Vegan Crab Cakes

Since transitioning to a plant-based diet, I learned, over time, savory, delicious food can be made low fat and vegan without sacrificing taste. Vegan crab cakes, for instance, is one of my favorite weeknight meals. 

My family LOVES vegan crab cakes, and more often than not, they ask for vegan crab cakes for dinner. According to my husband, who always eats two, says, "these little devils melt in my mouth."

Most of the time, I serve vegan crab cakes with lemon caper sauce or vegan tartar sauce. Both recipes, however, are included; you choose one or both. This time, I chose both. Also, I served brown rice with this dish because it soaks up the lemon caper sauce.

In addition, I served roasted asparagus with the vegan crab cake recipe because lemon and garlic go hand in hand with asparagus. In our house, the more lemon, the better. 

VEGAN CRAB CAKES ARE EASY TO MAKE WHEN YOU USE THE RIGHT INGREDIENTS

For the best results, I suggest using a box grater to shred the pressed tofu. Once shredded, the other ingredients mix into the tofu to form a crab cake-like mixture ready for forming into patties. As a result, the tofu is ready to absorb all the wonderful ingredients. 

Additionally, tofu is easily transformed into vegan crab cakes with the following additional ingredients: 

• 2 11 ounce packages of Extra Firm Tofu, drained and pressed
• 1 cup Italian Panko Bread Crumbs
• ½ cup chopped Italian Parsley
• 8, chopped Green Onions
• 2 cloves, minced Garlic
• 2 Tablespoon Dulce Flakes
• ½ cup Cashew mayo or Silken Tofu (or for an even lower fat version Aquafaba (chickpea fluid)
• ¼ cup Dijon Mustard
• 1 Tablespoon Creole Seasoning 
• 2 Tablespoons Lemon juice

In order to make this dish, you a unique ingredient,  Dulce Flakes.  Not only does Dulse give the vegan crab cake seaweed flavor, it supplies a sea-like flavor, but it also gives the addition of a natural form of Iodine. 

However, if you can't find dulse flakes, you can use seaweed or roasted seaweed.

WHAT IS DULSE?

Dulse is a variety of seaweed that resembles leafy red lettuce when fresh. Its flavor will definitely remind you of the ocean — its minerality makes it a great stand-in for salt.

The benefits of Dulse, for example, are high levels of protein and fiber. Furthermore, dulse is a nutrient-rich red algae that has become increasingly popular in health food circles due to its nutritional properties. More and more experts are advising people to add sea greens into their diets, including dulse.

HERE ARE SOME GREAT WAYS TO INCORPORATE DULSE:

• Mix flaked dulse into homemade salad dressings.
• Use dried flakes on top of popcorn.
• Add strips of whole-leaf dulse to your favorite pickled vegetables.
• Sprinkle flakes over your vegan poke bowl
• Steep whole-leaf dulse in water for a restorative and savory “tea.”
• Flaked dulse can be added to homemade bread dough.
• Add to a bowl of ramen.
• Sprinkle flaked dulse over a baked potato to amp up the flavor of a classic.

For instance,  to get the flavor of the sea, I use seaweed or chopped Dulse.  Not only does Dulse or seaweed supply a sea-like flavor, but it also gives the addition of a natural form of Iodine. 

HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECTLY FORMED VEGAN CRAB CAKE PATTIES

For the best results, I suggest using a box grater to shred the pressed tofu. Once shredded, the other ingredients mix into the tofu to form a crab cake-like mixture ready for forming into patties. 

Of course, you can use your hands to form the vegan crab cakes, but I use one of my favorite kitchen gadgets, my burger press. For example, I use this burger press for my Beet Burgers, Potato Vegetable Pancakes,Vegan Veggie Benedict, and  Vegan Jackfruit Benedict.

VEGAN TARTAR SAUCE GOES PERFECTLY WITH VEGAN CRAB CAKES

So, how is vegan tartar sauce made, you may ask? I love making sauces, so I made a vegan tartar sauce to go with vegan crab cakes. 

VEGAN TARTER SAUCE

• ½ cup cashew mayo or Silken Tofu 
• ¼ cup. diced sweet pickles
• 2 teaspoons Lemon juice
• 3 teaspoons Dijon Mustard

Even though the vegan crab cakes are ready to cook, you can also make them ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to bake. And vegan crab cakes can also be frozen. Since this vegan crab cake recipe makes 8 crab cakes, I freeze the extras individually. When it's time to reheat, I suggest thawing completely before reheating. 

