Sunburst Crab Muffins

These open-faced crab muffins stack Maryland crabmeat, asparagus spears, and melted cheese on toasted English muffin halves. Think of them as a dressed-up crab melt with a little more refinement than your average lunch counter sandwich.

The crab filling gets mixed with mayonnaise, lemon juice, celery, and seafood seasoning, keeping it simple so the crab flavor stays front and center. Sliced almonds folded in add a subtle nutty crunch that you wouldn’t expect but works surprisingly well with the sweet crab.

Laying asparagus spears across the muffin before piling on the crab mixture gives each bite a fresh, grassy snap that cuts through the richness of the cheese and mayo. The cheese triangles arranged on top melt into a bubbly blanket that holds everything together.

Chef Tips

• Pick through the crabmeat carefully for cartilage bits. Run your fingers through it gently so you don’t shred the lumps.
• Toast and butter the muffin halves before assembling. This creates a moisture barrier so the bread doesn’t turn soggy under the wet filling.
• Use real Maryland crab if you can find it. The flavor difference between fresh lump crab and canned is night and day.
• Watch the oven closely after 12 minutes. You want the cheese bubbly and just starting to brown at the edges, not scorched.

Variations

• Old Bay version: Swap the generic seafood seasoning for Old Bay and add a dash of hot sauce to the crab mixture for a Chesapeake Bay kick.
• Swiss and crab: Use Swiss cheese instead of processed slices for a sharper, nuttier melt.
• Brunch style: Top each baked muffin with a poached egg for a crab Benedict twist.