Flavor packed and texture rich, these Vegetarian and Vegan Crab Cakes are easy to make. Let the food processor do the chopping, then shape and pan fry (or bake) these crabless cakes. They’re make ahead ready and freezer friendly too! Share with Texas Potato Salad, and a chunky salad like this Cucumber and Tomato Salad to round out the meal.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review: “Amazing. Better than crab cakes. Even turned my carnivore crab cake loving husband.” ~ Emily
Vegan Crab Cakes, What?
Who knew a vegan and vegetarian crab cake could be created to taste just as delicious and texture rich as the crab cakes of my East Coast memories. Then, moving to Western Washington and enjoying PNW crab cakes, well, I knew I had to come up with a crabless cake that’s vegetarian and vegan friendly.
When I first started testing for what would become this Artichoke Chickpea Vegan Crab Cake recipe, I took notes from an old Whidbey Island seafood cookbook and also, from a recipe in Cooking Up The West Coast. Both were crab-filled cakes. My solution for a crab substitute at the time for a vegetarian crab cake recipe was chickpeas. While the flavor profile was reminiscent of the classic crab cake, the texture was still missing something.
Then I heard a story on NPR’s Food for Thought about using artichokes in lieu of crab. I was sold!
About the Key Ingredients
- Artichokes Hearts – canned, not marinated. Artichoke hearts add texture and bulk.
- Cooked Chickpeas – canned or home-cooked, chickpeas add bulk, texture and mild flavor.
- Dijon Mustard – adds sharp, tangy flavor with a hint of spice.
- Panko Breadcrumbs – helps balance moisture, adds bulk and crunch.
- Old Bay Seasoning – offers crab cake signature flavor. But, you can easily sub cajun spice mix or a creole spice blend for an added kick!
- Chickpea Flour or Whole Wheat Flour – although chickpea flour holds the cakes together more effectively, you can use whole wheat flour if needed.
At a Glance: How to Make Chickpea Artichoke Vegan Crab Cakes
With the food processor doing most of the work, these easy crabless crab cakes come together quickly. They can be made ahead for meal prep and are freezer friendly!
- First, in a food processor, pulse the artichokes and chickpeas until chunky, then transfer into a large bowl.
- Second, in the food processor, add green and red bell pepper, celery, green onion, and parsley. Process until minced. Transfer into the large bowl with the chickpea mixture.
- Third, to the chickpea mixture, add the seasonings, and chickpea flour. Fold the ingredients together until evenly distributed.
- Next, shape into patties and roll in panko bread crumbs to coat.
- Last, pan fry in a shallow pool of oil.
Once the patties are shaped, they can be frozen for up to a month or hang out in the fridge for up to a day before pan frying. Talk about easy-peasy meal prep!
What to Serve with Vegetarian & Vegan Crab Cakes
Sides:
- Slow Cooked Black Eyed Peas
- Crispy Oven Fries
- Garlic Roasted Baby Potatoes
- Pan Fried Asparagus
- Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
- Texas Potato Salad or Olive Potato Salad
- 15 Minute Pan Fried Asparagus
- Summer Tortellini Salad
- Broccoli Slaw
- Fresh Corn on the Cob
- Cucumber, Tomato and Onion Salad
- Black Eyed Pea Salad
- A Big Green Salad with Dairy Free Ranch or Yogurt Ranch
- Lemon-Dijon Asparagus and Pea Pasta Salad
Sauce:
Depending on what sauce you choose, share with lemon or lime wedges.
- Vegan Remoulade Sauce (recipe below) – lemon wedges
- Mango Salsa – lime wedges
- Vegan Tartar Sauce – lemon wedges
- Avocado Cream Sauce – lime wedges
- Jalapeno Aioli – lemon wedges
Traci’s Tips
- Fried vs Baked: These cakes can be baked or pan-fried. Although I recommend frying, if baking, omit the panko coating and brush both sides lightly with oil. Bake on a parchment-lined sheet pan at 400F (204C), 10 minutes on each side. They’re not as crispy, but baking is an option.
- Chickpea Flour vs Whole Wheat Flour: For this recipe, chickpea flour is very effective at holding things together. Whole wheat flour will work too, but the patties are a bit more tender.
- Portioning: Portion these cakes using a 1/4C scoop or a large ice cream scoop. For appetizer size, go for 2 tablespoons each.
Artichoke-Chickpea Vegan "Crab" Cakes Recipe
Flavor packed and texture rich, these Vegan Crab Cakes are easy to make. Let the food processor do the chopping, then shape and pan fry these crabless cakes. They're make ahead ready and freezer friendly. *Total time to cook all 12 crab cakes will vary depending on size of pan used. I cook 4 at a time, 7-8 minutes per batch. >> See blog post for more sauce ideas!
