Vegan Crab Cakes
I was never really a seafood person when I did eat it, but crab was my jam. Especially when it comes to crab cakes. If it were an option on the menu, I would almost always get them. When I found out there is small business here in town that grows and sells a variety of mushrooms like Lion’s Mane, Pink Oyster, Black Pearl King Oyster, and Grey Oyster Mushrooms, I had to check them out. Las Vegas Mushrooms is where it’s at if you want legit, homegrown mushrooms in the Vegas area. These are all great vegan alternatives for “meaty” substitutes. I had heard about all these great crab cake mushrooms with Lion’s Mane, so once I knew I could get a huge head of them for a great price from a small business in town, I knew what I was making for dinner. I was nervous to go all in on a recipe if it was going to be a failure, (which I’ve had happen) but these turned out epic. Totally worth the time and effort it took to make. I’ve seen jackfruit crab cakes before, but for me there is a distinct taste that I can tell it’s not crab. With the Lion’s Mane, you don’t have that because the mushroom taste is subtle. With all the seasoning and breadcrumbs it tastes just like a real crab cake.
Obviously not everyone has a local mushroom dealer, but I have found most all-natural grocery stores have fresh Lion’s Mane and Oyster mushrooms. Asian grocery stores will have them too, but I am not sure what the cost will be. Oyster mushrooms are great for battering and frying. Serve them with some vegan ranch and you have yourself a good time. These crab cakes would make a great appetizer for parties, starter for a dinner party, or a meal like I did myself. I would be interested in trying a couple in the air fryer next time and see how they come out. Have you made vegan crab cakes before? Did you use mushrooms or jackfruit? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below.
Thanks for reading,
Jessica
Vegan Crab Cakes
Ingredients
- 1 large Lion's Mane mushroom, (Ripped into small pieces. I try and get them about the same size)
- 1 flax egg (1 TBSP flaxseed meal and 2 ½ TBSP water. Stir occasionally and let set for like five minutes to thicken)
- 5 cloves garlic finely diced (depending on size)
- 2 TSP vegan mayo (I like Follow Your Heart)
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 TBSP yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 TSP Old Bay seasoning
- ¼ TSP Trader Joe’s Onion Salt
- ¼ TSP Trader Joe’s Mushroom Umami Seasoning
- A couple of dashes of Coconut Aminos or soy sauce
- Dash of salt and pepper
- Fresh lemon wedges to garnish crab cakes
- ¼ cup vegan plain yogurt (I like Kite Hill Plain Greek Yogurt or Forager Yogurt)
- 1 TSP garlic powder
- 1 TSP apple cider vinegar
- ½ TSP Coconut Aminos or soy sauce
- ¼ TSP smoked paprika
- ½ TSP Savory Spice Blend
- 1 TSP Dijon mustard
- 1 TBSP chives diced
- 1TBSP dill diced
- 1 TSP shallot finely minced
- 1 TSP Cuban Style Citrusy Garlic Seasoning Blend (Optional)
- ½ -1 TSP lemon juice, to taste
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place pieces of Lion's Mane mushroom on a baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven once done to slightly cool. You don’t want to overcook these, keep an eye on them.
- Meanwhile, place all the other crab cake ingredients into a large bowl. Mix well and taste test and adjust accordingly. Set aside as you prepare the remoulade.
- Combine all remoulade ingredients in a small bowl, whisking thoroughly to combine. Taste to the sauce and adjust to your liking. Add more smoked paprika, salt and pepper, more mayo, or lemon juice.
- Once mushroom is slightly cooled, pulse in food processor until mixture resembles crab meat. It will look somewhat stringy. Add to bowl of crab cake ingredients and mix thoroughly to combine. Form in to 4-6 patties depending on size.
- Add a tablespoon of oil (grapeseed, avocado, or coconut oil work well because of the high smoke point) to a skillet and add crab cakes carefully to pan. If you have a cast iron skillet, I would use it. If not, a solid, regular skillet will work. Cook for about 3 minutes per side, or until nicely browned. Flip and cook the other side for an additional 3 minutes.
- Serve warm topped with paprika, fresh squeezed lemon juice, and remoulade sauce and chives.
