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    Cooking Gorgeous » All Recipes » Appetizers

    Easy Air Fryer Crab Cakes

    Published: Dec 25, 2022 by Ayla Clulee · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These delicious and easy Air Fryer Crab Cakes are loaded with fresh crab flavor and are ready in just 25 minutes. Simply shape your crab cakes, place them in your air fryer and let them crisp away while making a nice homemade Tartar Sauce do dip them in!

    3 pieces of crab cakes served with salad and lemon slices
    Jump to:
    • Why This Recipe Works?
    • Ingredients and Substitutes
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • How to Serve Air Fryer Crab Cakes?
    • Top Tips From the Chef
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Related Recipes
    • Easy Air Fryer Crab Cakes

    Air Fryer Crab Cakes are the perfect appetizers to impress your dinner guests. They are also great for serving as a light meal along with some Spicy Thai Mango Salad on the side. And the leftovers make amazingly delicious sandwiches for a packed lunch or picnics.

    Why This Recipe Works?

    • It is incredibly easy to make and ready in just 25 minutes. Simply mix everything together, shape it into patties, and air-fry.
    • You can actually taste the crab meat as the recipe doesn't require too many fillers, not even an egg! With bright and zesty ingredients, each crab cake is lightly seasoned.
    • They can also be baked in an oven or pan-fried if you don't have an air fryer.
    • You can freeze the leftovers and keep them for up to a month.

    Ingredients and Substitutes

    Labelled picture of ingredients for crab cakes
    • Crab meat - Buy fresh hand-picked lump, flake, or claw crabmeat from your fishmonger. The fresher the crab meat, the better the crab cake will taste. You can also use canned crab meat in a pinch.
    • Mayonnaise - It helps to bind the ingredients together. You can also use homemade Tartar Sauce for extra added flavor.
    • Worcestershire sauce - It adds a strong umami flavor to delicate crab cakes. A little goes long way, 1 ½ teaspoon is all we need. They are widely available at supermarkets as well as online on Amazon.
    • Tabasco - I love using a splash of Tabasco sauce to add a bit of heat and extra flavor to my crab cakes. You can omit it or use your favorite hot sauce instead. Adjust the amount to your taste.
    • Lemon - Use freshly squeezed lemon juice to add some brightness and punch to your crab cakes. Avoid using bottled lemon juice.
    • Panko - I cover my crab cakes with panko instead of adding them to the mixture. They add extra crispness and color to crab cakes.
    • Spring onions - They add some fresh flavor and bright green color to crab cakes. You can also use chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, chives, or coriander instead.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Making these delicious Air Fryer Crab Cakes is very easy, and you need to follow a few simple steps to achieve the best results:

    Make the Crab Cake Mixture

    Place crab meat, spring onions, mayonnaise, Tobasco, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, salt, and freshly ground pepper in a large bowl. 

    the ingredients for crab cake are placed in a bowl

    Mix together until well combined using a fork or your hands. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the mixture for a minimum of 30 minutes, up to 24 hours.

    crab cake mixture ready to be shaped

    Shape the Crab Cakes

    Divide the mixture into 8 equal parts of 60 grams each, or 6 equal parts of 80 grams each if you want bigger portions.

    Shape the mixture into patties using a ring cutter or your hands. I use a 5 cm (2") cutter for 60 grams of crab cakes and a 6 cm (2.5") for 80 grams of crab cakes.

    shaping a crab cake with a ring cutter

    Cover the crab cake in panko breadcrumbs, and reshape it if necessary.

    crab cake is covered with panko

    Repeat the process for the rest of the crab cakes. Set them aside on a plate.

    crab cakes are ready to cook

    And Cook

    If you want your crab cakes deep brown color with extra crispiness, I suggest pan frying them on a very hot pan for a couple of minutes on each side before placing them into the air fryer basket.

    Simply heat your pan on high heat, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil, and sear your crab cakes for 2 minutes on each side. Place them in your air fryer basket and cook them for 8 minutes at 200° C (390° F).

    crab cakes are pan fried before air frying for a deeper golden colour

    If you are not after that deep brown color and extra crispness, simply spray the air fryer basket with nonstick spray, or line it with parchment paper.

    8 pieces of crab cakes are placed in air fryer basket

    Place the crab cakes, spray them with some oil, and cook for 12-13 minutes at 200° C (390° F).

    8 pieces of crab cakes cooked in an air fryer

    Scroll down to the recipe card for the full, printable recipe!

    How to Serve Air Fryer Crab Cakes?

    These crab cakes are delicious as they are, but they are even better when served with a dipping sauce such as Tartar Sauce with Capers, Thai Style Tomato Chili Jam, or sweet chili sauce from your favorite brand.

    If you want to serve crab cakes as a main course, below are some of my favorite side dishes that pair perfectly with them:

    Frozen Sweet Potatoes in Air Fryer, Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts, Orzo Pasta Salad, Ratatouille Nicoise, and Crispy Sauté Potatoes with Garlic.

