Our vegan crab cakes recipe is a crowd pleaser. Made with just 11 simple ingredients in under an hour. The taste and texture is crazy delicious! Serve them with our easy homemade vegan tartar sauce.
Jackfruit and Old Bay seasoning are the secrets to crabless crab cakes.
The meaty texture of the jackfruit is so similar to crab meat, and its mild flavor absorbs whatever spices it’s paired with.
In this recipe, Old Bay seasoning is key. You’ll find it in most traditional crab cake recipes because it’s what gives them their unique flavor.
Serve them with Greg's Lemon and Dill Potato Salad and our Smoky Vegan Corn and Potato Chowder for a delicious East Coast inspired dinner.
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Ingredients & Substitutions
Here's a visual cue of the ingredients with notes on substitutions.
Quantities are in the recipe card below.
Jackfruit – Because jackfruit has a mild flavor and a similar texture to shredded crab meat, it’s the perfect vegan crab substitute.
If you can’t find jackfruit, use chopped artichoke hearts or palm hearts.
Ground Flax Seed – Flax seed mixed with water is a wonderful egg substitute, and it’s also a binder.
If you don’t have ground flax seed, you can use JUST egg or your favorite egg substitute (not chia seeds. They will give the crab cakes a strange texture).
Old Bay Seasoning – This seasoning is found in many seafood recipes, including crab cakes. If you don’t have it on hand, a blend of celery salt, paprika, bay leaf, and pepper are the main ingredients of this delicious spice blend.
Yellow Mustard – Adds a slight tang to the cakes. You can use Dijon or mix dried mustard with water as a substitution.
Garlic – It makes everything taste better. Substitute with a half teaspoon of garlic powder.
Lemon Juice – This adds much needed acid to the recipe. We don’t suggest using vinegar as a substitution because the flavor is too strong.
Chives – Adds a peppery flavor and color. Substitute with finely minced shallots or onion.
Cilantro – We love the taste of cilantro, although some people find it to be too strong and soapy tasting. If you don’t like it, leave it out.
Breadcrumbs – We like to use a combination of regular breadcrumbs and panko. In our opinion, it makes for a better texture.
Use gluten-free breadcrumbs if desired.
How to Make Vegan Crab Cakes
Here's a step by step tutorial with visual cues to help you make the best vegan crab cakes.
- Drain and shred the jackfruit and put it in a bowl with the remaining ingredients and stir to completely combine.
2. Use your hands to form patties with the crab mixture. You can make them any size you like. Larger for an entree and smaller for appetizers.
3. Fry the jackfruit crab cakes in vegetable oil for approximately 7 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
HINT - Cook in a cast iron skillet and cover while cooking to ensure that they get hot in the middle.
Variations
- Hearts of Palm or Artichoke Hearts - if you can't find jackfruit, you can shred hearts of palm or artichoke hearts to make these vegetarian crab cakes.
- Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs - for those who can't eat gluten, feel free to use GF breadcrumbs. Please note that we've found that the crab cakes will have a slightly gummy texture.
- Nori - for a fishy flavor, add minced nori to the mixture. Start with a tablespoon and add more if you like.
Recipe FAQs and Pro Tips
The flax egg mixture is so important for binding this recipe. Please do not skip it.
When ground flax seed is mixed with water and it sits for about 10 minutes, it becomes thick and sticky, and it is a wonderful binder. Additionally, the breadcrumbs are an important part of binding the cakes together. Don't leave it out.
Wrap them in plastic or put them in a dish and cover. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Yes. Store them in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Heat them in a 350˚F (176˚C) oven until they’re heated through the center, approximately 15 minutes. Make sure to turn after about 7 minutes.
For best results, refrigerate the patties before cooking them. This will help them hold together.
If you’re frying them, place a cover over the pan. This will ensure that the center of the crabless cakes get nice and hot.
We prefer the texture of pan fried crab cakes, although you can bake them if you don't like to cook with oil. Bake at 400 F (204 C) for approximately 10 minutes per side.
