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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.
Amber
Loved these! Thanks for sharing
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Amber! We are so happy that you loved the crab cakes, thanks for the review 🙂
Lynette Lois Young
We were impressed that they tasted very much like crab cake. I added a lot more seaweed. 2 of the .14 packets of seaweed snack.
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Lynette! We are so happy to hear that you loved the recipe! Thanks so much for giving it a try 🙂
Leslie R.
So delicious! I substituted Cajun seasoning because I couldn't find Bay's. It worked well. I might add some capers next time. Overall, these were excellent. I love the addition of chickpeas.
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Leslie! We are so happy to hear that you loved the recipe. Capers sound delicious for next time, please let us know how it goes! Thank you for stopping by 🙂
Nancy
I am making these for Easter Dinner tomorrow. They look wonderful! Can I make them ahead?
Melissa Huggins
Hi Nancy, Yes, you can make the mixture, form the cakes, and then put them in the fridge and fry them up the next day. Have a Happy Easter! 🙂
Cassidy
These are so delicious! I air fried them and the only difference I'll make next time is by adding some extra old bay. They are easy to make and really perfect with a big side salad and simple lemon vinaigrette!
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Cassidy! We are so happy to hear that you loved the crab cakes! Thanks so much for stopping by 🙂
Anthony Fleres
They are great frozen then reheated 😋
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Anthony! They really are! Glad to hear that you like them 🙂
Pamela
How long and what temp in the air fryer?
Kookie Costa
These were terrific! I woke up at 9am and made them for breakfast! No changes needed! I will absolutely make again. Thank you!
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi! We are so happy to hear that you loved them and even had them for breakfast 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Laurel
We loved these! I cheated a bit-- we aren't strict vegan and when I realized I poured out the garbanzo bean juice, I added an egg instead. I made 1/2 in the air fryer (15 min at 400) and 1/2 in the skillet. Both were very good! The skillet ones were breaded in almond flour since I ran out of breadcrumbs. The ones in the air fryer with gf bread crumbs weren't browned as much, but they held together better and weren't as messy. I'd probably do them all with the air fryer next time. I used a homemade Old Bay seasoning recipe (https://leitesculinaria.com/81715/recipes-homemade-old-bay-seasoning-mix.html) and we made the tartar sauce with vegan mayo, chopped dill pickles and lemon juice. A side of cabbage slaw tied it all together. Thank you!
samantha
Yum! Made this tonight (halved all ingredients because I was the only one eating it) and I can confirm this is a keeper!
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Samantha! We are glad to hear that you loved the crab cakes! Thank you for trying them out 🙂
Kelli
I’m racking my brain trying to figure out where the high sugar content is coming from. I track nutrients, and count every little thing! These are throwing me off as to where the 21g of sugar in 3 patties is coming from. Can you help please! Thank you so much! Also, these are a staple in my house, and have been taken to gatherings many times!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Kelli, thank you for catching that. The automatic counter was adding a lot of sugar to the hearts of palm. Not sure why because the brand I use doesn't contain sugar. I fixed it. I'm so glad you like the recipe. Thank you! 🙂
Lesley
My family was very skeptical but pleasantly surprised. We live in MD which is known for MD crabs and crab cakes so you can imagine the skepticism. LOL. My son loved them and my husband reluctantly admitted they were actually quite good!
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Lesley! We're so glad that you all loved the recipe - thank you for trying it out! 🙂
Ann
I am a Marylander too. These were delicious, perfect in texture and flavor. I made them appetizer size using my Pampered Chef large cookie scoop and smashed them a little with a small spatula. I also sprinkled a bit more Old Bay right before sticking the in the oven. The mothers were pleased!
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Ann! We are so happy to hear that the recipe was a hit! Thanks for trying it out 🙂
Diane
I have leftover crab cakes, already cooked, which I froze. How to I cook them? Pan fry or bake frozen? Or do I thaw them?
Chris Culver
As a Marylander, let me also point out that these are cheaper, faster and easier, because you don't have to buy and pick crab meat.
Having them tonight. Delicious!
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Chris! We agree and are glad to hear that you liked the recipe 🙂 Thank you for the review!
Ashley
Made this tonight and they were delicious! Once you've made the base can you refrigerate it or freeze it to make these "fresh" later? If so, do you know how long it would stay?
Jessica Escorcia
I am so happy I found this recipe!! Mine came out a little too moist so I just baked them first to dehydrate them a little bit before pan frying:). I also couldn't find vegan worchester sauce so I substituted a mixture of soy sauce and ketchup instead. I used fresh parsley instead of dried. Definitely going to make these again!! THANK YOU
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Jessica! We're so glad to hear that those modifications worked out and that the crab cakes were still delicious - thank you so much for trying out the recipe!
Abby
Can I use kelp powder and if so what would the amount be please? Thx.
Melissa Huggins
I haven't tried it with kelp powder so I don't know if it'll taste too strong or maybe add color to the dish. You can omit the kelp altogether, but if you want a slight ocean flavor, maybe try 1/4 teaspoon and give the mixture a taste before adding more. I hope this helps. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Q
So ... this is awesome! I baked these a lot longer and then broiled , but this was sooooo good. No other changes .
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi! We are happy to hear that you loved the crab cakes! Thank you so much for stopping by 🙂
Tammi Slye
This recipe is so delicious! I air fried mine and they were so yummy!!
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Tammi! What a great idea! We're so happy to hear that you loved the recipe 🙂
Karen
These are SO delicious! Thank you thank you thank you!
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Karen! We are thrilled to hear that you loved the Crab Cakes! Thanks for giving the recipe a try 🙂
Lena
I couldn't get a heart of palm around, will jackfruit be appropriate?
Melissa Huggins
Hi Lena, yes, jackfruit will work nicely too. 🙂