Miso Crab Cakes

By David Tanis

Published June 11, 2025

Miso Crab Cakes
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
1 hour, plus chilling
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes, plus chilling
Rating
5(19)
Comments
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These meaty crab cakes, bound with puréed scallops and enhanced with miso and ginger, can be made a day in advance, along with the dipping sauce. But arguably the most fun part is pickling the daikon. Once peeled and cut paper-thin, sprinkled with salt, sugar and rice wine vinegar, and tossed with some slivers of ginger, it’s ready to eat in an hour or so. Stored in a jar in the fridge, it’ll keep for a week.

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Ingredients

Yield:18 (2-ounce) cakes

    For the Pickle

    • 1 to 2small daikon radish, any color, cut crosswise into paper-thin slices (2 cups)
    • 2tablespoons very thinly sliced ginger
    • 2teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
    • 1teaspoon granulated sugar
    • ½ cup rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar

    For the Cakes

    • ½ pound sea scallops
    • ¼ cup white miso
    • 2large eggs, lightly beaten
    • 1½ pounds crab meat
    • Salt and pepper 
    • 2teaspoons grated ginger
    • ½ cups thinly sliced scallions
    • 1 to 2cups panko bread crumbs
    • Vegetable oil, avocado oil or clarified unsalted butter, for frying
    • Lightly dressed greens (optional)

    For the Dipping Sauce

    • 2tablespoons white miso
    • 2teaspoons lemon zest, preferably from a Meyer lemon
    • 2tablespoons lemon juice, preferably from a Meyer lemon
    • Pinch of cayenne
    • ¾ cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade
    • 2tablespoons thinly sliced scallions 
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (18 servings)

284 calories; 24 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 7 grams polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 10 grams protein; 549 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the pickle: Put sliced daikon and ginger in a bowl. Sprinkle with kosher salt and sugar, and toss well. Add vinegar and toss again. Let sit while you prepare the crab cakes. (Pickle can be made up to a week in advance.)

  2. Step 2

    Make the cakes: Put scallops, miso and eggs in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to a rough purée. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl.

  3. Step 3

    Mix in crab meat with a spatula. Add salt and pepper to taste, grated ginger and scallions, and mix well to incorporate.

  4. Step 4

    Form into 2-ounce balls, roll in panko, and flatten into ½-inch-thick cakes. Refrigerate for about 45 minutes.

  5. Step 5

    Make the dipping sauce: Stir together miso, lemon zest, lemon juice and cayenne. Add mayonnaise and scallions. Stir well. Taste and adjust seasoning.

  6. Step 6

    Pour ½ inch oil in a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. When oil is wavy, place crab cakes in the pan without crowding. Adjust heat to gently fry and achieve color slowly, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined tray and keep warm, and repeat with remaining cakes, cooking in batches and adding more oil as necessary. Serve crab cakes with dipping sauce, daikon pickle and a lightly dressed salad, if you like.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
19 user ratings
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Comments

Dave

Anybody in New England who puréed a scallop would be sent to New York to become a Yankee fan.

Thom

Hmm. Puréeing scallops seems like a waste. Could the same binder effect be achieved with the same amount of cod?

RunBakeEat

It would be more helpful for commentators to try something they wouldn't have thought of doing - like puréeing scallops - than just expressing skepticism. Then share whether it works. I'm sure a lot of trial and experience went into these recipes, and delight comes when something unexpected works!

Clare August 2025

As long time east coast crab lovers ( prior Baltimore resident) we voted this recipe the best one for crab cakes we have ever eaten! The dipping sauce and pickles are wonderful accompaniments. Thank you Mr. Tanis!

s

I made THIS recipe. The scallop purée gave the cakes a sweet, creamy texture that I liked. The mixture was too loose (maybe I didn’t dry the scallops very well) so I added a small amount of crushed crackers to the mixture. After browning In fry pan, I finished them in a 350 degree toaster oven for 7 minutes

RunBakeEat

Made this for a special-occasion. The scallop-miso-egg binding does elevate the cakes. No salt needed given the natural salty-sweetness of the seafood. Used Kewpie mayo for the dip, foregoing the additional miso. Overall, worth it! That includes pureeing the scallops. I don't share the sense of sacrilege; fine-dining restaurants puree all sorts of premium ingredients, and experimenting can make food (and life) more flavorful. The scallops aren't wasted but enjoyed as part of the cakes.

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