instead – you cannot tell). Overall Crab Cakes Eggs Benedict is higher in fat due to all the egg yolk, but it is also very high in protein. And it’s not something you eat every day, so treat yourself. 😊

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