Tender and crispy vegan crab cakes with potato make a great entree, salad topper or appetizer. Flavors of the sea combine with seasonings for that familiar flavor.
recipe originally published November 2, 2017
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Why you'll love this recipe
These crispy vegan crab potato cakes are an impressive snack to serve at parties and are easy to make. We are able to infuse that familiar fishy flavor with nori, arame, and Old Bay seasoning. Here's why you'll love them.
- Flavor: The dried nori seaweed and Old Bay do well to bring flavors of the sea that you might find familiar.
- Texture: These vegan crab cakes are soft and chewy with a a crispy coating, just like traditional crab cakes.
- Method: This is a quick and easy, straightforward recipe. Boil some potatoes, shred / chop artichoke and palm hearts, and combine everything together with some flavor. We have three methods for cooking: air fry, oven bake, or pan fry. Quickly make some vegan Thousand Island while the crab cakes cook, and you're all set.
Serve them with cool edamame cucumber salad or Hawaiian mac salad, or read on for more ways to enjoy vegan crab cakes.
How to serve this recipe
I love these crab cakes as a warm topper to a crisp salad, dressed with vegan Thousand Island dressing. Roll the crab cakes into a wrap with veggies for a tasty lunch or dinner. Vegan crab potato cakes are also great as an appetizer or snack, with that dressing as a dipping sauce. Serve them alongside a cool corn gazpacho for a refreshing summertime meal.
What are vegan crab cakes made with? Vegan substitute for crab
Despite the name, imitation crab is not vegan. Those red sticks called krab found in stores and restaurants is a highly processed fish paste that is meant to mimic crab. Before I was vegan, I did not find it to be that exactly.
These vegan crab cakes with potato are made with a mixture of artichoke hearts and palm hearts, which provide the tangy flavor and chewy texture. Mashed potatoes brilliantly binds everything together, and spices and seaweed add the flavor of the sea.
More fish inspired recipes
If you like recreating seafood dishes with plants, I have a few tasty options. Bright and tangy vegan ceviche uses arame for that flavor of the sea - this is a refreshing dish. Sesame scallop fried rice turns hearts of palm into briny scallops to top this fried rice recipe.
A fish crunchwrap uses plant based fish filets paired with mango salsa - so tasty! This smoked salmon avocado roll is marinated carrots over an avocado roll, which continues to be our favorite.
How long do vegan crab cakes last?
My rule for maximum flavor and freshness is to enjoy these crab cakes within three days.
Refrigerate any leftovers. Wait until it is cooled completely, and refrigerate in a glass container with a tightly fitting lid.
Reheating methods
- Air Fryer: Air fry at 370 °F and check after 5 minutes. Shake basket and continue heating for another couple minutes as needed.
- Oven: Arrange crab cakes on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 400° F until warmed through.
- Stovetop: Reheat on the stovetop in a skillet over medium heat.
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Vegan Crab Cakes with Potato
Tender and crispy vegan crab cakes make a great entree, salad topper or appetizer. Flavors of the sea combine with seasonings for that familiar flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds (7 - 8) Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and sliced into quarters
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- dairy free milk or butter, optional as needed
- 1 (15 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained
- 1 (15 ounce) can hearts of palm, drained
- 3 green onions, trimmed and minced
- juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoon nori flakes / crushed nori sheets
- 2 tablespoon arame, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay Classic Seafood Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup gluten free panko crumbs
- Vegan Thousand Island dressing, to serve
Instructions
Cook the potatoes
- Place potatoes in large stock pot with the vegetable bouillon. Add enough water to completely cover potatoes and then some - an inch or two over.
- Bring potatoes to boil, then reduce to simmer. Continue at a simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender.
Make the "crab"
- While the potatoes are cooking, chop the artichoke hearts and hearts of palm to resemble shredded crab meat.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped artichoke and palm hearts with minced green onion, lemon juice and zest, nori / seaweed flakes, Old Bay seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir / mash this mixture until "crab" is well coated.
