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These Vegan Crab Cakes are crispy on the outside, yet moist and flaky on the inside. They can be enjoyed as an appetizer, side, or main dish.
Vegan Crab Cakes without crab? Why not call them something else?
That's the burning question!
I know the title could be a little confusing or even annoying to some people (that's not my intention). However, since it's a mock version of the original recipe, the title helps people find it easier online.
I've had people suggest that I call them Hearts of Palm Cakes or Bean Cakes, but there's a reason that I don't. As a blogger, I have to title my recipes so they are easily searchable online. Otherwise, there will be crickets around here and nobody will see my recipes.
So, I have to do my own research first before selecting a title and it's not an easy task. Believe it or not, MANY people are searching for Vegan Crab Cakes and just a handful are searching for Hearts of Palm Cakes.
And NOBODY is searching for Bean cakes!! So, that's one of my reasons for my title choice for anyone who might be wondering.
I also have an Un-Tuna Salad Sandwich on the blog. It's just a tasty as the original version. You've gotta try it!
Why do vegans eat food that looks like meat?
Many of us grew up consuming meat in a variety of dishes. Lots of memories are attached to them and that's what we are familiar with. It's not the meat itself we are missing, It's the textures, flavors, and seasonings that our palate is used to.
We just don't want to hurt animals for our taste buds anymore. So, if we can recreate that experience without harming non-human friends, why wouldn't we do that?
Lots of people who say they love the taste of meat, have never tasted it plain, without seasoning. I used to say the same thing, but after going vegan, I realized my "cravings" were coming from the smells and flavors of the herbs and spices.
Also, recipes like this make it easier for some people to transition from meat-eating to vegan. It surely helped me! So basically, you can still have an enjoyable dish from your past, and leave your friends in the ocean...where they belong. Sounds like a good deal to me.
Some vegans don't want to eat anything that reminds them of meat and that's perfectly normal too. We are all different and have separate journeys, but the one thing we share in common is that we don't want to harm animals.
The original version
I'm from Long Island and I grew up eating many seafood dishes, but my favorite thing to order was crab cakes. They were very popular on the East Coast and especially in Maryland where they are known for the best crab cakes.
It was a bit of a drive to get there from Long Island, so I settled for the crab cakes near home. However, I did make it out to Maryland a few times and ordered those famous cakes each time. Yes, they really were THAT good!
Being vegan now, I don't see any reason to miss out on those wonderful flavors, textures, and seasonings since I can enjoy them in a cruelty-free way now.
The solution...VEGAN Crab Cakes!
I can't claim that these taste exactly like a traditional Maryland Crab Cake. Those chefs have a way of making the recipe with as little breading as possible but still manage to get it to your plate in one piece. I did try to make them this way, but the method was frustrating and took much longer.
So, I wanted to make them taste as traditional as possible, but also make them easy to prepare. Keeping it simple is good.
What's in a Vegan Crab Cake?
- I use hearts of palm and garbanzo beans which have a flaky-like texture when broken up.
- For the seasoning, I kept things as traditional as possible. I used Old Bay Seasoning, parsley, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. If you can't find Old Bay Seasoning, you can use any basic seafood seasoning.
- For the ocean-like flavor, I use Kelp Granules or Dulse Flakes. If you can't find those, you can break up a sheet of Nori or use any type of seaweed. You can also skip it if you don't like it.
- For the rest of the ingredients, I used vegan mayonnaise, mustard, Vegan Worcestershire Sauce, lemon juice, breadcrumbs, and some fresh green onion. You can also add some celery, corn, or bell pepper to change it up a bit.
Cooking Method
I prefer to pan-fry these in a non-stick pan using minimal oil that has a high smoke point like avocado, sunflower, or grapeseed oil. If you want to make a healthier version of this dish, you can definitely bake these. Just set your oven to 400 degrees F. and bake them on a large baking sheet for about 10-15 minutes on each side. I would lightly spray them with oil or use a silicone baking mat so they get crispy
More vegan seafood recipes to enjoy
- Vegan Fish Tacos
- Vegan Clam Chowder
- Crabless Stuffed Mushrooms
I love to hear from you
If you make these Vegan Crab Cakes, I'd love to hear what you think in the comment section below. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs so I don't miss it.
