27 Best Sides for Crab Cakes That Taste Incredible

Got some crispy crab cakes for dinner? Check out some of the best side dishes for crab cakes and enjoy great flavors.

Crab cakes; whether they’re a sophisticated dinner appetizer or potluck favorite, these tasty cakes are a true crowd-pleaser. Savory and crispy, they’re the perfect combination of taste and texture.

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How to Make Crab Cakes?

The key to a great crab cake is finding the balance of ingredients. You want the flavors and seasoning to bring out the crabmeat’s juiciness without completely overpowering it.

Another element to think about is the binding agent. The right binding agent will hold your cakes together without making them stodgy, from eggs to applesauce.

No matter which recipe you follow, ensure you treat the crabmeat delicately. Don’t shred it too finely; you want chunks of crab to anchor the dish as a main.

What to Serve with Crab Cakes?

Crabmeat has a tender sweetness that makes each bite a treat. It also means it has a delicate flavor. Choosing a side dish that highlights that sweetness instead of overpowering it is essential.

With such a beautiful main dish in the spotlight, what do we serve besides the hallowed crab cake? I have twenty-seven dishes lined up for you, and each one is a guaranteed winner.

Potato Sides for Crab Cakes

Crab cakes and potatoes are a tried-and-true combination, stretching back to this flaky cake’s origin. The mellow potato is an excellent accent to the crab’s light sweetness, tugging it into savory territory.

Whether it’s the standard potato or its sweeter cousin, there are many ways you can prepare a fitting potato side for a crab cake. Let’s dig in.

1. Apple Sweet Potato Bake

First up is an autumnal recipe of my own; my apple and sweet potato bake.

This bake is a great companion for crab cakes, offering another dish that sits just on the edges of savory flavor.

This is also a great side dish for ribs.

2. Garlic Butter Instant Pot Red Potatoes

Crab cakes can take a lot of time and effort to make from scratch. So, it’s great to have a set-and-forget side dish like this one to round out the plate.

Just dump the potatoes into the cooker and hit ‘start’!

This is also a lovely side dish for brisket.

3. Loaded Ranch Potato Salad

Doused in delicious ranch dressing and sprinkled with crispy bacon, every bite of this side dish is to die for. Whip this up beforehand and let the salad sit in the fridge before serving.

Serve with a little bit of apple cider vinegar, and red bell peppers.

4. Quick-Roasted Potatoes

Enjoy a perfect roast potato in just twenty minutes with almost no effort.

The secret is to use baby or new potatoes. These little gems don’t take as long to bake as their big brothers, and they have a delicate sweetness that pairs perfectly with crab cakes.

5. Grilled Baby Potatoes

These tasty skewers are a fun and unique addition to the table.

The trick is to boil or steam the potatoes first to get them nice and soft. Then, brush them with the caper mixture and finish them on the grill to get those delicious char lines.

6. Smothered Potatoes

This smothered potato recipe might just steal the show, featuring a tasty assortment of vegetables and cheese. I love serving this on big game days alongside a platter of crab cakes.

7. Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a fantastic choice for serving with crab cakes. Mashed sweet potatoes are even better because they’re buttery and smooth. They’re ideal for smearing atop a flaky crab cake.

Just roast, add flavor and mash into that iconic orange puree.

This is a great side dish for steak as well.

8. Sweet Potato Wedges with Paprika

Speaking of sweet potatoes, this next recipe capitalizes on their natural sugars differently. By roasting them off, you caramelize the sugar in the potato, creating a chewy and dark sweetness.

These sweeter wedges will add a delightful complexity to your meal that simple potato wedges can’t achieve.

Healthy Sides for Crab Cakes

If you’re making crab cakes, the chances are that you’re on the hunt for a healthy, light, and delicious meal for health benefits. That means choosing a suitable side dish to complete your meal.

Each of the healthy side dishes on this list highlights crab’s inherent sweetness without overwhelming the dish. They might be showstoppers, but they won’t steal the show from the star.

