These Vegan Crab Cakes are delicate, flaky, and full of the flavors of the sea. Nori and Old Bay Seasoning add all the right notes, while Jackfruit creates the perfect crabless cake texture. Serve with a vegan remoulade for an absolutely delicious main course or appetizer.
Wash, trim, and roughly chop the bell pepper, green onions, and cilantro. Add them to a food processor and blend for 10 to 15 seconds, or until all of the veggies are chopped into small pieces.
Drain and thoroughly rinse the jackfruit. Add the jackfruit to the food processor and blend for another 10 to 15 seconds. The jackfruit should be incorporated but still have some flaky texture. Do not overblend.
Pour the jackfruit mixture into a mixing bowl. Add the yogurt, breadcrumbs, lemon juice, and all of the seasonings. Mix until all of the ingredients are evenly incorporated.
Form the mixture into patties using ¼ cup of the mixture per patty. Each patty will be slightly smaller than the palm of your hand.
Skillet Instructions
Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. If you are using olive oil, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Cook the patties in two batches in the skillet for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway. When they're golden brown on each side, they are done.
Air Fryer Instructions
Preheat the air fryer to 400F or 200C. Cook the patties in 2 batches, for about 10 minutes each, flipping halfway. (Optional, brush olive oil over the tops for a crispier crab cake). The vegan crab cakes are done when they are golden brown.
Serve right away with vegan remoulade sauce and enjoy!
If you can't find nori flakes, you can rip up 1 sheet of nori and grind it into flakes in a spice grinder.
I tested this recipe with both yogurt and mayo. The mayo did a slightly better job of binding the crab cake mixture, but I prefer the yogurt because it is lower in calories and fat.
The mixture should be fairly loose but should stick together when you press it into patties. You have to handle the crab cakes gently. If the mixture won't stick together in patties, try adding 1 extra tablespoon of yogurt or mayo. Or you could try adding 1 tablespoon of ground flax.
Olive oil is optional for cooking this recipe. It is not calculated in the nutritional information. Garnishes are also not calculated in the nutritional information.
The nutritional info is calculated using soy yogurt. For store-bought vegan mayo, the fat and calories will be slightly higher.
If you are cooking the vegan crab cakes in a skillet without oil, use a good nonstick or cast-iron skillet. Be sure to get a good sear on the bottom of the crab cake before flipping.