Recipe
Vegan Crab Cakes
Ingredients
- 15 oz canned garbanzo beans , rinsed. *Save liquid
- 2 - 14 oz cans hearts of palm , rinsed, drained and cut in half lengthwise
- 4 tablespoons reserved garbanzo bean liquid
- ¼ cup vegan mayo
- 1 teaspoon vegan worcestershire sauce (*see note)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice , more to taste
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ cup sliced green onion
- 2 teaspoons kelp granules (*see note for sub)
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 ½ teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning (or any seafood seasoning)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt , more to taste
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 cup breadcrumbs (panko or regular) + more for breaded coating
- ¼ cup preferred oil for pan-frying (divided)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- In a food processor add the garbanzo beans and hearts of palm together. Pulse just a few times to break everything up. Don't pulse too many times or it will turn to mush. It should have a crab-like consistency. You can also do this manually, just use a fork to shred everything up. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the reserved bean liquid well until it's foamy. Then add the vegan mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and all the dry seasonings. Whisk to combine well.
- Now add the bread crumbs, green onion, and hearts of palm and garbanzo bean mixture. Gently fold to combine. Taste for seasoning, add more if needed. Pop the mixture in the freezer for 20 minutes. This helps the mixture stay together a bit better.
- Place enough breadcrumbs onto a shallow plate that will coat patties evenly. Take mixture out of freezer. Place about ¼ cup of mixture into your hands to form a ball. Then gently flatten to form it into a patty shape. Coat patty in the bread crumbs on each side. Place aside and continue until the mixture is gone.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat (about 2-3 minutes). Add about 2 tablespoons of oil and wait until it gets hot and shimmery before adding the patties. If you place the patty in the pan, and you hear it sizzle, it's ready.
- Place about 4-5 patties on your pan at one time, but make sure you don't overcrowd the pan or they won't cook properly. Pan-fry them about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Try to only flip each patty once. When done, transfer the patties to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil. Wipe out pan before the uncooked patties are added. Add fresh oil and continue until all patties are complete.
- Serve hot with vegan tartar sauce, a lemon wedge and top with chopped green onions. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- This recipe yields 10-12 patties, using about ¼ cup of mixture for each one.
- If you can't find kelp granules, you can use dulse flakes, dulse granules, or break up a small piece of nori. If you don't want the ocean-like flavor, you can omit the seaweed altogether. It will still be delicious!
- If the mixture is too wet for your taste, AFTER it comes out of the freezer, you can add a ¼ cup of breadcrumbs into it. Combine well.
- The prep time doesn't include the 15-20 minute freezing time.
- If you want to make a healthier version of this dish, you can definitely bake these. Just set your oven to 400 degrees F. and bake about 10-15 minutes on each side. Make sure to lightly grease your baking sheet too.
- If you can't find vegan Worcestershire sauce, you can use low-sodium tamari or soy sauce.
- This will work with store-bought vegan mayo or my oil-free vegan mayo recipe. You can also use vegan sour cream.
Cathy
These were amazing! However, I do not like Dijon mustard, so added regular, I also added 2 tablespoons of kelp granules. I didn’t like the after taste of the hearts of palm had, so I added a Cap full of A-1 sauce to the recipe and it took care of the hearts of palm flavor after taste. (Probably the dijon mustard does this for the hearts of palm, but didn’t like Dijon) Also, I mixed the full cup of Panko crumbs into the mixture. I make ahead the night before, I refrigerate them. I only use just a little oil in pan and fry or oil brush and oven bake. I did not need to add another coating of Panko crumbs before frying they still had a great crunchy finish to the cake! Thank you! Crab eaters had no idea what they were eating! I tricked a few people with this recipe! They loved it!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Cathy, thank you for giving them a try and sharing your modifications. I'm so glad you liked them. 🙂
Jessica
This was my first attempt at making vegan crab cakes, and I can say I'm not going to be trying any other recipes any time soon. These "crab cakes" came out so delicious, they are definitely becoming one of the staples of our home. Thanks for such a great recipe Melissa!
Melissa Huggins
This is the nicest compliment! Thank you for giving them a try 🙂
nancy ouellette
Hi Melissa! I made these tonight for the first time and boy, were they ever delicious! I thought I had 2 cans of Hearts of Palm but I only had one and used a can of quartered artichokes in water. I also cook my own chick peas and used a flax egg because I didn't have aquafaba. I cooked them for the baked amount of time in an air fryer and they were perfect !!!!!