More Vegan Fish Recipes
Vegan Crab Cakes
Equipment
- 1 stove
Ingredients
- 24 ounce young jackfruit in water (SEE NOTE), drain, rinse well, squeeze and pat dry, chop until it resembles lump crab meat
- 2 tablespoon ground flax seed plus 6 tablespoon (90 ml) water, mix well and let sit for ten minutes (flax egg)
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoon Old Bay Spice SEE NOTE
- 1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce we use Annie’s brand
- 2 cloves garlic minced, or ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoon chives minced
- ¼ cup cilantro minced
- ½ cup classic bread crumbs
- ½ cup Panko bread crumbs
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the flax eggs and set aside for 10 minutes so it thickens.
- Put all of the seasonings, mustard, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce in a large bowl and whisk together until completely combined.
- Add the jackfruit, flax egg, herbs, and bread crumbs and combine with your hands until the mixture begins to stick together. Form into patties (you decide how big they should be). The amount that this recipe makes depends on how large you make the patties.
- Place the patties on a plate and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- To Bake:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (176˚C) and put the cakes on a cookie sheet. Squeeze lemon juice over the top of the cakes and bake for approximately ten minutes or until golden brown. Flip and squeeze lemon juice on the top of the cakes and bake another 10 minutes, or until golden brown and firm to the touch.
- To Fry:
- Cover the bottom of a large skillet with a thin layer of oil (1 to 2 tablespoons) and heat on medium-high heat. When the oil is hot add the cakes and cook until golden brown (approximately 5 to 7 minutes). Flip and cook another 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Place a cover on the pan to ensure that the center gets hot.
- Serve with vegan tartar sauce or sriracha and a lemon wedge.
- Enjoy!
Notes
When ground flax seed is mixed with water and it sits for about 10 minutes, it becomes thick and sticky, and it is a wonderful binder. Additionally, the breadcrumbs are an important part of binding the cakes together. Don't leave it out.
If you’re frying them, place a cover over the pan. This will ensure that the center of the crabless cakes get nice and hot.
Becky Maloney says
My 1st stab at jackfruit. Not bad! The recipe I found for DIY Old Bay Seasoning didn't make quite enough but cakes were still good. I'm going to freeze a couple and hopefully they'll still be good as a grab-n-go. I am new to plant-based protein and am so surprised at the wealth of recipes and ideas available. Thanks
Linda Meyer says
Thank you, Becky! We're happy you enjoyed them. 🙂
Cassie says
These are delicious. I also added some kelp flakes to enhance the “fishy-ness”. Served with a remolaude
Linda Meyer says
Thank you, Cassie, we're happy you enjoyed them.
Madinah says
Want to make crab cakes in the oven. Recipe states they will be drier than the skillet version. What can I add to them do they aren't dried out? Will cooking at a higher temperature for less time help?
Can I use regular yellow Mustard in the place of the dru mustard?
Linda Meyer says
Hi Madinah, the reason that they are slightly drier when baked is because frying them in oil adds moisture. They are still good in the oven, though. No need to adjust the temp or time. 🙂 Yes, you can use yellow mustard.
Olivia says
Hi, I'm thinking of making this recipe, just wondering how important it is to buy two different types of breadcrumb? Could I just do a whole cup of classic breadcrumbs instead or are the two different types very important for the final result? Thank you
Linda Meyer says
Hey Olivia, Thank you so much for the question! We use two breadcrumbs in this recipes because they serve two distinct purposes. Regular bread crumbs help act as a binding agent in the crab cakes when wet while panko breadcrumbs add a crispy texture. If you don't mind the texture being different then you can absolutely use just the classic breadcrumbs as it won't alter the flavor profile. Hope that helps! Let us know if you have any more questions : )
Alex & Linda
Donald says
Definitely a hit with this Louisiana boy. My jack fruit came in a brine so after reading your comments and everyone else that left comments, I cut the salt in half and the Old Bay just a bit. I learned something here and it gives me a lot of ideas for future experiments. How about a casserole dish based on the same recipe? I'll bet there are a lot of great cooks out there like you who could put this recipe on steroids. This was finger licking good just the way you instruct and plan on using this recipe in the future. Excellent! Thanks!
