These Vegan Crab Cakes are so good that you will be surprised that so much delicious flavor comes from combining chickpeas, artichoke hearts, and hearts of palm.
Although I’m not a vegan, I recently hosted my daughter’s bridal shower, and three of the five tea sandwiches I made were vegan. They were amazing. In my quest to reduce red meat consumption, I’m finding it easy to transition to more plant-based foods, especially when you have recipes as delicious as these vegan crab cakes.
I thought replicating something as popular as crab cakes would be complicated, but it was surprisingly simple. The result was a dish I could feel comfortable serving my vegan friends and those with shellfish allergies.
As a die-hard lover of crab cakes, I now frequently rotate this recipe in my kitchen. I’m having fun experimenting with different sauces based on my mood. While tartar sauce is a favorite, I’ve also enjoyed combining these vegan crab cakes with cocktail sauce, Louie dressing when enjoying them atop a salad, and even a hoisin and soy dipping sauce. Yum!
Are Vegan Crab Cakes Healthy?
Vegan crab cakes can be a healthy part of a well-balanced diet. They provide abundant fiber and nutrients from various plant-based ingredients, including artichokes, hearts of palm, green onions, and chickpeas. The recipe also features olive oil for frying, but you can use avocado oil if preferred. Use a nonstick pan to reduce the oil needed to pan-fry these cakes. You can also air fry or bake these crab cakes for a less greasy option. I’ve made this recipe all three ways, and it turned out great each time. My favorite method was air frying only because I am hooked on using my air fryer these days.
How To Get The Perfect Texture For Your Vegan Crab Cakes
One of the things that makes crab cakes so good is the texture of the crab meat. That’s why I like using hearts of palm and artichoke hearts in this recipe, together they provide textures pretty similar to crab meat. Combining these ingredients with mashed chickpeas (garbanzo beans) gives you an ideal mixture that creates an excellent base for your cakes. I like to use the food processor for the chickpeas, but I hand-mash the hearts of palm and artichokes so they don’t get too mushy.
How to make ahead and store
This is an ideal make-ahead recipe. Prepare the mixture, shape the patties and refrigerate them for up to 2 days before cooking. Once cooked, these vegan crab cakes are good in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze them for up to 2 months. Defrost them overnight in the fridge before reheating. I like to reheat them in the air fryer, but you can also bake or microwave them.
Serving Suggestions
While your first thought might be to top a toasted bun with Vegan Tartar Sauce and one of these delectable patties, don’t let your imagination stop there. Serve these vegan crab cakes alongside this refreshing Avocado Salad or this delicious Guacamole Salad. Seriously, these cakes are perfect with avocado in any form.
If you are hosting a party, consider making smaller versions of these crab cakes to serve alongside Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms and Vegan Broccoli Salad. These recipes go great together, and your guests will love them. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 can 15 ounces chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 can 15 ounces artichoke hearts drained
- 1 can 15 ounces hearts of palm drained and roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons green onion chopped (plus more for garnish)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- Olive oil for frying
- Vegan tartar sauce for dipping
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mash the chickpeas, artichokes, and hearts of palm until they resemble flaky crab meat (alternatively, you can mash the chickpeas using a food processor first).
- Mix in vegan mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, green onions, salt, Old Bay seasoning, black pepper, flour, and panko breadcrumbs until well combined.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Form the mixture into patties and fry each side for about 3-5 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- Serve topped with extra green onions and vegan tartar sauce on the side for dipping.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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