These crispy on the outside- tender in the middle Vegan Crab Cakes make an absolutely delicious canape, starter or light lunch. Made with white beans and artichokes, plus nori seaweed and seasonings to create a delicous seafood taste. Serve with some vegan tartar sauce for the ultimate taste sensation!
QUICK LOOK: TL:DR
Vegan Crab Cakes
- Prep Time: 15 min + 15 mins resting time
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Servings: depends on size of cake: 15 mini cakes!
- Calories: 100 kcal
- Key Ingredients: Marinated Artichokes, White Beans, Capers, Dill
- Dietary Info: Vegan, Gluten Free
- Tasting Notes: Firm yet slightly flakey with a yummy slightly fish flavor.
Why you'll love this recipe!
- Gluten-Free: which is great for anyone with an allergy or intolerance.
- Full of protein and fibre - from the beans, which make them filling.
- Main meal, starter or canape - you can make the vegan crab cakes different sizes so they can be part of a main meal, or smaller if doing starters or canapes and finger food.
Jump To
Seafood is one of the things I really missed when going vegan, so knowing I'm able to recreate the flavors and evoke textures with plants in recipes like these vegan crab cakes has been so exciting. I've also made an old favourite Vegan Tuna Noodle Casserole, which was a staple when I was growing up in Australia as well as making a delicious 'tuna' to add to a fresh Vegan Tuna Nicoise Salad.
❎🦀Key Ingredients
Here are the ingredients for the vegan crab cakes: head to the recipe card for quantities and detailed instructions.
- White beans (cannellini beans); These have a more subtle flavor than chickpeas which makes them great in these crab cakes as they take on the 'of the sea' flavorings. I love making fritters with beans, so check out my zucchini bean fritters if you're interested.
- Artichokes; gives them their slightly flakey texture and subtle briny flavour (which adds to that crab-like taste). I like to use artichoke hearts that have been marinated for extra flavor.
- Lemon zest and Lemon Juice- gives a fresh flavor that we associate with fish.
- Seaweed- a nori sheet or flakes. this really makes the vegan fish cakes taste authentic. I tend to finely chop up a nori sheet (aka a sushi wrapper) but you can also find nori flakes or other seaweed flakes at Asian supermarkets or health food stores. I use the same method with my Chickpea 'Tuna' too.
- Dill - traditionally used in a lot of fish and seafood dishes, which then helps with the seafood flavor. I like to also add some fresh parsley.
- Dijon mustard - this gives the vegan crab cakes a kick, and brings out the lemony flavours even more.
- Capers and Caper Brine: tangy capers are salty and seafood flavor adjacsent.
- Old Bay Seasoning: is traditional for 'old fashioned' crab cakes so helps with the flavor memory.- and just tastes delicious! A few teaspoons of old bay seasoning are all that is needed, however if you don't have that to hand, add dried rosemary, celery salt and paprika.
- Chickpea Flour and Potato /Corn starch (aka corn flour if you are in the UK or Australia) : This combination helps to bind the crab cakes without using flour or panko breadcrumbs. The chickpea flour is particularly good at binding, while the potato or corn starch helps the crab cakes get a lovely crispy texture.
See recipe card for quantities.
🌶️Substitutions & Variations
- Ordinary (all purpose) flour/Other flour - You can choose to use AP flour instead of the chickpea flour if you do not wish these to be gluten free. Other flours you can choose are buckwheat flour or oat flour. DO NOT use almond flour, it does not bind like other flours so is not a good substitute.
- Other ways to cook: -Oven bake or Air fry: roll the crab cakes and add to a baking sheet on some parchment paper or to a lined air fryer basket and spritz with oil. Bake at 180c/356f for 15-20 mins or air fry for 10-15 mins until crispy.
- Chickpeas/other beans - choose chickpeas, adzuki beans or haricots in place of the white beans.
- Add other veggies: finely chopped celery or red bell pepper make good additions.
👩🍳Instructions
Follow along with these instructions for the perfect vegan crab artichoke cakes.
- Step 1: Drain and mash the beans in a large bowl..
- Step 2: Finely chop the drained artichoke hearts. If using nori sheets, fold them and chop into little pieces.
- Step 3: Add the artichokes, flours, seasonings, lemon juice and lemon zest to the bowl with the beans.
- Step 4: Mix the artichoke and bean batter together well. Let it rest for 10 mins in the fridge. It should be cohesive and thick.