Linda Meyer says
Hi Donald! Well if this isn't a compliment, then we don't know what is! Thank you so much for taking the time to let us know how much you liked them. We love the idea of making a casserole from this recipe. We're on it! 🙂
Kit says
Maybe a "tuna" noodle casserole? Have you tried making that yet? It would be great to enjoy a vegan version of tuna noodle casserole. That's definitely a childhood comfort food for me. Thank you for all your wonderful recipes.
Linda Meyer says
Hi Kit, thank you so much. That's a great idea! Such a classic American dish. Thanks for the idea, we'll put in on the list. 🙂
Mark Gailmor says
As a vegan of 30 years and an above average fermenter, I tell people all the time to forgo to cheap jackfruit in brine at TJ's and go to an Asian market to get Jackfruit in water. And I explain why as a normal person who ferments a lot of veggies and fruit.
When you ferment any food, it gets sweeter. You are extractin a lot of the healthy compounds that you normally wouldn't taste ut this is truth. Just consider the lowly cabbage. We put it in soups, stews, and cole slaw. However, when you ferment cabbage, as people have done for thousands of years, it takes on a sweet/soar flavor. And the same thing happens to fruit. If you take a young jackfruit, that is flavorless, and you put it in brine, it will naturally ferment and the sweetness of the fruit is revealed. However, if you purchase jackfruit in water, the flavour is neutral as it should be.
Thanks again for a great recipe. I made this tonight but added a small amount of green nori flakes to give it that authentic, fresh from the ocean taste. And it was absolutely perfect.
Linda Meyer says
Hi Mark! Yes, exactly, that's why we always tell our readers to buy young green jackfruit packed in water. Thank you for the great explanation. 🙂 We're so happy you enjoyed them.
Tracy Talley says
Wow!! Love these! So easy and so yummy.
Thank you for such a delicious recipe!
Will make these often. Excellent warm or cold.
Linda Meyer says
Hi Tracy! Thank you so much, we're so happy you enjoyed them.
DP says
Lovely recipe. Have been searching for jackfruit crab cake recipe and ingredient list hit all the right notes. My only minor comment is that the amount of Old Bay spice was over-powering. So the freshness / taste of the cilantro and chives didn't come through. However, that is clearly one person's opinion and an easy adjustment. Going into the rotation. Thank you again.
Linda Meyer says
Hi DP! Thank you for your comment. We're happy you enjoyed the recipe. You're absolutely right, the amount of seasoning that goes into food will vary by each person's preference. This is why we love vegan food, you can safely taste it when it's raw and adjust according to your tastes. 🙂
Liliana says
Hello, I tried this recipe with jackfruit in water (not brine) and it was fine, but WAY too salty (and I LOVE salt). I actually think it's not the brine that is the issue (as we did not use jackfruit in brine), its the old bay spice. I will try it again soon to double-check, and will try the recipe again with at most half of the old bay spice.
Linda Meyer says
Hi Liliana, thanks for your comment. We've had so many great reviews for this recipe, and a few who thought it was too salty, so we've added a note to taste the mixture before adding the salt. 🙂
Steve says
What are flax eggs?
Linda Meyer says
Hi Steve, 1 tbsp of ground flax seed and 3 tbsp of water mixed together is a flax egg. 🙂
Alocasia says
Baked these last night. Great recipe.. Love that it's oil free. I'm throwing away all my other jackfruit crab cake recipes now. This one is the best one we've tried yet. They did take longer to bake in the oven than directed. Delicious!!
