If you are looking for something rich, creamy, and packed with umami flavour, you need to try my Creamy Crab Croquette.

Crispy on the outside, soft and creamy on the inside, this Creamy Crab Croquette is so easy to make at home, and here is my failed-proof recipe that I’ve made more than 10 times!

I love that you can prepare Creamy Crab Croquette the night before, as this makes the perfect appetizer for any dinner party. I promise once you and your guest takes a bite of this creamy crab croquette, you will be impressed too!

I made these creamy crab croquettes for my parent’s surprise wedding anniversary.

They were so impressed they thought I bought take out! Since I was preparing a 7-course meal but still wanted fresh, creamy croquettes, I wanted to ensure this recipe was easy to put together the next day during the dinner party.

I love that you can prepare this creamy mixture the night or two before.

So, during the dinner party, all you need to do is form the croquette and deep fry, and that’s it! Since everything is already cooked, you don’t need to worry about the croquettes not cooking fully, but just ensure the croquettes get nice and crispy and golden brown.

I also prepare 7 other dishes for my parent’s surprise wedding anniversary.

If you want to watch the video, here is my YouTube video of all the food preparation the night before, cooking in another hotel kitchen, and my parent’s reaction!

All you need to make a creamy crab croquette are a few simple ingredients.

Cream, butter, onion, green onion, imitation crab meat, paprika, dashi powder, flour, and panko. You can swap the imitation crab with real crab meat if you like, but I find that the imitation crab meat gives a great sweetness and is also ⅓ of the price of real crab meat.

Dashi powder is my secret ingredient that provides so much umami flavor to the dish. A little goes a long way, and it is really affordable to find at most Asian grocery stores or on Amazon.

After you prepare the creamy crab croquette creamy mixture, let it rest in the container overnight in the fridge.

You can prepare this 1 – 2 days before the dinner party and let it store in an airtight container. Let it rest for at least 12 hours to ensure it is easy to work with the next day.

Once the cream mixture hardens, form it into a ball, coat it with flour, egg, and panko, and that’s it! Since everything is already cooked, slowly pan-fry on medium heat until it becomes a beautiful golden brown.

When you bite into the creamy crab croquette, it will be crispy on the outside, and the inside will be creamy and soft.

Do you want more croquette recipes? Here are a few of my go-to recipes that you will love!

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped
2 green onions, chopped (optional)
½ tsp paprika
1 tbsp dashi powder
½ tsp black pepper
1 cup imitation crab or crab meat, shredded
4 tbsp butter
¼ cup flour
1 cup cream
1.5 cup panko
2 eggs
⅛ cup flour for dusting

In a pan, add 2 tablespoon butter, and turn the heat to medium high. Once the butter has melted, add in the onion. Saute onion for 4-5 minutes or until soft and translucent.
Next, add in the rest of the butter, and once melted, add in ¼ cup flour. Mix to ensure all the flour has soaked up the butter.
Slowly pour in the cream, and keep whisking. It will be slightly lumpy at first, but keep mixing and stirring till it becomes a thick cream mixture; this process should take around 1-2 minutes.

Season with dashi powder, paprika, and black pepper. Then add in shredded imitation crab meat and chopped green onion. Mix everything well, and at this point, you can taste to see if you need any more seasoning.
Pour the creamy crab mixture into a container, cover it, and let it rest in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight. The longer you let it rest, the easier it will be to work with.
Next day, prepare your coating station with one plate of beaten eggs, one plate of flour for dusting, and one plate of panko.
Using a spoon, form the croquette into a small ball; you can decide how big you want each croquette, but I prefer around 2-3 tablespoons per serving.
Form into a ball, then coat with flour, egg, and panko. Make sure to pack the panko in tightly with your hands.

Add oil into a pan around 2 inches high, you want to croquette to be fully immersed into the water. Turn the heat up to medium-high, and once the oil reaches 350ºF, gently add in the croquette.
Deep fry for 4-5 minutes or until crispy and golden brown. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan.

Garnish with shredded seaweed, and lemon, and enjoy!