• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Sudachi Recipes
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • Recipes
    • Contact
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Fish and Seafood

    Crab Cream Croquette (Kani Kurimu Korokke)

    Published: Jan 5, 2022 · Modified: Jan 5, 2022 by Yuto Omura

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
    Share this recipe!
    Share on Facebook
    Facebook
    Pin on Pinterest
    Pinterest
    Share on Reddit
    Reddit
    Tweet about this on Twitter
    Twitter
    Share on Yummly
    Yummly

    Japanese kani cream korokke is a luxurious dumpling filled with crab and onions in a béchamel sauce that is then shaped, coated in panko breadcrumbs and deep fried to crispy perfection. It can be enjoyed for lunch, dinner, in bento lunchboxes or even as a party appetizer!

    kani cream croquette on a white plate with salad and homemade sauce

    Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. Sudachi Recipes earn a small percentage from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. See disclaimer for more info.

    What is Crab Cream Croquette (kani cream korokke)?

    Korokke (コロッケ) is a type deep fried dumpling often filled with potatoes, meat or seafood. In Japan, korokke is considered a type of "yoshoku dish", in other words a Japanese dish with strong Western influence. Korokke is inspired by the Dutch croquette or "kroket".

    As you can assume from the name, crab cream croquette is a type of korokke with a creamy filling. Rather than using potatoes, cream korokke is made with white béchamel sauce and then mixed with other ingredients such as crab, shrimp or chicken.

    Crab is a luxury food often enjoyed in the winter months, not to mention, it goes especially well with white sauce. You can make kani cream croquette with fresh crab meat or the canned variety.

    Kani cream croquette is definitely one of the most loved and most elegant forms of korokke in Japan.

    Japanese kani cream croquette close up top down

    History of cream korokke

    During the Meiji era (1868-1912), French and Dutch croquettes were introduced to Japan. However, because dairy processing technology was not well established in Japan back then, the potato croquette (now known as standard Japanese korokke) was invented as the first Japanese korokke.

    Korokke had already appeared in a cookbook titled "Seiyo Ryori Shinan" (Western Cooking Guide) as early as 1872 and the popularity of the dish grew and grew, appearing in more cookbooks throughout the Meiji era. It is said that the first recipe for cream korokke was published in 1895.

    Japanese korokke is coated with panko breadcrumbs and often drizzled with a simple tangy sauce made with Worcestershire sauce and ketchup.

    Japanese kani cream croquette

    Types of Korokke

    Korokke is extremely popular in Japan and there are many different types! The standard korokke is filled potatoes and ground meat, but there are other korokke that are popular in Japan such as:

    • Plain potato croquette (ポテトコロッケ)
    • Kabocha pumpkin croquette (かぼちゃコロッケ)
    • Ground meat croquette "menchi katsu" (メンチカツ)
    • Curry croquette (カレーコロッケ)

    I have recipes for some of the korokke above too, so if you're interested, please check them out!

    kani cream croquette on a white plate with salad and homemade sauce

    Tips and tricks to make elegant crab cream croquette at home

    Compared to standard potato croquette, cram cream croquette is definitely harder to perfect. Because the filling is very soft, there are a more of pitfalls that you need to avoid such as not being able to shape the korokke or the filling exploding out of the middle.

    Here are my tips and tricks to make an delicious crab cream croquette at home!

    Make a smooth béchamel sauce

    For the perfect kani cream croquette, we need silky smooth bechamel sauce. Here are my tips for making fail-free béchamel sauce:

    • Measure out the ingredients in advance and keep them at arms reach.
    • Use cold or room temperature milk to prevent lumps.
    • Add the milk one third at a time to keep it smooth.
    • Use a whisk to break up any lumps.
    • Whisk continuously.
    Bechamel sauce in sauce pan with whisk

    Allow the filling to cool completely

    In order to shape kani cream croquette, the filling needs to be completely cool. Once you've finished cooking it in the pan, transfer it to a wide container (wider containers will allow it to cool faster) and then once it's cool to the touch, place it in the freezer for 30 minutes.

