Air Fryer Crab Cakes 🦀

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Easy Air Fryer Crab Cakes

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Prep

10 minutes

Cook

5 minutes

Yield

12

These Air Fryer Crab Cakes are not only made of 100% plant-based ingredients, but they're loaded with flavour and perfect for a summer meal or side dish.

Did somebody say Crab Cakes? 🦀 You bet I did. This recipe is going to blow your mind, so much so that if you’re used to eating the seafood version of crab cakes, you may never go back. These vegan-friendly Air Fryer Crab Cakes are so easy and delicious. I love them for a summer snack or BBQ.

Plate of Vegan Crab Cakes and Dilly Tartar Sauce on a white plate ready to be served.
Plate of Vegan Crab Cakes and Dilly Tartar Sauce on a white plate ready to be served.

❤️🦀 Why You’ll Love Air Fryer Crab Cakes

  • Simple: These babies are made from simple ingredients that you’ll already have in your house
  • Vegan: Okay, these crab cakes don’t have crab in them because they are entirely plant-based
  • Quick: These vegan crab cakes can be made in under 20 minutes!
  • Crowd Pleaser: Even the seafood/meat eaters in your house will love these crab cakes
Ingredients for vegan crab cakes

🍲 Ingredients

Hearts of Palm: Hearts of palm are vegetables harvested from the inner core and growing buds of certain palm trees. They are rich in fiber, potassium, iron, zinc, and vitamins B2, B6, and C. They also are a great source of protein, iron, calcium, and so much more. Hearts of palm also add a great crab-like texture to these plant-based crab cakes. They have a similar resemblance to white asparagus, but the flavor is much more delicate, making them extremely versatile. You can add them into salads, dips, and since when they are chopped they break down into shreds, they make the perfect crab meat substitute. 

Artichokes: I love artichokes and they are great in salads, pasta, dips, and so much more. In these cakes, they combine with the hearts of palm to add to the texture. Artichokes are also low in fat and rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. 

Chickpeas: Another great source of protein, chickpeas add nutrients as well to this recipe. They are great for your digestion and have iron, folate, fiber, and more.

👩‍🍳 How to Make Air Fryer Crab Cakes

Ingredients in food processor for vegan crab cakes
1. To a food processor, add the hearts of palm, chickpeas, and artichokes.  Pulse till the mixture is chopped but still holds a chunky-like consistency
2. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and add the remaining ingredients.  Using a wooden spoon or spatula combine well and begin forming your patties with a 1/3 cup as a measuring tool.  This will yield around 12-13 1-inch thick patties
Hands forming vegan crab cakes
3. For cooking, grease the base of the air fryer basket. Evenly arrange the patties in the base of the basket, leaving each pattie some room to breathe. Cook them for around 7 minutes (6-8) depending on the size and thickness of each
4. Once cooked, transfer the patties to a paper towel-lined plate to remove any excess oil

5. To make the tartar sauce, simply add all the ingredients to a small bowl and stir till combined

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6. Serve the hot crab cakes with fresh dill, lemon, and tartar!

Plate of Vegan Crab Cakes and Dilly Tartar Sauce on a white plate ready to be served.


🗒 Substitutions

  • Crab: If you don’t want a vegan version you can use canned crab instead of the heart of palm, artichoke hearts, and chickpeas
  • Panko: You can swap panko for regular bread crumbs as well


🗒 Best served with

👝 How to Store Leftovers

If you do not plan on cooking all the patties at once that is completely fine. You can mold them, freeze them, and cook them later. Allow for an extra 1-2 minutes on each side is cooking from frozen.

🤔 Common Questions

Where do I find hearts of palm? 

You can find these in the canned food section of your grocery store. Usually with vegetables or things like jarred artichokes.

What can I eat these with?

Eat them on their own, throw them on a bun, try them with different sauces, add them on top of a bed of greens, or have them as appetizers. The opportunities are endless.

What if I don’t have an air fryer?

You can cook these in a pan with oil if you don’t have an air fryer.

Air Fryer Crab Cakes 🦀

4.80 from 15 votes
These Air Fryer Crab Cakes are not only made of 100% plant-based ingredients, but they're loaded with flavour and perfect for a summer meal or side dish.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 16 minutes
Course Main Dishes, 30 minute meals, Appetizers + Sides
Cuisine Vegan
Servings 12
Calories 85 kcal

Ingredients
  

Dill Tartar Sauce:

Shop Ingredients on Jupiter

Instructions
 

  • To a food processor, add the hearts of palm, chickpeas and artichokes.  Pulse till the mixture is chopped but still holds a chunky-like consistency.
  • Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and add the remaining ingredients.  Using a wooden spoon or spatula combine well and begin forming your patties with a 1/3 cup as a measuring tool.  This will yield around 12-13 1-inch thick patties.
  • For cooking, grease the base of the air fryer basket. Preheat the air fryer to 400F (200C). Evenly arrange the patties in the base of the basket, leaving each pattie some room to breathe. Cook them for around 7 minutes (6-8) depending on the size and thickness of each. Flip them half way through.
  • To make the tartar sauce, simply add all the ingredients to a small bowl and stir till combined.
  • Serve the hot crab cakes with fresh dill, lemon and tartar!

Notes

If you do not plan on cooking all the patties at once that is completely fine. You can mould them, freeze them and cook them later.  Allow for an extra 1-2 minutes on each side is cooking from frozen.

Nutrition

Serving: 12 | Calories: 85kcal | Carbohydrates: 14.6g | Protein: 3.8g | Fat: 1.7g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.6g | Sodium: 445mg | Fiber: 3.5g | Sugar: 1g
Review This Recipe Let us know how it was!
Sandy Kelston

Have made this recipe a couple of times, so good!!
Delicious!!

Sandy Kelston

Have made this recipe twice
Delicious!!! Love it!

Maria Koutsogiannis

Thanks so much for the love, Sandy!

Tiffany

5 stars
Outstanding! Taste is so close to the real thing I didn’t miss the crab meat at all! Thank you!

Tiffany
Phlanx’s Marketing Specialist

Maria Koutsogiannis

You’re so welcome hun!

Karisa Yoder

5 stars
Another winner! The flavor was so complex and delicious. I’ve never had actual crab cakes before but I feel like these would be a worthy competitor! I actually made them oil free by baking them on parchment and they stayed together!

Maria Koutsogiannis

HOW DO YOU BAKE SOMETHING ON PARCHMENT!!! WHAT IS THIS WIZARDRY. How cool is that? So glad you liked this recipe!

Jackie Brown

5 stars
So easy and flavourful! I loved the way these crab cakes turned out and I’m already looking forward to making them again 💕 plus the vegan tartar sauce is BOMB and would go well with any vegan fish dish.

Maria Koutsogiannis

Thank you so much, Jackie!!!!!

Lauren

5 stars
These look so flavourful & healthy. Can’t wait to make them!

Maria Koutsogiannis

Thanks so much lauren, they’re really good!

Justine Carson

5 stars
such an amazing recipe!!! Thanks Maria

Maria Koutsogiannis

thank you so much for the love, Justine!

Alexa Fortstand

5 stars
these we’re amazing. So easy to make and so easy to follow!

Maria Koutsogiannis

Aren’t they just the best!

Jacqueline Bourveais

5 stars
I didn’t think they could taste like crab but oh my god they do!

Maria Koutsogiannis

Thank you so much for your love, Jacqueline!

Jessica

5 stars
ok, these were insane! thank you so much for this recipe, Maria!

Maria Koutsogiannis

You’re so welcome, Jessica!

4.80 from 15 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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