{"id":5082,"date":"2024-11-28T15:43:08","date_gmt":"2024-11-28T15:43:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/snarklesauce.com\/blog\/?p=5082"},"modified":"2026-01-07T11:34:06","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T16:34:06","slug":"philips-mini-crab-cake-appetizers-costco-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/snarklesauce.com\/blog\/2024\/11\/28\/philips-mini-crab-cake-appetizers-costco-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Phillips Mini Crab Cake Appetizers (Costco) Review"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Author\u2019s note: These are my own crabby little opinions. I have no affiliation with Phillips Seafood<\/a> nor Costco<\/a>.<\/em> This is a completely unpaid and unbiased review.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I love these crab cakes, but I’m poor.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I’m one of those weirdos who enjoys a mini crab cake at least as much as the full-size version. You know why? More surface area for that delightful “crust.” Yaaaas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Anyway. This is the second<\/em> time I’ve purchased these frozen Phillips Crab Cake Minis from Costco. They’re not <\/em>cheap, so I wait for them to go on sale around the holidays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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These crab cakes come in a shallow plastic tray, with a cozy dimple for each little fishy nugget. Mine were in great shape \u2014 free from freezer burn or significant ice crystals, and none of them were stuck together or deformed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(If you are looking for fresh seafood cakes, check out my review of The Fresh Market’s Maryland Crab and Salmon Cakes<\/a>. You know you want to.)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Cooking the Crab Cakes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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I followed the baking instructions for conventional oven preparation (you can also air fry or even pan saut\u00e9 these). Except, the instructions said to butter a baking sheet, and I didn’t<\/em> do that \u2014 I lined mine with parchment paper. Sorry-not-sorry.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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I baked mine at 450 for 9 minutes, and then flipped each sweet baby crab cake over and baked for another 3 minutes. But, “flipping” these over isn’t really flipping<\/em> them over. They’re a dome shape with a flat bottom, so the best anyone<\/em> can do is just tip them sideways. They wobble drunkenly, and roll around a bit, but them’s the brakes. You know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mine only oozed a tiny bit of oil onto my parchment paper. They didn’t stick or burn or get soggy. Parchment is definitely the way to go.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The finished mini crab cakes are tender and moist and full of flavor. They’re soft little dudes \u2014 not crisp or crunchy \u2014 but they do have a thin, enjoyable crust. The crust is where the flavor concentrates. You know.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

They hold their shape pretty well, but it helps to let them cool down first \u2014 they are squashier when hot. Visually, the crab cakes are nicely browned, and speckled with green herb fragments. They have a pleasingly natural, handmade appearance, due to the irregular shape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(For another great self-contained appetizer, check out my review of these frozen Mini Quiches<\/a>.)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The insides feature finely shredded crab meat and savory herbs. I have had other<\/em> crab cake appetizers that were more bread crumbs than anything else, so I’m pleased to say that is not the case here \u2014 the crab meat is the main event. As it should be.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I would describe the flavor as deeply savory and multi-faceted. The ingredients list Worcestershire sauce, garlic, onion, mustard, turmeric, parsley, and paprika. There’s a smidge of sweetness from the molasses and sugar in the sauce, which compliments the delicate crab meat. I enjoyed the bright tanginess from the added vinegars. These crab cakes are flavorful enough that even *I* did not want added salt or seasonings. A miracle.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Serving the Crab Cake Appetizers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I served mine with a homemade creamy sauce (keep reading for recipe<\/em>). Now, here’s the conundrum: these crab cakes taste best hot, or at least warm. But, they cool down lickity-split. And they’re difficult to handle when they’re truly piping hot. So. For a party buffet, you may<\/em> end up serving them room temperature. It’s not ideal, but it’s not terrible, either. They taste good regardless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re looking for some strategies to keep party food hot, here are some tips from Taste of Home<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Sauce for the sweet baby crab cakes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The back of the box has a recipe for a Spicy Aioli Dipping Sauce. I really<\/em> wanted to make this sauce. But I also did not have the ingredients. And, if you read my bio, you already know I hate mayonnaise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Undaunted, I used what I had. I made a similar sauce with full-fat Greek yogurt, lemon juice, hot sauce, and buffalo spice seasoning (because I had no Cajun seasoning, mmmkay? I sure wish I did!). I was too lazy to mince fresh garlic, so I used dry garlic powder instead. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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I really love onions, and I didn’t have green onions for the sauce, so I finely diced half a white onion. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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And then I remembered my garden still had a few desperate twigs of basil \u2014 hanging on for dear life \u2014 so I added fresh minced basil.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The finished sauce was delicious, although not the same as the box recipe. I measured with my heart, but here’s the (estimated) recipe. Please don’t hate me if I estimated wrong. This isn’t a recipe blog. I will cry:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n