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Ingredients
For the Crabless Cakes:
- 1 (425g) Can of Chickpeas, drained, then patted dry in a tea towel, about 2 C
- 1 (400g) Can of Artichokes Hearts, about 2 C, plain (not marinated), out of the can quartered or halved. Drain and squeeze to rid them of their liquid.
- 1/2 C (70g) Red Bell Pepper, about 1/2 a large pepper, cut into large chunks
- 1/2 C (70g) Green Bell Pepper, about 1/2 a large pepper, cut into large chunks
- 1 Green Onion, cut into large chunks
- 1 (40g) Stick of Celery, cut into large chunks
- Fresh Parsley, a small handful
- 2 Tbs Dijon Mustard
- 3 Tbs Mayonnaise, I like Vegenaise
- 1 1/2 C (145g) Panko Bread Crumbs, divided
- 1 tsp Fine Sea Salt, or 3/4 tsp for less salt
- 2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning, *see note for sub
- 1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper, or a dash or two or Tabasco hot sauce (omit if using Cajun seasoning instead of Old Bay)
- 3 Tbs Chickpea Flour, aka Garbanzo Bean Flour or **Whole Wheat Flour
- 1/2 Lemon, juiced
- Oil for Pan Frying, I like coconut or olive
- Serve With: fresh chives or green onion (tops), sauce of choice, lemon or lime wedges.
For Homemade Remoulade (optional):
- 3/4 C (180g) Mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 2 Cloves of Garlic, sliced thin
- 1 1/2 Tbs Capers, drained
- 3 tsp Lemon Juice
- 1/4 tsp Vegan Worcestershire Sauce, I like Wizards
- 1 tsp Fresh Parsley, chopped fine
Instructions
For the Crabless Cakes:
- Make sure the chickpeas are patted dry and the artichokes squeezed of their canned liquid. In the work bowl of a food processor, add the chickpeas and artichokes. Pulse 4-5 times. The mixture should be chunky. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- In the work bowl of the food processor, add the red and green bell peppers, onion, celery, and parsley. Process until minced, stopping to scrape down the bowl a few times. Transfer to the large mixing bowl with the chickpea mixture. Rinse out the work bowl and set aside if making the remoulade (see below).
- To the chickpea mixture, add the dijon, mayo, 1 C (96g) of panko, salt, old bay, cayenne, chickpea flour and lemon. Mix thoroughly until all the ingredients are evenly distributed. The mixture should hold together when squeezed.
- To portion the crabless cakes, use a 1/4 C (70g) scoop or large cookie scoop. Pack the mixture in the scoop, then tap it gently but firmly on the side of the bowl to release the cake. Set the cake on a parchment lined sheet pan. Note! If baking the crabless cakes, there's no need to coat the patties in remaining panko. Skip to "To Bake" below.Place the remaining 1/2 C (48) panko bread crumbs into a bowl or plate. Place each cake in the panko to coat on both sides and all around the edges. Transfer back to the sheet pan. Using the palm of your hand, press the crab cake gently into a 1/2" (12mm) patty. At this point the crab cakes can be held in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, frozen or pan fried.
- To Freeze: Once all the cakes are coated, they can be frozen on the sheet pan. Once frozen, transfer to a storage container for up to two months. Thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator and coat in panko again to refresh before frying.
- To Pan Fry (recommended): Preheat oven to 200F (93C) if holding the cakes warm after pan frying. Otherwise, you won't need the oven on. Pour a shallow layer of oil in a frying pan. I like a cast iron skillet for the job. Heat the oil until it shimmers. Toss a crumb of panko in the pan. If it sizzles, the oil is ready. Using a spatula, gently slide the crab cakes into the pan, leaving room between the cakes for flipping. Cook on each side for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Adjust the heat as necessary. Transfer to a double layer of paper towel to catch pan drippings and sprinkle a pinch of sea salt over the crabless cake. Then, if holding warm, transfer to the oven until ready to eat.
- To Bake: Omit the outer layer of panko. Preheat the oven to 400F (204C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Brush both sides of the crabless cake with oil. Bake each side for 10 minutes.
- Serve With (optional): chives, and sauce of choice
- To Store Leftovers: Store leftover cakes in a lidded container, in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat in a 350F (176C) oven for about 10 minutes.
For Homemade Remoulade (optional):
- To the work bowl of a food processor, add the mayo, dijon, garlic, capers, lemon, Worcestershire and parsley. Process unitl the capers are broken down into small bits, stopping several times to scrape down the bowl. Store in the refrigerator in a lidded container for up to one week.
Video
Notes
*If Old Bay isn't available, try subbing a Cajun spice mix.