My hubby was skeptical and after eating them, he told me to definitely save the recipe so I can make them again. He ate 4 cakes so he really loved them!
Thank you!
Trish
WOW these were fantastic! I can't thank you enough. I grew up eating authentic Maryland crab cakes, and my family are very picky about what is a true Maryland crab cake. My dad is visiting and we made these for him and he really liked them. My husband told me he wants us to make them at least once a week! I am so thankful that I can enjoy these once again as a vegan without harming the blue crabs!! The kelp granules REALLY impart that ocean-y taste and the texture was incredible. We made some spicy horseradish/cocktail sauce with it and it was fantastic. Also, we served these with your breakfast potatoes (another favorite in our house)! We really love your vegan mac and cheese, too. Thank you for your hard work and your generosity in sharing these recipes!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Trish, this is such a nice compliment and I'm completely flattered. They sound perfect with the cocktail sauce! Thank you for making them and my other recipes. I'm so glad you like them 🙂
karen conorino
I made these for dinner last night & they were very good, lots of flavor! We have a good friend who eats with us often & is always amazed how we can mimic the flavor of some dishes using plant based ingredients. Recipe made quite a lot, approximately 9 decent sized cakes. Sent a couple cakes with our friend & we are having crab cake po boys for lunch today!!! I might try the 50/50 hearts next time from another review, sounds yummy! This recipe is saved for future happiness!!! 🙂
Christina
This recipe looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it.
I also want to say, I really appreciate your explanation of why vegans re-create meat dishes or eat foods the resemble meat. I have tried to explain this to friends before but not nearly as well as the way you wrote it here. And it’s so nice to know I’m not the only one who enjoys veganized “meat” dishes. Thank you!
Melissa Huggins
Thank you, Christina! It's one of my favorites!
I'm glad you liked the explanation too. I get asked about it a lot, so I decided to share my feelings here. Have a lovely weekend! 🙂
Robbin G
Very good take on a seafood delight!
Melissa Huggins
Thank you, Robbin! So glad you liked them 🙂
Tanya
I give this 5 stars even with my substitutions and time limits. I bet it will be even better when I completely follow the recipe 🙄😄. I used cashew yogurt for the mayo and didn’t have heart of palm so used artichoke hearts. I was in a time crunch and didn’t freeze them and they only fell apart a little. But very delicious! Thanks for the recipe!!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Tanya, Thank you for giving them a try. I'm glad they worked out with the modifications. Nice work! Have a great weekend! 🙂
Vivianna Giangrasso
Can you make the mixture the day beforehand and keep it in the fridge overnight?
Melissa Huggins
Absolutely! 🙂
Katy Piotrowski
Really, REALLY delish. Thank you!
Mila
Has anyone tried freezing the “batter” for a few weeks? I love these but wonder if they are freezer friendly?
Melissa Huggins
Hi Mila, I haven't tried freezing just the batter, but I have frozen the formed cakes. I've frozen them fully cooked and uncooked. I usually sear them in the pan and finish them in the oven. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Victoria
I made these for dinner and they were a huge hit!
Gigi
Made these yummy cakes for dinner and I thought they were delicious! This is coming from a “Marylander” who was known for her crab cakes.. pre-vegan days LOL. I will say the next time I make them I’ll use only 2Tbs of lemon juice instead of 3, and I’ll only pulse the food processor a few times. I may have over pulsed but they still turned out pretty good! This will be my go to recipe for sure!!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Gigi, Wow, what a compliment! This just made my week! You can also try pulsing the chickpeas first and then putting the hearts of palm in. Or you can shred the palms with a fork. Thank you for stopping by 🙂
Lucy
I just made this tonight! I was honestly really surprised! It was delicous! Great flavor and texture! Love the ingredients so creative! I did bake mine and the flip was a little tough but all but one had some trouble. My husband said “this is on point”! We have been vegan about 6 months and we usually eat a lot of bowls so this was such a nice change!!! If your unsure about this ... make it!!! Thank you!!!
michele martin
I've tried several vegan "crab cake" recipes and this one is by far the best. I used a tbs, of nori I had coarsely ground instead of the kelp granules and I kept the bean/HOP mixture in the fridge till I was ready to use it so I didn't need to freeze it 20 minutes prior to shaping into cakes. It really held together well. These are absolutely delicious and my adult children and teenage grandchildren thought so too. Thanks for a brilliant recipe!