    It's important not to let the filling freeze completely, just enough so that it becomes firm and easy to shape.

    Once you've shaped your kani cream croquettes, I recommend keeping them in the freezer until it's time to fry.

    Barrel shape is the safest

    Cream croquettes are a lot more difficult to form than potato korokkes. While most other korokke are disk or oval-shaped, cream croquettes are usually in the shape of a barrel.

    This is because cream korokke are softer in texture, so by reducing the corners and making the croquettes into barrels, it is less likely to explode or leak out.

    If you take too long shaping the cream korokke, the temperature of your hands will cause the filling to melt so it's important to work quickly. Once you've shaped them, you can place them back in the freezer until it's time to batter and fry.

    kani cream croquette on a white plate with salad and homemade sauce

    Apply panko breadcrumbs evenly and thoroughly

    If the batter and panko are unevenly applied, it becomes easy for the thinner areas to explode. Rather than battering with flour and egg separately, I recommend making a thick batter and then coating it in panko breadcrumbs. (I will explain more in the recipe.)

    The thicker the batter, the more it will act as a wall to prevent the sauce from leaking out.

    Fry as soon as they're battered

    It is important to fry korokke as soon as the batter and breadcrumbs are applied.

    For this reason, please heat the oil in advance at the temperature of 180 degrees Celsius (approx 355°F).

    If your oil isn't hot enough, place the shaped korokke in the freezer until you're ready to batter and fry them.

    Deep frying

    It really depends on your preference, but I recommend deep frying so that the whole korokke is submerged in the oil.

    If you shallow fry cream croquette, you might find that the filling explodes. This is because the part exposed to the air is not cooking directly, it's just warming up and becoming unstable. Once you flip it over, it is likely to break and the filling will leak out.

    Deep frying is definitely better for cream korokke!

    Japanese kani cream croquette top down

    Fry at 170-180°C (340-355°F)

    The key to perfectly cooked korokke is to fry them at a temperature of 170 to 180 degrees Celsius (340-355°F). This temperature allows outer coat to become beautifully crispy while sufficiently heating the filling.

    If the temperature of the oil is too low, it will take too long to fry and the batter can peel off and the white sauce may come out. That is literally the worst nightmare for crab cream croquette!

    If the heat is too high, the panko might burn while the middle is still cold. Since the inside is already cooked, there is no need to cook the ingredients when frying it in oil but you do want it to be hot all the way through!

    Do not overcrowd the oil

    It is important to maintain the temperature of the oil to cook the korokke properly. If you add too many at once, it will lower the temperature of the oil. This can result in greasy korokke and also increase the chance of the filling exploding!

    It depends on the size of your pan, but I try to fry two or three korokke at a time.

    Do not touch too much while frying

    Try not to interfere with the korokke once you've placed them in the oil. They're quite delicate and mixing or turning them can cause them to break or the panko batter to fall off.

    If this happens, the filling might leak out or explode! Wait until the crumb coat has cooked and hardened before turning them or removing them.

    I also recommend using a mesh spoon to lift them out (rather than chopsticks or tongs).

    Japanese kani cream croquette cut in half
    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    Japanese kani cream croquette side view

    Crab Cream Croquette (Kani Kurimu Korokke)


    • Author: Yuto Omura
    • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
    • Yield: 2-3 servings 1x
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    How to make delicious Japanese creamy crab croquette (kani kurimi korokke / カニクリームコロッケ) Makes 8 / Serves 2-3


    Ingredients

    Scale

    Filling

    • 30g butter
    • 1 onion finely diced
    • 110g crab meat (I use canned)
    • 1 tsp ketchup
    • 4 tbsp plain flour
    • 200ml whole milk
    • ¼ tsp salt
    • 1 pinch black pepper
    • 1 pinch nutmeg
    • 2 tbsp meltable grated cheese (cheddar or similar)

    Batter

    • 50ml cold water
    • 1 egg
    • 5 tbsp + 3 tbsp plain flour
    • Approx 75g panko breadcrumbs
    • Oil for deep frying

