Healthy air fryer crab cakes made with lump crabmeat and simple, yet healthy ingredients make them the best dinner or appetizer! This easy recipe is great for taking frozen crab cakes from the freezer to the table in less than 15 minutes!
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If you're just starting to air fry seafood you may have tried salmon or shrimp, but have you tried air fryer crab cakes? It's incredible to taste this lump crab cake recipe is, even better than if it was pan fried or baked in the oven!
These air fryer crab cakes are one of the most easy lump crab meat recipes you can serve as a meal along with mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts or green beans.
They are also a delicious crab cake appetizer to serve in mini size as a fun appetizer for your next party, Thanksgiving, Christmas or holiday gathering. Don't forget to top them with remoulade sauce!
Don't miss our broiled Chilean sea bass recipe which is another one of our favorite fish recipes!
What Makes This Recipe Work
- Restaurant quality and perfect for any season - they are the easy solution for holiday meals or at summer parties on top of a salad.
- Simple to make with canned crab. Delicious sweet crab with crispy outsides and with tender and juicy insides.
- Easy & quick to cook from frozen and take them from the freezer to the table in less than 15 minutes. They don't need to be thawed!
- Made with healthier ingredients (no mayo!) and air fried making them less fat and calories than traditional fried versions. Over 15 grams of protein and less than 130 calories per serving.
- Can be made into mini sized making it the perfect air fried appetizer.
Ingredients For This Recipe
Here are the ingredients you need to make this recipe. Reference the recipe card at the bottom for exact measurements and the notes below for substitution ideas.
- Lump crabmeat: Using canned lump crab (sometimes labeled as jumbo lump), you want to have larger lumps for Maryland-style.
- Greek yogurt: May substitute for sour cream or mayo if desired.
- Panko breadcrumbs: Homemade breadcrumbs or gluten free breadcrumbs will work also. Making these using Ritz crackers or Saltine cracker crumbs crushed to breadcrumb size will also be delicious.
- Season salt: Can also use Old Bay seasoning if desired (we love it on this Old Bay salmon recipe!)
How to Make This Recipe
This is a step-by-step walkthrough of how to cook this recipe. The recipe card at the bottom shows the exact cooking time and temperatures.
- Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl.
- Mix ingredients very gently using a spatula or wooden spoon. Using a cookie scooper, scoop out 7 to 8 large size patties.
- Shape them into patties and place into the air fryer basket (spray the basket with coconut oil spray to avoid sticking).
- Cook for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway or until desired crispness. While the cakes are air frying, stir together remoulade sauce ingredients and set aside until ready. Pre-made chipotle sauce works as a dipping sauce also.
Make Ahead, Storage, Freezer, Serving & Reheating
- Make-Ahead: Assemble and form patties and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and store for up to 1 day prior to making.
- Storage: Store cooked crab cakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: To freeze and air fry later follow recipe instructions until placing them into the basket. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place into the freezer for about 1 hour or until frozen. Store frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- Serving: Serve with mashed potatoes and a veggie side dish like zucchini or broccoli. May also be served as an appetizer mini crab cake with remoulade for dipping.
- Reheating: Reheat leftovers by air frying at 350F for 3-5 minutes.
Expert Tips
- If patties are having a hard time coming together refrigerate for an hour rather than over-mixing and they should be easier to form.
- Do not over-mix when constructing to keep large lumps intact.
- Appetizer Minis: To make mini air fryer crab cakes use a small cookie scoop or half a large scoop to make approximately 20 appetizer sized portions. Reduce cook time to 5-7 minutes depending on size.
- How to avoid sticking: Spray basket with coconut oil cooking spray or line with parchment paper or foil to ensure they do not stick.
- Keto or low carb version: To make recipe keto or low carb friendly swap out Panko breadcrumbs for toasted almond flour.
- I tested this recipe in the Ultrean but the Ninja Foodi, Phillips, Cosori, Cuisinart or any other model will have the same directions.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Air frying is my favorite way to cook them! It is faster than the oven or pan searing them in a skillet and it is a great way to cook them from frozen or make pre-made, store-bought versions.
This healthy crab cake recipe is much healthier than the traditional fried recipe with just around 130 calories per serving and over 15 grams of protein. It has no mayo and is more heart-healthy.
If they are frozen, add an additional 3-5 minutes to the recipe cooking time. There is no need to have them thawed prior to air frying, although you can if desired.
I've found 370F for about 10 minutes is a great temperature and time to air fry these. You will know the crab is fully cooked when it temps to 165F when read by an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center.
Cook them in the oven at 400F for 10-15 minutes per side. Broil for the last few minutes to crisp up the outside.
Air frying is a cooking method marries the best of both worlds, giving you that crisp on the outside but without the heavy frying. It is less calories and fat to air fry or bake them than to deep fry.
Related Recipes
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Best Healthy Air Fryer Crab Cakes
Ingredients
Crab Cake Ingredients
- 16 oz can lump crab meat
- ¾ cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 3 green onions minced finely
- 1 tablespoon season salt Old Bay or cajun seasoning will also work
- 2 tablespoon Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
Remoulade Ingredients
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon horseradish
- 2 cloves garlic minced
Instructions
Crab Cake Instructions
- Combine all of the crab ingredients in a bowl. Using a cookie scooper, scoop out 7 to 8 large size patties.16 oz can lump crab meat, ¾ cup panko bread crumbs, 2 large eggs, 3 green onions, 1 tablespoon season salt, 2 tablespoon Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- You can half one scoop for mini appetizer crab cakes or maintain the larger size for a dinner-sized portion. Shape them into patties and place onto the grate sprayed with coconut oil spray.
- Cook for about 10 minutes at 370F or until desired crispness.
Remoulade Instructions
- Mix up all remoulade ingredients and set aside until ready to use.½ cup Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ½ tablespoon paprika, 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon horseradish, 2 cloves garlic
Oven Instructions
- Once assembled, place crab cakes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 400F then bake for 10-15 minutes per side. Broil for the last few minutes to crisp up the outside.
Notes
- If patties are having a hard time coming together refrigerate for an hour rather than over-mixing and they should be easier to form.
- Do not over-mix when constructing to keep large lumps intact.
- Appetizer Minis: To make mini air fryer crab cakes use a small cookie scoop or half a large scoop to make approximately 20 appetizer sized portions. Reduce cook time to 5-7 minutes depending on size.
- How to avoid sticking: Spray basket with coconut oil cooking spray or line with parchment paper or foil to ensure they do not stick.
- Keto or low carb version: To make recipe keto or low carb friendly swap out Panko breadcrumbs for toasted almond flour.
- Make-Ahead: Assemble and form crab cakes and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and store for up to 1 day prior to making.
- Storage: Store cooked crab cakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: To freeze and air fry later follow recipe instructions until placing them into the basket. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place into the freezer for about 1 hour or until frozen. Store frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Reheat leftovers by air frying at 350F for 3-5 minutes.
Lorie Eber
I love these! The sauce is great too! Hate ordering them in restaurants, so oily and you can't taste the crab. I'm a Nutritionist and Weight Loss coach and recommend them to all my clients!!
Lyndsey
Thanks Lorie! I'm so glad you liked them!
Alyssa
I found some snow crab on sale and decided to give it a try. Normally I only have shrimp or salmon so this was a great change of pace. Not only was this delicious but so easy! Usually when I make a mixture like this things never hold their shape, but this recipe everything held together perfectly.
Lyndsey
I'm so glad you liked it Alyssa! Kudos to finding crab on sale, what a find!
Candice
What temp for the air fryer???
Lyndsey
It's 370F. I will update the recipe card, thanks for letting me know it's not appearing.