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vegan creole crab cakes

VEGAN CREOLE CRAB CAKES

Plant-Based Passport
Our Vegan Creole Crab Cakes are a Mardi Gras of flavors in your mouth. Made from artichoke hearts and chickpeas and seasoned with Creole spices, this recipe will have your guests screaming, “Who dat!” 
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine American, creole/cajun
Servings 4 people (makes 12 crab cakes, or 3 per person)

Ingredients
  

For the crab cakes:

  • 1 400g can of chickpeas (~2 cups), drained, then patted dry in a dish towel
  • 1 400g can of artichokes hearts (~2 cups), drained, then patted dry in a dish towel
  • 1 red bell pepper pith and seeds removed, roughly chopped
  • 1 stick of celery roughly chopped
  • ¼ cup parley
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon roasted nori optional
  • 3 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoon vegan mayonnaise
  • 1 ½ cup Italian bread crumbs divided
  • 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning we use Tony Chachere’s
  • 3 tablespoon chickpea flour
  • ½ lemon juiced
  • Neutral-flavored oil or spray oil such as vegetable or avocado

For the spicy Creole remoulade:

  • ½ cup vegan ranch dressing
  • ½ tablespoon Tabasco sauce
  • ½ teaspoon horseradish
  • 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning we use Tony Chachere’s
  • 2 tablespoon chives minced
  • ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1 teaspoon capers minced

To serve:

  • lemon wedges

Instructions
 

  • Process the chickpeas and artichoke: Add the chickpeas and artichoke to the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse 6-7 times, leaving the mixture chunky. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
  • Process the vegetables: Then add the red bell pepper, celery, parsley, green onion, and garlic to the work bowl of a food processor. Blend until minced finely, stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add mixture to the chickpeas and artichoke, and stir to combine.
  • Make the crabless mixture: Then add the dijon mustard, vegan mayonnaise, 1 cup of Italian bread crumbs, Creole seasoning, roasted nori, chickpea flour, and lemon to the chickpea mixture. Stir until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. The mixture should hold together when squeezed.
  • Now we form the crab cakes!
    Pack a ¼ cup scoop with the crabless cake mixture. Then invert the scoop and gently tap it on the side of the mixing bowl to release the cake. Press the cake together and form it into a ½" patty with your hands and then place it on a lined sheet pan.
  • Coat the crab cakes:
    (If baking, preheat oven to 400°F). Add the remaining ½ cup of Italian bread crumbs to a small bowl. Press each crab cake into the bread crumbs to coat on both sides. Then arrange them back on the sheet pan. At this point the crab cakes can be held in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, frozen or pan fried.
  • (Optional) Make the spicy Creole remoulade: In a small bowl, whisk together the vegan ranch dressing, Tabasco, horseradish, Creole seasoning, chives, sweet paprika, and minced capers. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Cook the crab cakes:

  • Air Fry: This is our favorite cooking method, because the crabless cakes out so crispy and evenly fried! This method also uses less oil, making the crabless cakes less caloric compared to traditional pan frying. Arrange the crab cakes in one layer in the basket of an air fryer. Spray or brush the crab cakes with oil and air fry at 390°F for 12 minutes, flipping midway through the cooking time.
  • Bake: Brush or spray the crab cakes with oil and bake on a lined baking sheet at 400°F for 20 minutes, flipping the crab cakes midway through the cooking time.
  • Pan Fry: Pour enough oil into a frying pan for a shallow fry and heat it over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, line a sheet pan with paper towels, place a baking rack over the paper towels, and set aside. The oil is ready when it shimmers and bread crumbs tossed into the pan sizzle. Cook crab cakes for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Transfer the crab cakes to the lined sheet pan you prepared. (This method allows for air circulation around your crab cakes, keeping them crisp. Otherwise, you can transfer the crab cakes to a paper towel-lined plate). Serve with spicy Creole remoulade and lemon wedges.
  •  Arrange crabless cakes on a baking rack placed over a baking sheet. If you pan fried the crabless cakes, line the baking sheet with paper towels first in order to absorb the oil from the crabless cakes. Then place the baking rack over the paper towels. This arrangement will allow circulation all around the crabless cakes and will keep them crisp. (If you don’t have a baking rack, simply arrange the kotlets over a paper towel-lined baking sheet).

Notes

    • Dry the chickpeas and artichoke. Drain the chickpeas and artichoke hearts of their can liquid. Then dry them thoroughly in a clean dish towel. Limiting the moisture in this recipe will help the crabless cakes stick together better.
    • Air frying ftw! We found the air fryer to be the easiest and healthiest cooking option for our crab cakes. They come out more crispy and evenly cooked compared to the other cooking methods. Plus, air frying uses less oil than pan frying.
    • Freeze the crabless cakes for later. After you shape the crab cakes, you can freeze them directly on the lined sheet pan. Once frozen, transfer the crab cakes to an air-tight container and store them for up to one month. You can also freeze cooked, leftover crab cakes the same way. Reheat them by baking or air frying them at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes.
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Keyword air fryer crab cakes, cajun crab cakes, crab cakes, creole crab cakes, vegan crab cakes, vegan seafood
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