- When potatoes are finished cooking, drain immediately and transfer to a large bowl. Add the onion and garlic powders.
- Mash the potatoes with a fork or potato masher. If needed, add dairy free milk or butter by the tablespoon for a mostly smooth consistency.
- Add the "crab" mixture to the mashed potatoes and stir to combine completely.
If baking the crab cakes, preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Forming crab cakes
- Add the panko breadcrumbs to a shallow bowl or plate.
- Use your hands to form crab cakes in a 2-3 inch flattened patty shape. Roll the crab cake through the panko, carefully pressing into all sides. Set aside and continue with remaining crab cake mixture.
To bake crab cakes
- Arrange crab cakes one inch apart on parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake at 350 °F for 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven, carefully turn over with tongs or a spatula, and return to oven.
- Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until crab cakes are golden brown.
To air fry crab cakes
- Line the air fryer basket with a parchment round.
- Air fry at 370 °F for 10 minutes, carefully flipping the crab cakes after 5 minutes.
To pan fry crab cakes
- Heat oil in a skillet.
- Fry the crab cakes until golden brown, 3-5 minutes on each side, turning carefully with a spatula.
Serve crab cakes with vegan Thousand Island dressing and slices of lemon.
Notes
Why you'll love this recipe
These crispy vegan crab potato cakes are an impressive snack to serve at parties and are easy to make. We are able to infuse that familiar fishy flavor with nori, arame, and Old Bay seasoning. Here's why you'll love them.
- Flavor: The dried nori seaweed and Old Bay do well to bring flavors of the sea that you might find familiar.
- Texture: These vegan crab cakes are soft and chewy with a a crispy coating, just like traditional crab cakes.
- Method: This is a quick and easy, straightforward recipe. Boil some potatoes, shred / chop artichoke and palm hearts, and combine everything together with some flavor. We have three methods for cooking: air fry, oven bake, or pan fry. Quickly make some vegan Thousand Island while the crab cakes cook, and you're all set.
Serve them with cool edamame cucumber salad or Hawaiian mac salad, or read on for more ways to enjoy vegan crab cakes.
How to serve this recipe
I love these crab cakes as a warm topper to a crisp salad, dressed with vegan Thousand Island dressing. Roll the crab cakes into a wrap with veggies for a tasty lunch or dinner. Vegan crab potato cakes are also great as an appetizer or snack, with that dressing as a dipping sauce. Serve them alongside a cool corn gazpacho for a refreshing summertime meal.
What are vegan crab cakes made with? Vegan substitute for crab
Despite the name, imitation crab is not vegan. Those red sticks called krab found in stores and restaurants is a highly processed fish paste that is meant to mimic crab. Before I was vegan, I did not find it to be that exactly.
These vegan crab cakes with potato are made with a mixture of artichoke hearts and palm hearts, which provide the tangy flavor and chewy texture. Mashed potatoes brilliantly binds everything together, and spices and seaweed add the flavor of the sea.
How long do vegan crab cakes last?
My rule for maximum flavor and freshness is to enjoy these crab cakes within three days.
Refrigerate any leftovers. Wait until it is cooled completely, and refrigerate in a glass container with a tightly fitting lid.
Reheating methods
- Air Fryer: Air fry at 370 °F and check after 5 minutes. Shake basket and continue heating for another couple minutes as needed.
- Oven: Arrange crab cakes on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 400° F until warmed through.
- Stovetop: Reheat on the stovetop in a skillet over medium heat.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 208Total Fat: 6gUnsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 468mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 5gSugar: 6gProtein: 6g
nutrition calculations results vary by calculator, are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to replace medical advice or treatment.
about Kristina:
Kristina is spabettie! She found cooking at an early age, and created spabettie in 2010 to share vegan recipes. Kristina turned her culinary training into sharing vibrant vegan food! Read more...
spabettie / Kristina Sloggett is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Alisa Fleming says
This salad looks so perfect for winter! Thousand Island is one of my favorites, so I need to try your vegan version.