**Chickpea flour because is so effective at holding these cakes together. Whole wheat flour will work too, but the patties are a bit more tender.
Estimated Nutrition is for pan frying in olive oil using 1/2 cup olive oil and includes the optional remoulade sauce.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cake | Calories: 357kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 586mg | Potassium: 195mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 596IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Made it? Leave a comment below!
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Hi there!
2 questions:
1) can I use hearts of palms instead of artichokes if it’s mostly for texture only?
2) do you have a substitute for panko bread crumbs?
Hi Chelle! I’ve never used hearts of palm and don’t know what the texture or flavor is like, so I’m not sure. For panko, you can try subbing crushed potato chips. You may want to reduce the added salt in the cakes.
I read the comments before I made these. I cut the mustard amount in half, used cajun spice, and AP flour, and omitted the green pepper. I don’t like old bay seasoning…to me it its all salt and not much else. I cant stomach the smell or the taste of chickpea flour. Just not a fan of green peppers. I didn’t measure out the patties and still got 9 good sized ones.The recipe made more than I expected so I decided to fry three, bake three, and air fry three. The baked ones were mushy. The fried ones took way more oil than I wanted to use. The air fried ones won HANDS DOWN. Super crispy using less oil was a win. I really enjoyed these and will make them again. Next time I’m adding jalapeños and will use even less mustard. There are many possibilities to change these up but as is, they are really good. I cant say they are better than real crab but they are super tasty. Thank so much for an excellent recipe! I couldn’t eat a plant based diet without creators like you!
Absolutely delicious!! Don’t hesitate making this and you will put lots in the freezer for a quick night’s dinner. Yum!!
Hi Linda! Thank you for note, and five star review! Thrilled you enjoyed the crab cakes. Hooray for a tasty freezer meal!
I appreciate the tip about rinsing marinated artichokes for those of us who might have overlooked the recommendation in the recipe. Two 340g jars made 2 cups of artichokes. Used sriracha mayo (sic: may not be vegan) in lieu of remoulade. Carnivore in the house was fully fooled and appreciative of the dish as was I! Thank you!
Hi Kelly! It’s a win-win! Thank you for your note and five star review.
I made these tonight and followed your recipe exactly as written. These were very disappointing and not nearly as good as a recipe I used to use that had hearts of palm. I will not make this again and would not recommend this to anyone. We only oven baked 3 of the 12 cakes and will probably throw out what we did not bake. I have made many of your recipes that are very good but this one is a complete disappointment.
I love these no crab cakes and so does my husband. I don’t use mayo but instead use a non dairy Greek yogurt for both the patties and the remoulade.
I appreciate the nutritional info and because of the sodium content we skip the sea salt altogether, reduce the Old Bay seasoning and increase the herbs. Another thing I’ve done is to crumble a sheet of Nori into the mixture which gives thre cakes a boost of flavor from the ocean. Thank you for all your delicious hard work!
Hi Kelly! Thank you for your note, sharing your tips and five star review! The nori sounds delicious and comes with a nice nutritional (and salty) boost.
I love this recipe! This is my second time making it, and this time I put the crabcakes in the air fryer! I sprayed them with a light coat of cooking spray and then sprinkled some Panko on top. I kept them in the air fryer for about 8 minutes. Then I flipped them over, put a second coat of cooking spray on the other side, and sprinkled some more Panko, and air fried the second side for another 6-7minutes. They came out great! Yum :). I keep them in the freezer, and they do really well in there. Sometimes I take two out and thaw them and make it into a crab salad, by adding more chopped celery, a little more mayo; basically the ingredients from your remoulade L O L. Great in the summer on rice cakes or saltines😊😊
Hiii Julianne! Hooray for a versatile and tasty “crab” cake. Thank you for your note and sharing your tips on cooking them in the air fryer! I don’t have one, so thank you for sharing your notes so others can learn from you! Aren’t they so nice to have on hand in the freezer?!
I already accidentally minced up my artichoke hearts – any way you can tell me how many cups minced to use? Ooops!
Oops! I’m guessing maybe a cup to one and a quarter cup. Keep us posted! 😬
This recipe sounds awesome and I can’t wait to try it. I have a huge jar of marinated artichoke hearts that I need to use or give away – sadly family don’t care for them. Do you think I can use them here if I soak them in advance to reduce the taste of the marinade?
Hi Susan! Marinated artichokes should work fine. Just be sure to soak, drain and squeeze out the liquids. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
These crab cakes were easy to make and delicious! I baked instead of frying and used the suggested remoulade. Will definitely make again, thanks!
Hi Swarnjit! Thank you for your note and giving the recipe a go! Super please to hear you enjoyed the “crab” cakes :D