    Top Tips From the Chef

    • Crab meat might contain some water and it is important that you squeeze out as much water as you can before mixing it with the rest of the ingredients.
    • Let your crab cake mixture chill in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes, up to 24 hours.
    • Grease the bottom of your air fryer basket with oil, or line it with parchment paper before placing the crab cakes to avoid them sticking.
    • If you want your crab cakes deep brown color with extra crispiness, I suggest pan frying them on a very hot pan for a couple of minutes on each side before placing them into the air fryer basket.
    • Spray the top of the crab cakes with oil to create golden color and crispness on them. 
    • Make smaller crab cakes and serve them as finger food for your parties.

    Recipe FAQs

    Can I make these Crab Cakes ahead?

    You can make the crab cake mixture and shape them for up to 24 hours ahead and keep them refrigerated in an airtight container.

    How to store the leftovers?

    You can store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days in the fridge or up to a month in the freezer.

    How to reheat the leftovers?

    To reheat the leftover crab cakes, you can use your air fryer or oven.
    If using an air fryer, reheat them at 175° C (350° F) for 5 minutes, or until they are thoroughly reheated.
    To reheat them in the oven, preheat the oven to 180° C (360° F) and reheat them for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they are thoroughly reheated.

    Related Recipes

    For more delicious and easy air fryer recipes why not try:

    • Fish Sticks In Air Fryer
    • Air Fryer Sausage
    • Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts
    • Frozen Sweet Potato Fries in Air Fryer

    Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

    I hope you enjoy the process of making these delicious Air Fryer Crab Cakes as much as you enjoy eating them! 🙂 

    Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!

    Easy Air Fryer Crab Cakes

    Ayla Clulee
    These delicious and Easy Air Fryer Crab Cakes are loaded with fresh crab flavor and are ready in just 25 minutes. 
    No ratings yet
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 13 mins
    Cook Time 12 mins
    Total Time 25 mins
    Course Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
    Cuisine American, English, Western
    Servings 8 pieces
    Calories 155 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 kitchen scale
    • 1 measuring spoons
    • 1 air fryer

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 450 g white crab meat
    • 4 spring onions (finely sliced)
    • 100 g mayonnaise
    • ½ teaspoon Tobasco
    • 1 ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 40 g panko breadcrumbs

    Instructions
     

    Making the Crab Cake Mixture

    • Place crab meat, spring onions, mayonnaise, Tobasco, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, salt, and freshly ground pepper in a large bowl.
    • Mix together until well combined using a fork or your hands. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the mixture for a minimum of 30 minutes, up to 24 hours.
    • Divide the mixture into 8 equal parts of 60 grams each, or 6 equal parts of 80 grams each for bigger portions.
    • Shape the mixture into patties using a ring cutter or your hands.
    • Cover the crab cakes in panko breadcrumbs, and reshape them if necessary.

    Cooking the Crab Cakes

    • If you want your crab cakes deep brown color with extra crispiness, I suggest pan frying them on a very hot pan for a couple of minutes on each side before placing them into the air fryer basket.
    • Simply heat your pan on high heat, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil, and sear your crab cakes for 2 minutes on each side.
    • Place them in your air fryer basket and cook them for 8 minutes at 200° C (390° F).
    • If you are not after that deep brown color and extra crispness, simply spray the air fryer basket with nonstick spray, or line it with parchment paper.
    • Place the crab cakes, spray them with some oil, and cook for 12-13 minutes at 200° C (390° F).

    Notes

    • Crab meat might contain some water and it is important that you squeeze out as much water as you can before mixing it with the rest of the ingredients.
    • Let your crab cake mixture chill in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes, up to 24 hours.
    • Grease the bottom of your air fryer basket with oil, or line it with parchment paper before placing the crab cakes to avoid them sticking.
    • If you want your crab cakes deep brown color with extra crispiness, I suggest pan frying them on a very hot pan for a couple of minutes on each side before placing them into the air fryer basket.
    • Spray the top of the crab cakes with oil to create golden color and crispness on them. 
    • You can make the crab cake mixture and shape them for up to 24 hours ahead and keep them refrigerated in an airtight container.
    • Make smaller crab cakes and serve them as finger food for your parties.
    • You can store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days in the fridge or up to a month in the freezer.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 155kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 11gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 747mgPotassium: 155mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 83IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @cookingorgeous or tag #cookingorgeous!

    This post use affiliate links. This means that if you click on them and then buy something, we get a small amount of commission to keep the site running, but it doesn’t cost you anything more.

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    Hi! Thank you for visiting Cooking Gorgeous. My name is Ayla, and I’m a professional chef based in the UK. The kitchen is my happy place and cooking is my therapy. To me, food is more than ingredients and nutrition; it is a language of love, a way of expressing compassion.

    More about me →

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