The BEST Vegan Crab Cakes

Mock "Crab" Cakes made with chickpeas, artichokes and seaweed, for a familiar texture and flavour. These patties are delicious, healthy and kids love them too!

Who knew that artichoke made the most amazing crab-meat substitute? These could just as easily be called Vegan "Fish" Cakes too.

Along with being completely vegan, these "crab" cakes can also be made gluten-free (the ones pictured are gluten-free too).

Great served with some homemade chips and dill mayo dip. So so delicious.

I've had so much great feedback from this recipe and always want to mention that kids love these too (according to quite a number of readers!)

Vegan Crab Cakes Ingredients

• Artichoke - I use tinned artichoke hearts in this recipe. When broken up, the artichoke becomes "flakey" making it perfect for this recipe.
  
  
• Chickpeas - Combining the artichokes with chickpeas creates the perfect texture. Not too mushy, not too firm.
  
  The chickpeas also provide some protein.
  
  
• Breadcrumbs (gluten-free option) - For the coating, we need breadcrumbs but believe it or not, the "breadcrumbs" you see in these photos are actually crushed rice cakes, to prove that a gluten-free version works just as well.
  
  So you have a choice between regular breadcrumbs or to make the rice cake crumbs, simply add about 6 rice cakes to a ziplock food bag, and bash with a rolling pin (or use a food processor) until you have a crumb-size pieces.
  
  Works brilliantly.
  
  
• Vegan Mayo - I use the mayo for both binding the crab cakes, and for serving as a condiment.
  
  Vegan mayonnaise is so easy to find nowadays, even in the supermarket.
  
  
• Seaweed - To give the crab cakes a "taste from the sea" a small amount of seaweed really does the trick.
  
  You can buy seaweed flakes, usually in the spices section at supermarkets, or you can crush up nori sheets.

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📖 Recipe

The BEST Vegan Crab Cakes

Yield: 12 cakes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Crab cakes made without crab! These delicious savoury cakes are made with plant-based ingredients to create a similar texture and favour to traditional crab cakes. They're also gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free, making them suitable for allergy sufferers.      

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Ingredients

• 400 g / 14 oz tin of chickpeas, drain into a bowl, keeping the liquid from the tin for later
• 390 g / 14 oz tin of artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed
• 180 g / 6.5 oz breadcrumbs , (or 6 rice cakes - see notes*)
• 2 spring onions, roughly chopped
• 4 tbsp vegan mayonnaise*
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp dried kelp granules or other seaweed, (optional)
• 1 tbsp mixed dried herbs
• A pinch of salt and pepper
• Vegetable oil, for frying

To serve:

• Fresh dill, chopped
• 4 tbsp vegan mayonnaise
• 1 lemon, sliced into wedges

Instructions

1. Add the chickpeas, artichoke, 80g of the breadcrumbs, spring onions, mayonnaise, mustard, seaweed, herbs and salt and pepper to a food processor and pulse until everything is chopped and chunky but not smooth. You can also use a potato masher.
2. Shape into 12 medium patties and arrange onto a large plate or baking sheet.
3. Prepare a bowl with the rest of the breadcrumbs and another bowl with the chickpea tin liquid (this will act as an egg substitute).
4. Dip each patty into the chickpea liquid and then place in the breadcrumb bowl and press in the crumbs until well coated. Return to the place or sheet and continue with all the patties.
5. Meanwhile, cover the base of a large skillet on a high heat with the vegetable oil. After a few minutes, use one of the patties to test if the oil is hot enough. If it sizzles and fries then it's ready. 
6. Add half the cakes into the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side and transfer to a plate with some paper towel, to absorb any excess oil. Then cook the next batch.
7. Serve with a small bowl of the mayonnaise along with some chopped dill and some lemon wedges. Enjoy! 

Notes

*You can make gluten-free "breadcrumbs" by blitzing rice cakes in a food processor until they resemble breadcrumbs. 

*Vegan mayonnaise found in health food shops and some supermarkets

Nutrition Information

Yield 12 Serving Size Per crab cake
Amount Per Serving Calories 191Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 0mgSodium 177mgCarbohydrates 26gFiber 5gSugar 4gProtein 6g

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