Specially Selected Crab Cakes

EDITOR’S NOTE: We originally reviewed these in 2018. In April of 2025, we bought them again for review purposes and updated this review. Aldi is selling these again the week of March 25th, 2026, for $6.49. 

Aldi has some pretty tasty seafood options. Some of our favorites include crab legs and shrimp.

We occasionally see Aldi selling crab cakes as limited-time specials. The grocer rotates a few different varieties of crab cakes into its freezer case. Some of them are breaded, and those are okay but not our favorites.

Our favorite crab cakes at Aldi are ones that have have very little in the way of breadcrumbs. They’re mostly crab meat and seasonings, and they’re terrific. I’m taking a closer look at them here.

Specially Selected Crab Cakes are an Aldi Find. That means they’re only in stores for a short time. Each store gets one shipment, and after that sells out, they’re gone until whenever Aldi decides to bring them back. They usually show up at least once or twice a year, in my experience. Aldi does not offer online ordering if these are not currently in stock at your local store.

We buy Aldi products for review using our own funds. I paid $6.49 per package at my local Aldi in April of 2025. They were the same price as of 2026.

These crab cakes come in two varieties: Boardwalk Style or Maryland Style. Both types of crab cakes are handmade and come two to a box, with one crab cake counting as one serving. I tend to prefer crab cakes that contain a lot of crab, with little in the way of fillers like lots of bread crumbs or celery. These crab cakes fit my preferences. While they do contain bread crumbs, they are fairly far down on the ingredients list, with crab meat being the primary ingredient.

If you’re looking out for allergens, both varieties contain crustacean shellfish (crab), egg, fish (anchovies), and wheat.

The seafood in these is wild caught in the Pacific and Indian oceans using crab trap and fish trap methods. These are products of Indonesia.

One Maryland style crab cake has 210 calories, 16 grams of total fat (21% DV), 2.5 grams of saturated fat (13% DV), 390 mg of sodium (17% DV), 6 grams of total carbohydrates (2% DV), no dietary fiber or sugars, and 11 grams of protein.

One Boardwalk style crab cake has 250 calories, 21 grams of total fat (27% DV), 3.5 grams of saturated fat (18% DV), 450 mg of sodium (20% DV), 8 grams of total carbohydrates (3% DV), no dietary fiber, 1 gram of total sugars, no added sugars, and 7 grams of protein.

According to the boxes, the crab cakes can be thawed and pan sauteed, or they can be baked from frozen.

You have a couple of options if you want to thaw the crab cakes so you can sauté them. You can thaw in the refrigerator for 8-10 hours or in the microwave. Or, you can quick thaw them in the microwave. To quick thaw, place the crab cakes on a microwavable plate. Heat on high for 30 seconds, flip, and heat another 15 seconds.

To pan sauté from thawed (the recommended preparation method), heat 2 tablespoons of oil per crab cake in a pan for 1 minute over medium-high heat. Carefully add crab cakes to the pan and cook 3 minutes. Flip the cakes, reduce heat to medium, and cook an additional 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Crab cakes are done when they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Place crab cakes on paper towels to remove excess oil before serving.

To bake from frozen, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the crab cakes on a lightly buttered baking sheet. Bake for 13 minutes, flip, and bake an additional 4-6 minutes or until golden brown.

Air fryer instructions are not on the boxes, but recently my preferred cooking method is to air fry these. I air fry them from frozen at 400 degrees for about 12-15 minutes, until they’re 165 degrees as measured by a food thermometer.

You might be wondering what the difference is between the Maryland style and Boardwalk style crab cakes.

The Maryland style crab cakes contain mostly just crab. These are tasty, with crab and some mild seasonings.

The Boardwalk style crab cakes include red and green bell peppers, onions, and green onion. The peppers and onions are not overwhelming, and I thought these were quite good, with more flavor overall.

Which style you prefer is a matter of personal taste, but I like them both, and I always pick up a box or two of each whenever I see Aldi has them in stock.

The Verdict:

Aldi’s Specially Selected Boardwalk Style or Maryland Style Crab Cakes are both winners. They contain a generous amount of crab and not a lot of breadcrumbs. They cook easily and taste great. Recommended.