This keto crab imperial is a super delicious and easy-to-make appetizer or lunch dish. Low carb and gluten free recipe.
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Have you ever tried a Crab Imperial? Or perhaps you've never heard of it? Here's the best definition that I found:
A classic American dish of crabmeat combined with mayonnaise or a sherried white sauce, spooned into blue-crab or scallop shells, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese or bread crumbs and baked until golden brown.”
I figured it would be pretty easy to make a low carb and keto version, using the mayonnaise option and seasoned pork rinds for a topping. I didn't have any shells to serve it in, but what is convenient about this dish is that you can make four individual portions or one large one, depending on how you prefer to serve it.
For this recipe I used premium canned crab meat – dark meat from the claws. I think you could make it with super cheap canned crab and it would probably be fine, but obviously the better quality of crab that you use, the better the finished dish. Note: Do not be tempted to use much cheaper “krab” sticks as they are imitation and not keto friendly.
How to Make Keto Crab Imperial
Drain the crab (if applicable) and add it to a bowl, together with mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, lemon juice, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. If you have any low carb Old Bay seasoning that would work really well here too. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.
At this point you'll need to decide how you want to serve it. Spoon the mixture into four ramekins for a filling appetizer or light lunch. Or spoon it into one medium baking dish for a more family-style meal.
In a separate bowl, mix together melted butter, seasoned pork rind crumbs, and paprika.
Divide the mixture over the top and spread it evenly. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the crab mixture is bubbling and the top is golden brown. I decided to cook two and leave two for the next day!
Serve, garnished with a lemon slice and a crisp green salad.
The flavors really complement the crab rather than overpower it. And it's only 2g net carbs per serving!
Keto Crab Imperial
This keto crab imperial is a super delicious and easy-to-make appetizer or lunch dish. Low carb and gluten free recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 lb quality crab meat, drained if applicable
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp dry mustard powder
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp low carb Old Bay seasoning, optional
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
- salt and black pepper
- ½ cup seasoned pork rind crumbs
- 2 tbs butter, melted
- ¼ tsp paprika
- 4 lemon slices, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the crab, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, lemon juice, onion powder, Old Bay seasoning (if using), and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper.
- Spoon the mixture into four ramekins or one medium baking dish.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the melted butter, seasoned pork rind crumbs, and paprika. Divide the mixture over the top of the crab and spread it evenly.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the crab mixture is bubbling and the top is golden brown.
- Serve, garnished with a lemon slice and a crisp green salad.
Notes
2g net carbs per serving (a quarter of the whole recipe)
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Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size Quarter of the recipeAmount Per Serving Calories 380Total Fat 30gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 20gCholesterol 144mgSodium 985mgCarbohydrates 2gNet Carbohydrates 2gFiber 0gSugar 0.7gProtein 25g
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is my best approximation. I cannot guarantee completely accurate data due to variations in ingredients and cooking methods. Carbohydrates from sugar alcohols are not included in net carb counts as it has been shown that they do not impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.