Linda Meyer says
Hi Alocasia! Thank you so much, we're so happy you liked our recipe. Baking times can definitely vary as ovens can be calibrated so differently, and if you don't have a convection oven, it could also take a bit longer. 🙂
Nikki says
Hi! Very excited to make this recipe. If I was to make this recipe with regular eggs instead
of flax eggs, would you recommend using one egg or two? I’m not full vegan and would rather use the eggs I have on hand rather than buying flax seed. Thanks!
Linda Meyer says
Hi Nikki! I'd start with one egg and see how it binds. If you feel like you need to add another, whisk it in a separate bowl and add it slowly until the mixture is sticky enough. Let us know how you like them. 🙂
Kristi Holsinger says
Can I make and freeze them ahead of time? I'd then thaw them in the fridge and fry them.
Linda Meyer says
Hi Kristi! Yes, you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Enjoy!
Kristi Holsinger says
Thanks!
molly says
What's the longest you would leave these in the fridge? I'm thinking about making the cakes the night before a party, wondering if they would dry out too much over ~12 hours
Linda Meyer says
Hi Molly! They should be fine as long as you store them in an airtight container. Let us know how they turn out. 🙂
Angela A. says
Would be nice to put the note about the jackfruit in water at the beginning. About to fry mine and then i see the note. Ugh!!
Linda Meyer says
Hi Angela, our apologies. The instructions state, "2 17-ounce cans of jackfruit in water" in the ingredients, although I agree that we should put a, "See Note" next to the jackfruit. I hope your cakes turned out.
Tawnya says
Just made this, and while it was FANTASTIC, be sure if you use jackfruit in brine that you do NOT add any additional salt, as this was our only misstep. Made an amazing condiment to add, which really added to it's depth- mixed sour cream, horseradish and a splash of sriracha. Will make again, and thank you for the recipe!
Linda Meyer says
Hi Tawnya! Great tip, thank you. Jackfruit packed in brine is totally different than that packed in water. I'll add that to the recipe. 🙂 I'm so happy you enjoyed them, and I love the toppings you put on them.
Tricia Berkow says
I had a question about the brand of canned jackfruit that you use. My store carries a brand called native forest organics and the ingredients are jackfruit, water, sea salt and lime. The brand that you have a link to called Lucia has jackfruit, water, salt and sodium metabisulfite. Would the Native forest brand be considered not brined then? So would be OK to use?
Linda Meyer says
Hi Tricia, we've used Native Forest before and it works great. Just add half of the Old Bay and taste the mixture, then add more if needed, this will ensure that the cakes aren't too salty.
AndreaJoy says
I actually found it more easily at WholeFoods, FRESH. Now, any ideas on how to translate to using that way? 😀
Linda Meyer says
Hi, AndreaJoy! Wow! How cool, I'd love to find fresh jackfruit. From what I can see, it's much like a squash on the inside. Remove the seeds and the core and pull the meat of the fruit out and shred it. It should cook the same as the canned. Let me know how it goes.
Briana says
I loved this recipe, but I bought jackfruit in brine not realizing it would be different, so my crabcakes turned out very salty. If you're prepping to make this recipe, make sure you get jackfruit in water! I'll use the Amazon link next time!
Linda Meyer says
Oh no! So sorry, Briana! I'm going to make a note in the recipe. I've only ordered jackfruit through Amazon and didn't even realize that it comes packaged in brine.
Kyle Pappalardo says
I'm so excited to use this recipe! I've been trying to find a quality recipe without palm or artichoke! If someone does buy jackfruit in brine instead of water, soaking it overnight in water or for a few hours really helps pull a lot of the salt out.
Linda Meyer says
Hi Kyle, thanks so much! Soaking in water does help, I also started simmering it for an hour or two in vegetable broth with a teaspoon of Old Bay Seasoning. It makes a big difference. Let me know how you like these. 🙂
Kim says
Are pandora crumbs a must or will regular bread crumbs work as well? Thanks,
Linda Meyer says
Hi Kim, you can use regular bread crumbs. The panko crumbs give the cakes a little extra crunch.
Kim says
Panko, not pandora, darn spell check.
Linda Meyer says
🙂