9. Mexican Bean Salad

Each bite of this vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free salad is absolutely bursting with freshness.

It’s quick to make, keeps well in the fridge, and the flavors only get better over time.

If you’re not a fan of beans, you could also quickly make a chickpea salad like this. It’ll become the best part of your dinner.

10. Cucumber Tomato Salad

This simple cucumber and tomato salad is a taste sensation continuing with the fresh and light trend. Thanks to the chunky cut of the vegetables, this is super satisfying to eat.

It’s cheap, easy, and quick to make.

Add some sunflower seeds and serve with delicious crab cakes for better flavor.

11. Cheesy Garlic Broccoli

This dish only uses three ingredients – cheese, broccoli, and garlic. But that simplicity is what allows each individual flavor to shine through.

Pair this with your crab cakes for a filling dish that’s both healthy and tasty.

12. Simple Side Salad

Serve up your take on a simple side salad with a few different dressings. This allows you to change the flavor midway through your meal, and everyone can enjoy their take on the dish.

Also, feel free to have it as a side dish for pork chops.

13. Balsamic Tomato Basil Salad

Speaking of triumphs in the salad world, this tomato and basil medley is a real treat. Relying on classic Italian flavors to light the way, this is a quick and easy addition to a weeknight meal.

14. Roasted Cauliflower and Asparagus

A simple side dish is essential when the main dish requires as much attention as crab cakes do.

That’s why I love this roasted cauliflower and asparagus side dish. It combines two of the best vegetables you can get into a single tangy, garlicky dish that suits almost every meal you can make.

15. Oven Roasted Zucchini

Dress your plate with some roasted zucchini spears to add an earthy tone to your crab cakes. These are so quick and easy to make that it almost feels like you’re cheating, somehow.

16. Tropical Mango Coleslaw

This simple coleslaw is a vibrant addition to the dish that tastes just as good as it looks.

Each bite is full of crunch and fresh, zingy flavors that will elevate your crab cakes to a new dimension. This slaw lacks a creamy sauce, so it’s also a little lighter in terms of dairy.

17. Spring Salad with Sauteed Peas and Scallions

Sporting zingy radish, creamy avocado, and sweet peas, this salad is just plain delicious. Serve your crab cakes on a bed of this to watch your guests’ eyes go wide with delight.

Best Sides for Crab Cakes

Finally, we reach the question this entire article is really about: what are the best sides for crab cakes? Not just the healthiest or the easiest to make, but the real triumphs of flavor.

Whether you’re cooking for a special occasion or just celebrating a weeknight, here are ten dishes that are just as delicious as they are luxurious.

18. Tabbouleh

Originating in Lebanon, this bright and fresh salad is simply bursting with Mediterranean flavors. Little gems of fruit combine with savory herbs to produce a symphony of flavor.

The best way to enjoy this salad is with a little bit of lemon juice. The perfect dish to balance out your crab cakes.

19. Creamy Green Bean Casserole

Crab cakes love to be paired with a creamy element, and they couldn’t ask for a better one than this casserole. This casserole is a dream that features green beans and fried onions cooked to perfection.

The al dente beans will offer a wonderful crunch to contrast the flakiness of your crab cakes.

20. Summer Succotash with Grilled Corn

Fresh corn, herbs, cherry tomatoes, and lima beans come together in a colorful symphony for the senses.

Each bite features a new flavor combination, keeping you on your toes and highlighting different aspects of the crab cakes each time. Drizzle lightly with olive oil to bring the whole dish together.

21. Jalapeno Cheddar Bread

This savory quick bread recipe yields a moist crumb and delicious depth of flavor.

If you’re making crab cakes with a Mexican or Spanish flavor profile, this is the perfect side dish for you. The jalapeno and cheddar are the perfect matches!

22. Ranch Veggie Pasta Salad

This ranch veggie pasta salad combines a simple leafy side salad with a BBQ-style ranch pasta salad.

The result is a delicious hybrid of flavors that perfectly accent your crab cakes.

Feel free to also serve this side dish with BBQ chicken.