Vegan Crab Cakes with Sriracha Remoulade
Vegan Crab Cakes with Sriracha Remoulade- flaky and full of flavor, you will be shocked at how delicious these vegan crab cakes are! (soy-free, nut-free + gluten-free option)
Growing up in Florida I was exposed to all types of seafood as a child but my first experience with crab was not a good one.
I was around 3 years old and my mom was steaming a huge pot of crab legs in the kitchen. When I stumbled over to see what she was doing, an enormous claw caught my eye and sent me running to the living room, shrieking with fear. I remember balling crying, terrified that this creature was going to come alive and take a big bite out of me.
It took a while for me to recover from that experience but eventually I mustered up the courage to try crab meat. To my surprise I actually enjoyed it. Crab cakes in particular became a favorite of mind, probably because I didn’t have to look at any sharp claws while I ate them.
I haven’t had a real crab cake since we moved away from Daytona Beach. It was around that time Brandon decided he didn’t want to eat seafood anymore and while I never viewed it the same as land animals, I also didn’t want to cook it just for myself.
Then I started to learn more about how polluted our oceans are and how that effects the health and sustainability of the marine life. Between concerns about toxicity and not wanting to contribute to overfishing, I eventually lost my desire to eat seafood. I guess it all came full circle.
Alas I still get the occasional craving for a good crab cake and was thrilled to discover that you can make something shockingly similar with just a few key plant-based ingredients. For my version I used a combo of artichoke hearts, chickpeas, lemon, Old Bay seasoning, shallot, dill and dulse flakes.
If you’re wondering what dulse flakes are, it’s essentially just dried seaweed flakes. They help give the crab cakes a more authentic flavor (and they add nutritional value) but they aren’t entirely necessary.
A food processor works best to finely chop the shallot, artichokes and chickpeas into flakey texture. But you could probably get away with mashing the chickpeas and finely chopping the artichokes and shallot by hand. There are always shortcuts and ways around things, just keep in mind it will affect the end result.
I like to sauté the crab cakes with a small amount of olive oil to get the edges golden and crispy.
Served over a bed of mixed greens and topped with the simple sriracha remoulade, they make for one flavorful and satisfying meal. I hope you love them as much as we do!
Vegan Crab Cakes with Sriracha Remoulade
Yield: 12 cakes
Prep Time: 20
Cook Time: 15
Total Time: 35

Ingredients:
For the Crab Cakes
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped shallot (about 1 medium size shallot)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 (10-ounce) jars artichoke hearts (in water), drained
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons non-dairy mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons dried dill
- 1 teaspoon dulse flakes*
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (gluten-free, if needed)
- extra virgin olive oil for cooking
- mixed greens and lemon wedges for serving
For the Sriracha Remoulade
- 1/4 cup dairy-free mayonaisse
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha
- 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Directions:
In a food processor, add the shallot and garlic. Pulse until finely chopped, for about 5 seconds. Next add the drained artichoke hearts and chickpeas. Blend for about 7 seconds, scrape the sides and bottom, then blend again for another 7 seconds, or until the chickpeas and artichokes are finely chopped. You should be able to press the mixture between your fingers and have it stick together.
Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add the 3 tablespoons mayo, teaspoon dijon mustard, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning, dill, dulse flakes, and panko breadcrumbs. Stir until evenly combined.
In a large skillet, warm 1-2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Using your hands, scoop out about 1/4 cup of the mixture at a time and form into patties. Cook in the skillet for about 7 minutes on each side, until golden brown and crisp. Alternatively you can bake them at 350°F for 7 minutes on each side but they won’t be as brown or crispy.
Meanwhile make the remoulade by combining the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Serve crab cakes over a bed of mixed greens topped with remoulade and fresh lemon wedges then enjoy!
*Dulse flakes are made from seaweed which gives the cakes a more authentic fishy flavor. They are also a great source of iodine. You can leave them out, just keep in mind it will affect the resulting flavor.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or frozen for up to 1 month.
Click Here for Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts are for 3 crab cakes or 1/4 of recipe
Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #makingthymeforhealth. I love hearing your feedback!
Those look just like real crab cakes. Crazy! I actually had a crab cake last night for the first time in forever. We live really close to the Chesapeake Bay, so I know I can always get really good local ones from the farmer’s market.
Your story as a kid reminded me of my own nightmare crab experience. Mine is much more traumatic thanks to my dad… One day he went crabbing back when I was probably 5 or 6. When he came home and it was dark out. I’m pretty sure the crab wasn’t alive (but maybe it was) and he took it out of the bucket and showed me. I ran away and he proceeded to chase me around the kitchen, dining room, and living room holding the crab. I was scared to death. He thought it was hilarious but I don’t think he realized how terrified I actually was! To this day I don’t trust anyone with a live crab in their hands.