    Korokke sauce

    • 2 tbsp ketchup
    • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 

    Instructions

    Filling

    1. Take a medium saucepan/frying pan and melt 30g butter on a medium-low heat.
    2. Add the diced onion and sauté until soft and translucent (don't let it brown).
    3. Once the onion is soft, add 110g crab meat and 1 tsp ketchup. 
    4. Mix well and then sift in 4 tbsp plain flour. 
    5. Mix thoroughly and then add one third of the milk (approx 65ml). Whisk until smooth.
    6. Continue to add the milk one third at a time while whisking continuously.
    7. Add ¼ tsp salt, a pinch of black pepper, a pinch of nutmeg and 2 tbsp of grated meltable cheese. 
    8. Switch to a spatula and keep mixing until the filling is thickened to the consistency of mashed potato.
    9. Transfer to a wide container and allow to cool.
    10. Once cool to the touch, place in the freezer for 30 minutes or until firm and easy to shape. 

    Shaping and frying

    1. Preheat your oil to 170-180°C / 340-355°F.
    2. Take a bowl and add 50ml cold water, 1 egg and 5 tbsp plain flour. Whisk together until smooth. This is your batter.
    3. Prepare two plates, one with 3 tbsp of flour and one with 75g panko breadcrumbs.
    4. Remove the crab filling from the freezer and cut into 8 equal pieces.
    5. Roll each piece into a barrel shape.
    6. Coat the shaped korokke in plain flour, then egg batter, then a generous coating of panko breadcrumbs.
    7. Place the korokke straight into the hot oil, repeat until you have 2-4 in the oil. (Place the other shaped korokke in the freezer while you wait for them to cook.)
    8. Fry the korokke until crispy and golden.
    9. Remove them from the oil, place them on a wire rack and then repeat steps 5- 8.
    10. While the final batch are cooking, mix 2 tbsp ketchup and 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce to make your sauce.
    11. Serve and enjoy!

    Notes

    You can shape and batter kani cream croquette in advance, keep them in the freezer and then fry just before serving. 

    • Prep Time: 15 mins
    • Chilling time: 45 mins
    • Cook Time: 15 mins
    • Category: Seafood
    • Method: Deep frying
    • Cuisine: Japanese

    Keywords: crab cream croquette, kani kurimu korokke, kani cream croquette, kani cream korokke, how to make crab cream croquette, crab cream croquette recipe, creamy crab croquette, Japanese korokke, Japanese crab croquette, crab korokke, cream korokke, cream croquette, Japanese croquette, Japanese croquette recipe, Japanese korokke recipe

    Did you try this recipe?

    Comment below or show us on Instagram!

    @sudachi.recipes     #sudachirecipes

    Share this recipe!
    Share on Facebook
    Facebook
    Pin on Pinterest
    Pinterest
    Share on Reddit
    Reddit
    Tweet about this on Twitter
    Twitter
    Share on Yummly
    Yummly
    « Matcha White Hot Chocolate
    How to make Otoshibuta (Japanese Drop Lid) »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    Primary Sidebar

    Konnichiwa!

    Thanks for visiting Sudachi Recipes. My name is Yuto and I'm a Japanese guy with a passion for food. Here I share tasty and accessible recipes so that you can bring a taste of Japan to your own kitchen.

    More about me →

    Follow Us


    Search by Category

    • Noodles
    • Rice
    • Meat
    • Fish and Seafood
    • Vegetable
    • Sweets
    see all categories

    New Recipes

    • 3 Ways to Make Japanese Sweet Potato Tempura (さつまいもの天ぷら)
    • Japanese natto 101: What is it? How to eat and 26 secret toppings explained
    • Saba no shioyaki (Japanese style grilled mackerel)
    • Kashiwa Mochi (柏餅)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Sudachi Recipes

    • About Us
    • Recipes
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Coming soon

    Social Media

    • Contact Us
    • Youtube Channel
    • Instagram
    • Tiktok
    • Facebook

    Copyright © 2021 Sudachi Recipes