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SIMILAR VEGAN DISHES LIKE THIS ONE, TRY THESE RECIPES

• Chickpea Tuna Salad
• Skinny Jackfruit “Tuna Salad”
• Vegan Clam Chowder Oh My!
• Corn Fritters
• Vegan Poke Bowl Recipe

📖 Recipe

Vegan Crab Cakes

Kathy Carmichael

Vegan crab cakes are my family's favorite vegan dish. These crunchy crab cakes pack favor and texture of a real crab cake without any of the added fat or frying. They are baked with a fabulous crunch on the outside and a soft delicate inside.

4.50 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Entrees

Cuisine American

Servings 8 servings

Calories 348 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 22 ounces Extra Firm Tofu drained and pressed
• ▢ 1 cup Italian Panko Bread Crumbs
• ▢ ½ cup chopped Italian Parsley
• ▢ 8, chopped Green Onions
• ▢ 2 cloves minced Garlic
• ▢ 3 Tablespoon Dulse Flakes
• ▢ ½ cup Cashew mayo or Silken Tofu or for an even lower fat version Aquafaba (chickpea fluid
• ▢ ¼ cup Dijon Mustard
• ▢ 1 Tablespoons Creole Seasoning
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons Lemon juice

Lemon Caper Sauce

• ▢ 2 minced Shallots
• ▢ 2 cloves Garlic minced
• ▢ ¼ cup cashew mayo or Silken Tofu
• ▢ ¼ cup Lemon juice
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons Capers
• ▢ ½ cup Organic Vegetable Broth
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons Flour optional

Vegan Tarter Sauce

• ▢ ½ cup cashew mayo or Silken Tofu
• ▢ ¼ cup. diced Sweet pickles
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Lemon juice
• ▢ 3 teaspoons Dijon Mustard

Instructions

 

• Preparing the Tofu for Vegan Crab CakesUsing a tofu press or an alternative method of pressing/drying out tofu, press the majority of the moisture out of both blocks of tofu. Make sure you are using the extra firm tofu.
• Now, using a box grater, grate (yes, I said grate) the tofu. Although it is an extra firm, some will crumble as you do this; it is normal.
• Take all shredded tofu and place it in a bowl.

MAKING THE TOFU VEGAN CRAB CAKES

• Pre-heat oven to 375.
• Add all the other ingredients into the bowl with the shredded tofu.
• Mix thoroughly with a fork.
• Prepare a baking pan with parchment paper; I use a silicone baking mat to avoid using any extra oil or fat. (If you are concerned about fat, you may also fry them in vegan butter in a pan)
• As I did, using your hands or a burger press, form a ball about the size of a tennis ball. Continue to move the mixture in your hands to form the ball, and then place on the pan, pushing down to form a patty, while continuing to reform into a circle; each cake should be about an inch and a half thick.
• Cook for 35 minutes.
• While vegan crab cakes are cooking, prepare your lemon caper sauce.

PREPARING THE LEMON CAPER SAUCE

• In a medium skillet, cook minced garlic and shallots together. Use a little vegetable broth if it starts to stick.
• Cook until translucent.
• In a high-speed blender, add cooked shallots and garlic, veggie broth, and 2 tablespoons of flour.
• Blend.
• Pour into a saucepan and heat on medium, frequently stirring until the mixture begins to thicken.
• Turn heat down to low.
• Add vegan mayonnaise or silken tofu, and stir with a whisk until mixed well (or blended raw cashew mixture); I used cashew mixture.
• Add cayenne pepper
• Add lemon juice and whisk again.
• Add capers and stir well.
• Taste to see if you like the flavor; we like A LOT of spice, so add more cayenne if you wish
• Continue to stir on low. If it gets too thick, add some veggie broth a little at a time to a sauce consistency.
• Keep occasionally stirring until cakes are mixed.

VEGAN TARTER SAUCE

• In a bowl, whisk together cashew mayo or silken tofu, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and chopped sweet pickles.
• Refrigerate until ready to use

Optional Asparagus

• Wash and clean asparagus
• Cut the bottom portion, about an inch off the bottom stalk.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Line a baking pan with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
• Season with garlic and onion powder.
• Cook for 15 minutes.

Notes

WHAT IS DULSE?

Dulse is a variety of seaweed that resembles leafy red lettuce when fresh. Its flavor will definitely remind you of the ocean — its minerality makes it a great stand-in for salt.

The benefits of Dulse, for example, are high levels of protein and fiber. Furthermore, dulse is a nutrient-rich red algae that has become increasingly popular in health food circles due to its nutritional properties. More and more experts are advising people to add sea greens into their diets, including dulse.

Nutrition

Calories: 348kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 9gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.001gSodium: 652mgPotassium: 262mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 820IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 81mgIron: 3mg

Tried our recipe?Let us know how it was!

Kathy Carmichael

Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂

www.kathysvegankitchen.com/about-me/