Insanely Good Vegan Crab Cakes With Dill Pickle Tartar Sauce

Vegan crab cakes are the perfect copycat recipe that is summery, flavorful, and has an ideal texture. Capers and lemon zest add a seafood flair, while the jackfruit mimics crab’s stringy texture. The best part, it’s 100% vegan!

It wouldn’t be a summer on the East Coast without a plate of moist yet crunchy vegan crab cakes.

Whether you live amongst the iconic dunes of the Cape or plan a culinary adventure in your kitchen, this jackfruit vegan crab cake will wow your friends and family and tastes like summer in every bite.

Inspiration for vegan crab cakes

Growing up, crab cakes adorned the menus on every summer party, birthday, wedding, or trip to Gloucester and Cape Cod. I was never a fan. There was something that didn’t sit right with me about crab meat. I was always more of a marine lover than a marine eater.

Regardless, crab cakes bring back a feeling of nostalgia, a memory of a not-so-distant past when my brother, sister, and I would spend all afternoon in the cold Atlantic water and warm up to a meal at a beachside restaurant before piling in the car and sleeping the 3-hour car ride home.

These memories are fostered around great meals that made my childhood, and as I mentioned, the crab cake was always on the menu!

An ode to fun summers on the beach, these vegan crab cakes are a home run. With the taste and texture on point and the zesty tartar sauce an absolute must, vegans, pescatarians, and carnivores alike will eat this up!

Even for skeptics like myself, this mock-crab vegan recipe is delicious. I could eat a whole plate full and still want to go back for seconds. Jackfruit offers a unique texture (fun to eat), while the filling is perfectly moist and flavored with coastal essence.

Preparing Your Jackfruit

Whenever making jackfruit from a can, it’s crucial to de-brine it before cooking. If you don’t, your jackfruit will have an overwhelming tangy and fishy flavor ( believe me, I found out the hard way). You can find a step-by-step guide here in our jackfruit burger recipe. It’s an easy 10-minute step that will make your dish absolutely delicious!

Forming The Vegan Crab Cakes

Allow your vegan crab cake mixture to settle in the refrigerator for 10-20 minutes. This allows the breadcrumbs to absorb moisture and the flavors to marry. Once the mixture is chilled and set, use your hands to form 4 crab cakes. The heat from your hands may make the cakes feel wet and oily, try to work quickly and not overhandle the mixture!

Remember the mixture includes vegan mayonnaise, so no additional oil is necessary depending on your pan selection; the crab cakes should not stick! But you know your pan best, so lightly-coat if essential.

Ingredients: Where to find them

Choosing quality ingredients will lead you to success while making these vegan crab cakes. Instead of searching all over town and going to multiple shops, I’ve provided a few links to help you grocery shop form the comfort of your home.

Jackfruit, canned: This is the one I recommend, alternatively canned jackfruit can be found at many large grocery stores in the US including Trader Joes.

Old Bay Seasoning: Old Bay Seasoning is a common east coast spice blend. It’s a mixture of celery salt, black pepper, red pepper and paprika and tastes so good and is inexpensive. You’ll love having this one in your pantry.

Vegan Mayonnaise: I love this one, it’s made from quality ingredients, tastes great and won’t break the bank! It’s a mayonnaise you can feel good about using. ( If you try it let me know your thoughts in the comments!)

Gluten-Free Breadcrumb: Try this! Make sure you choose this unseasoned panko style, or your vegan crab cakes will be too salty.

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Love Jackfruit?

If you love jackfruit checkout The Best Jackfruit Burger With Feta And Sun Dried Tomato