Air Fryer Crab Cakes are loaded with sweet crab meat and savory seasoning and filling, then air fried to crispy, golden perfection! They make great appetizers, snacks, or even an entree, and can even be made ahead and frozen!
Air Fryer Crab Cakes
These Air Fryer Crab Cakes are absolutely loaded with sweet crab meat and just the right savory seasonings. The savory elements of these cakes, such as the green onions, Old Bay seasoning, and garlic complement the sweet crab meat without overpowering it.
Plus they're deceptively easy to make (and can even be made ahead and frozen!), with no frying oil required! They're easily air-fried to crispy, golden perfection giving them a crisp exterior and a soft, warm inside.
What Kind of Crab Should I Use?
At most grocery stores, you will find lump crabmeat or claw crabmeat. This recipe calls for lump crabmeat, and I do not recommend substituting.
The two types of crabmeat are different textures, and making claw meat crab cakes would require a different amount of binder and egg ratio as the meat is much firmer and comes in larger chunks.
Lump crabmeat is like the "shredded chicken" of the crab world. It has a soft, malleable texture that works well in these crab cakes.
How to Serve Air Fryer Crab Cakes
The beautiful thing about crab cakes, other than simply how delicious they are, is that they can be served as an appetizer or as the main event. And they're elegant and filling in both situations.
As an appetizer, they can be served alongside other appetizers such as warm spinach artichoke dip, crab rangoon dip, or shrimp cocktail.
As a main dinner entree, you can serve them with this family favorite coleslaw or this creamy and zesty summer slaw, French fries, air fryer baby potatoes, or roasted vegetables.
No matter how you serve them be sure to serve them with some spicy, zesty remoulade sauce, or some tartar sauce, if you're into that instead.
Why Are My Crab Cakes Sticking?
The interior basket of my air fryer is nonstick, so I don't have this problem. But if you're running into it, brush the interior basket of your air fryer with a little bit of olive oil or line it with parchment paper. If you line with the parchment paper, the air won't move as freely, so you will have to flip the crab cakes half way through.
How Long Do I Air Fry Frozen Crab Cakes?
If you're air frying pre-made frozen crab cakes, your cook time will depend on whether they're precooked.
Pre-cooked frozen crab cakes can be reheated from frozen in the air fryer at 370°F for about 8 to 10 minutes.
Uncooked frozen crab cakes can be cooked from frozen in the air fryer at 370°F for about 14 to 16 minutes.
More Recipes You'll Love
- Salmon Croquettes - perfectly seasoned salmon cakes pan-fried to golden perfection and served with remoulade.
- Air Fryer Hush Puppies - just like your favorite classic hush puppies with none of the messy oil! These hush puppies are packed with flavor, warm on the inside, and crispy on the outside.
- Baked Catfish Nuggets - the easiest way to make cornmeal-coated catfish. Tastes just as good as fried and is so quick and easy to make!
- Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks - A family favorite appetizer made right in the air fryer. These are easy to make ahead and store in the freezer until needed, just like store bought!
- Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers - A healthier, homemade version of a favorite snack and appetizer. These creamy, cheesy, and spicy snacks can be made quickly and easily.
Air Fryer Crab Cakes Video
Air Fryer Crab Cakes
Ingredients
- 1 pound lump crab meat drained
- ½ cup crushed butter crackers (such as Ritz)
- 3 green onions finely sliced
- ¼ cup mayo
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dry ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Flour for dusting
- Cooking Oil
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add crab, crackers, and green onions. Stir with a fork to combine.
- Add remaining ingredients, except flour and cooking oil, and stir again to combine.
- Divide crab mixture into 8 parts. Form each section into a patty.
- Dust each patty lightly with flour.
- Spray or rub cooking oil onto the basket of the air fryer. Air fry in batches of 2-4, depending on the size of your air fryer. Air fry each batch at 370°F for 10 minutes.
Notes
- If you have the time, resting your crab cake mixture covered in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to one day. This will help the cracker crumbs absorb more flavor and liquid and will help the cakes bind together better.
- Add a little spice: add a couple dashes of Louisiana-style hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne.
- Gluten Free: Use gluten free crackers or bread crumbs to make this recipe gluten free.
- Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 370F for about 2-3 minutes, until warmed through.
- Freezer Directions: These can be frozen before or after cooking for up to 3 months. Before cooking, freeze prepared patties on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag. Reheat by cooking in an air fryer from frozen at 370F for about 15 minutes. To freeze after cooking, allow to cool before transferring to a freezer bag. Reheat in the air fryer from frozen at 370F for about 8 to 10 minutes.
Nutrition
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