Making homemade Crab Cakes couldn't be easier when you use your air fryer! They turn out perfectly crispy in no time at all. Top them with an easy lemon and Old Bay aioli for a real treat!
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Air fryers are one of my
This method is PERFECT for low-carb crab cakes. The biggest problem when creating a keto crab cake is preventing them from falling apart since the traditional bread crumbs are out.
When using the air fryer, you don't have to handle the crab cakes nearly as much as you do when traditionally frying them, so there is less opportunity for them to come apart.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Crab - I used canned lump crab meat, but you can use fresh crab meat as well. Just be sure that it is cooked and check that all the shells and tough cartilage pieces have been removed
- Eggs
- Mayonaise
- Dijon Mustard - I love the flavor of Dijon mustard, but yellow mustard would work well too.
- Old Bay Seasoning - Substitute with any seasoning of your choice
- Celery Flakes - The purpose of using celery flakes versus fresh celery is to help absorb some of the excess moisture. Since the traditional breadcrumbs are omitted the dry celery helps bind the ingredients. If you would rather use fresh, just swap the flakes for ¼ cup of finely diced celery and increase the almond flour by a tablespoon or two.
- Dried Parsley Flakes - If you would prefer to use fresh just substitute 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley and increase the almond flour by 1 tablespoon.
- Bread Crumbs or Almond flour
Variations
Low Carb - To make these crab cakes low carb, simply swap the bread crumbs with almond flour.
Super Crispy Crab Cakes - If you are a fan of breaded crab cakes and want to mimic that here, just coat the outside in additional bread crumbs or almond flour, then, lightly spritz with oil before cooking.
Swab out the crab - You can use this method to make fish cakes with any cooked and flaked fish in place of the crab meat.
Be sure to check out my recipe for Low Carb Salmon Patties!
FAQs
To cook the crab cakes from frozen, just pop them into the air fryer, adding an additional 3-5 minutes to the cooking times listed in the recipe card.
First, get one! Second, don't worry, you can fry these crab cakes in a skillet. To do this, you will want to chill the formed patties in the fridge for one hour, or freezer for 30 minutes before cooking. Then coat the bottom of a large skillet with oil suited for high temps (I use avocado oil).
Heat the oil over medium heat, and add the chilled crab cakes. Fry for 3-5 minutes on each side. Then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain the excess oil.
Equipement
Air Fryer - Any air fryer will work, but this (affiliate) is the one I have and I absolutely LOVE IT! It has two trays and holds a ton of food which is great for a large family. I also love that it has a light, so
Fish Spatula - This (affiliate) is one of my favorite kitchen tools EVER. It's great for flipping delicate things such as pancakes, fish, or in this case crab cakes 🙂
Ice cream scoop with trigger release - Nope, not a typo. Most Ice cream scoops (including the one linked below) are a perfect ¼ cup which is exactly the size I recommend making these crab cakes plus the trigger release makes it SO easy to form the 'cakes'. I scoop the meat up with the ice cream scoop, use the trigger to release, then just flatten it a bit, and voila, completely uniform crab cakes!
Cast Iron Skillet - If you are going to fry these the traditional way then a
You'll also need measuring cups and spoons and aluminum foil.
Storage and Meal Prep Tips
The cooked crab cakes will keep in the fridge for several days and can be reheated in the microwave, oven, or air fryer.
You can also batch cook a bunch of these by simply freezing the formed (but not yet cooked) crab cakes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once they are completely frozen, transfer them to a sealed, freezer-safe container.
To cook the crab cakes from frozen, just pop them into the air fryer, adding an additional 3-5 minutes to the cooking times listed in the recipe card.
Be sure to check out these other great recipes:
- Air Fryer Fried Chicken | Keto, Gluten Free
- Crispy Air Fryer Pork Chops | Keto, Gluten Free
- Easy Low Carb Clam Chowder
- Coconut Shrimp with Pina Colada Dipping Sauce
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Crab Cakes
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Fish Spatula
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
Ingredients
- 18 oz Canned Lump Crab Meat drained
- 2 Large Eggs
- 2 ½ tablespoon Mayonnaise
- 1 ½ tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Dried Celery
- 2 teaspoon Dried Parsley
- ¼ cup Bread Crumbs or almond flour
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Easy Lemon and Old Bay Aioli:
- ¼ cup Mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 2-3 teaspoon Lemon Juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients for crab cakes in a large bowl. Gently fold everything together being careful not to break up the crab meat too much.
- Line the basket or tray of your air fryer with aluminum foil and grease with oil or nonstick spray. NOTE: If your air fryer has more then one rack, only use one at a time for best results.
- Scoop ¼ cup of the crab mixture onto the prepared aluminum foil, and form into a circle about ½ inch thick. You should be able to make about 10 crab cakes.
- Cook the crab cakes at 320 degrees for 10 minutes, flipping after 5 minutes.
- To prepare the aioli, simply combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
- Serve the crab cakes topped with the aioli if desired.
Notes
Be sure to read the entire post for tips, tricks, and help troubleshooting.
The nutrition information listed here is only an estimate and is simply provided as a courtesy. It nor any other information within this post should constitute medical or nutritional advice. Be sure to read all packaging and ingredient labels for potential allergens. Optional ingredients are not included unless otherwise specified.
Nutrition
Ayisha Deloatch says
Thank you for this receipe! I am new eating on a Keto diet and this recipe was super easy to make. It was soo delicious!!