Oh no! That’s funny but I can see how it would be traumatizing, lol. I think they tormented me a little too when I was crying. At least you know what not to do to your little one in the future! ;)
This story just made my day…too funny! And cute! And traumatic, lol! While I was pretty psyched with my first crab cake experience, these vegan crab cakes are making my mouth water! Srsly, they look so fresh and tasty! I’m loving the fact that they’re made with chickpeas and artichoke hearts – sooo brilliant! Also, that sriracha remoulade is perfection! Dying over here!
I’ll be making this. But one question…we can’t get Old Bay here in Canada. What should I use instead? Paprika?
Old Bay is a mixture of several spices so I’m afraid paprika on it’s own wouldn’t be the same. Here’s a recipe online to make your own: https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/sauce-spread/marinade/homemade-old-bay-seasoning-mix.html
I know it seems like a lot of work but it will keep for a while and it’s a very versatile seasoning! :)
I totally thought these were going to be zucchini cakes because I every time I make Old Bay zucchini cakes, it reminds me of crake cakes! I love artichoke hearts & chickpeas too though, so I’m sure I’d be a fan of these.
I am 100% with you, my first experience with crab cakes was not a good one either. Houses on the Jersey shore have been in my family my entire life, and when I was a kid, I can remember my great grandmother cooking crabs that had just gotten caught on the river there… I remember their claws clamoring at the pot and her cackling like a crazy old lady haha…. Honestly, the only time I ever really tried seafood as an adult was when I studied abroad in Italy. I decided I’d try it there and if I didn’t like it, I’d never try it again. Well, turns out I can’t stomach seafood much! Not a shocker… so vegan crab cakes it is! :)
I’m with you Sarah… our oceans are incredibly polluted.. and while I very occassionally eat salmon, I’m picky about where it comes from (I buy from a couple who line catch wild salmon in Alaska). But even there, the waters are polluted. My other concern now is the Puget Sound resident Orca are starving – salmon is off the menu for me now. Not enough for them to eat to sustain their population. We’re taking too much and our salmon stocks have crashed due to the damming of rivers, over harvesting, quality of remaining habitat and habitat loss. It’s so tragic. And I’ve been working on a vegan crab cake recipe for a while now.. and you know, Old Bay is part of them! I’m lovin these tasty cakes and I’m all heart eyes on that sauce! Yeah!! Well done! :D
That was the main reason I swore off eating fish. It kills me to think about all of the wildlife we are killing because of our glutinous and wasteful ways. I only hope we can figure things out before it’s too late!
I’m very picky about my seafood and there have been so many problems getting crab here in the SF Bay Area because of toxins, etc. I love crab cakes but honestly don’t feel great about eating them these days! These look so delicious and I’ll feel even better about eating them. I can’t wait to try them!
I know, it’s unfortunate that the SF bay is so polluted. It would be really nice if we could find a way to fish sustainably and keep our waste of the ocean!
Just made these for meal prep week – they are SO GOOD! I couldn’t find the “fish” flakes, shallot, or dill, so I used just green onion & tarragon. I also baked mine Bc I had something else in the oven anyway. I love the flavor and don’t mind the tad bit of spicy. I will definitely be making these again!
I made these crab cakes last night and they were extroardinarily wonderful! I made the recipe exactly as written. In my opinion, it was perfect; requires no changes! My non-vegan son thought they were real crab cakes!!
I call that a win! Thanks for sharing, Eileen!
I made these last night after surfing for weeks on YouTube and blogs for a good recipe. Yours just seemed the most flavorful and it did not disappoint. I did not have shallots so I subbed onions & celery. I will make it again just as you list but even this version was awesome. I must confess I used regular olive oil mayo (no offense vegans) cause that is what I had on hand. I’m starting my own YouTube channel soon and I will taste your recipe on camera (of course giving you full credit). Thanks for this impressive collection of recipes and photos. I can’t wait to make more of your dishes.
So glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you!
Made them and hubby didn’t know that they were vegan! Just one question on the sauce, for yhe Sirach, is it the dry or the sauce you add?
Score! It’s the actual sriracha sauce. :)
The best! We added Dungeness Crab to it, WOW!
My friend made these for a party & i loved them so i then made myself & then shared w another friend who just made them this week also & loved them – they r great meal or healthy feeling snack – i froze a bunch & they thawed & reheated well so its a great healthy food prep for me for a few weeks!! Thanks (ps didnt have dulse flakes for any of us & was still delicious)
These are fantastic!!
Easy, and delicious – that is a winning combination!!
So glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for the review, Jodi!
These are DELICIOUS! I have made them twice in the past month. We always have leftovers and they are good cold and served in a wrap with some vegetables.
I bake mine in the oven and then crisp them up in a pan before serving. Soooo good! Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
These are delicious! I’ve been making this recipe for years, finally rating it. It’s wonderful!