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4.97 from 30 votes

Easy Vegan Crab Cakes

Just 9 ingredients and super-easy to make. Can be made in a skillet or a pan but I have also included air-fryer instructions as well as baked options! Oh, and they can be made oil-free! Flaky, tender, creamy, and next-level good!
Adapted from Vegan Huggs and Tasty
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6 large vegan crab cakes
Author: Sam Turnbull

Ingredients

  • 1 can (19 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts drained and rinsed
  • ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs (gluten-free if preferred)
  • 1 sheet nori chopped into small flakes
  • ¼ cup vegan mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons light oil, for frying (optional)
  • For garnish: lemon wedges, chopped parsley, chopped dill, and/or vegan tartar sauce (optional)

Instructions

  • To a food processor, add the chickpeas, artichokes, panko bread-crumbs, chopped nori, vegan mayonnaise, lemon juice, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Pulse a few times to mix and break up the chickpeas and artichokes. Don't over mix, you want there to be texture still. If the mixture has reached the correct texture but the ingredients aren't mixed well, use a spoon or spatula to finish mixing.
  • Divide the mixture into 6 and use your hands to form 6 patties.
  • Heat the oil in a large skillet or non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot add the patties, and fry 3 - 5 minutes per side until golden brown. Serve hot.

Notes

Air-fryer method (oil-free): Preheat your air-fryer. Lay the patties in the bottom of the air fryer in a single layer, do not overlap. You may need to do them in batches. Air-fry at 380F for about 15 minutes until they are golden brown. 
Baked method (oil-free optional): Preheat your oven to 400F. Lightly grease a large baking pan or line it with parchment paper. Bake for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through until the vegan crab cakes are golden brown.
Nori: nori is the seaweed you use to make sushi with, it's what adds a fishy taste. If you prefer you can omit it, but your vegan crab cakes won't taste very crab-like. It doesn't get ground up in the food processor well so make sure to chop it into small flakes before adding. I usually use kitchen scissors to do this. 
Make ahead: these vegan crab cakes store well at almost any stage of the process. The prepared mixture, the shaped uncooked patties, or the fully cooked vegan crab cakes can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for 4 -5 days or it should freeze well too.

Nutrition

Serving: 1vegan crab cake without oil (recipe makes 6 crab cakes) | Calories: 255kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 484mg | Potassium: 285mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 48IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 3mg

Find it online:

https://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/easy-vegan-crab-cakes/