- Step 5: Heat some oil in frying pan. Scoop out even amounts of the artichoke mixture with a cookie scoop and pan fry pressing down on each to form a small patty. Flipping when golden brown.
- Step 6: Allow to drain on a cookie cooling rack. Serve with tartar sauce, vegan mayonnaise or hot sauce.
Hint: how large your cookie scoop is will dictate how many artichoke crab cakes you make. Choose to make large ones for a starter, or lovely mini ones for an appetizer or to pass around at a party.
What to serve with Vegan Crab Cakes:
Apart from garnishing with fresh dill and a dipping sauce, these vegan crab cakes are delicious when served as part of a banquet or party. I love to make these vegan cheese and spinach filo triangles to pass around, and if you have leftover artichokes, this Artichoke and Olive Tapenade is delicious with crostini.
Louise's Top Crab-Cake Tip!
Make these vegan crab cakes ahead of time and reheat in the oven for 10 minutes to pass around at a party.
❓Vegan Crab Cake FAQ
Hearts of palm and young jackfruit are common substitutes for crab, however these crab cakes use marinated artichokes to get the flaky texture and flavor.
Yes, these crab cakes are not only dairy free, they are fish and crab free, have no gluten and contain no eggs.
Store these crab cakes in the fridge for up to a 5 days, or freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Reheat to crisp up and eat!
What to eat with Vegan Crab Cakes?
Here are some great dips and spreads that you will find delicious alongside these vegan crab cakes.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Crab Cakes
Equipment
Ingredients Note:
For accuracy, I measure all ingredients in metric as standard, then convert and test the recipe for American cup measurements etc.
(Heads up Aussie and UK readers- your measurements in cups are sometimes different, so please use metric or check you have the correct cup and spoon type!!)
Ingredients
- 240 g (1 cups) tin/can drained cannellini/white beans (drained weight0 (Equivelant to 1 standard 15 oz'cans))
- 4 cloves garlic (chopped finely)
- 2 teaspoon olive oil (plus extra if frying the cakes)
- 35 g (¼ cup) capers
- 30 ml (2 tablespoon) caper brine (from the tin of caper)
- 50 g (½ cup) spring onions (green onions (about 4) )
- 110 g (1 cup) marinated / tinned artichokes (drained)
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh / dried rosemary
- Zest of ½ an unwaxed lemon
- 30 ml (⅛ cup) lemon juice
- 50 g (⅖ cup) gram flour
- 50 g (⅖ cup) potato or corn starch (aka corn flour in uk/aus)
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 3 teaspoon (3 teaspoon) nori seaweed sprinkles (or cut up sheet of seaweed)
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) old bay seasoning
- 1 teaspoon fresh dill (optional)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Pepper (to taste)
- Extra fresh dill (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Finely chop the nori sheet if using. Finely chop the garlic.
- Mash the cannellini beans roughly (keep it a bit chunky for texture) in a bowl.
- Chop the artichoke into small(ish) pieces, then add to the mixture. About 1cm by 1cm pieces.
- Add the all the seasonings, salt, pepper, rosemary, lemon zest, mustard, capers seaweed, dill, and garlic to the beans and artichokes. Mix together.
- Add in the flours, mix well.
- Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and caper juice. Mix again.
- Put the whole mix in the fridge for about 15 mins to firm up.
- Make the mix into round patties / cakes OR use a cookie scoop.
- Pan fry in oil for about 4 minutes on each side, or until they are nicely browned but not burnt. Or bake for 25-30 minutes at 200°C / 400°F / Gas Mark 6.
Grace says
Can u use regular flour for the crab cakes?
Louise-Claire Cayzer says
Yes you can use regular flour for the crab cakes. You can also use gram flour (chickpea flour) too if you wish.
Evelyne Cultureatz says
I have never tried vegan crab cakes before but they sound wonderful!
Vanessa Sturman says
Oh thank you! They're so tasty
Jacqueline Meldrum says
I know just who would love these. Good timing.
Vanessa Sturman says
Ha ha, can't wait for them to try the vegan crab cakes!
Kristen Wood says
These turned out fabulously! Thank you for the wonderful recipe! 🙂
Sara says
Oh my gosh, this looks like such a fun appetizer! And I'm always looking for vegan options to some of my favorites to switch things up... these sound so good!
Vanessa Sturman says
Thank you, they're super fun and all our guests loved them too!
Amy says
This is such a great idea! Love the base of beans and artichoke
Vanessa Sturman says
That's great! And also super healthy!