Easy Crab Cakes (Air Fryer Recipe)
Air fryer crab cakes are an easy version of the classic seafood entree! Rich lump crab gets mixed with diced onions and peppers, seasoning, and a combination of mayo and dijon mustard before being air fried to golden perfection.
I eat seafood two times a year: the holidays and the summer when I am trying to bring the beach home.
And nothing says taste of the beach quite like crab cakes.
You can enjoy them at almost any coastal restaurant.
And I say, why not make them at home?
Our air fryer crab cakes are just as tasty as any you’d get on vacation.
And they are quick, easy, and on your table in just about half an hour.
Ingredients
To make these you’ll need:
- Breadcrumbs– Panko
- Flour– All purpose
- Seasoning– Old Bay, salt, and black pepper
- Egg– To help bind the crab cakes together
- Veggies– Diced Red bell pepper and thinly sliced green onions
- Mayonnaise– Real full fat mayonnaise and not mayonnaise style dressing. This adds moisture and richness.
- Mustard– Dijon.
- Lemon juice– Real lemon juice is best.
- Lump crab meat– Not the canned kind but the kind you buy at the seafood counter. Drain it well!
How to Make
Making homemade crab cakes might sound intimidating but these air fryer crab cakes are actually pretty easy!
To make them, stir together the bread crumbs, flour, and Old Bay in a mixing bowl.
Set the bowl aside.
In another mixing bowl whisk together the egg, onion, bell pepper, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until evenly combined.
Gently stir the crab into the bowl just until evenly combined without breaking the crab up too much.
Fold the panko crumb mixture into the crab mixture just until evenly combined.
Using clean hands shape the mixture into four evenly sized round pucks.
Spray the basket of an air fryer with nonstick cooking spray.
Carefully add the cakes to the basket, making sure they don’t touch.
Air fry the crab cakes at 375° for 20 minutes, using tongs to gently flip them at the halfway mark.
Check for an internal temperature of 145° when the are done, adding more time if needed.
Serve warm and enjoy!
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover crab cakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Serving
Serve these as is with a side of your choosing.
Yummy sides for crab cakes include:
- baked potatoes
- rice
- steamed or roasted veggies
You can also turn them into a crab cake sandwiches with a fluffy bun, lettuce, tomato, and homemade tartar sauce.
Or serve them with a nice steak for little surf and turf action!
Tips and Tricks
- Do not use canned crab that you can find near the canned tuna. You want the fresh crab for this that you find in clear plastic tubs near the seafood counter.
- Be very gentle when you are working with the crab meat and stirring it into the mixture. You want the lump crab meat to stay in lumps and not shred apart.
- Be careful when flipping the crab cakes over so they don’t fall apart.
Other Seafood Recipes
Air fryer crab cakes are a delicious taste of summer vacation right at home.
Make them and enjoy!
Looking for other seafood recipes?
Try these:
If you’ve tried these AIR FRYER CRAB CAKES, or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Air Fryer Crab Cakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1 large egg
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup finely diced red bell pepper
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 8 oz lump crab meat well drained, NOT the canned stuff
Instructions
- Add the bread crumbs, flour, and Old Bay to a mixing bowl and stir together until evenly combined. Set aside.1 cup panko bread crumbs, 2 tbsp flour, 2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- In another mixing bowl add the egg, onion, bell pepper, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir together until evenly combined.1 large egg, 2 green onions, 1/3 cup finely diced red bell pepper, 2 tbsp mayonnaise, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 2 tsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Add the crab to the bowl and stir together just until evenly combined- trying not to break the crab up any more than is necessary.8 oz lump crab meat
- Pour the panko crumb mixture into the crab mixture and stir together just until evenly combined.
- Using clean hands shape the mixture into four evenly sized round pucks.
- Spray the basket of an air fryer with nonstick cooking spray and gently add the cakes making sure they don't touch.
- Cook at 375° for 20 minutes, using tongs to gently flip them at the halfway mark. Check for an internal temperature of 145° when done.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Do not use canned crab that you can find near the canned tuna. You want the fresh crab for this that you find in clear plastic tubs near the seafood counter.
- Be very gentle when you are working with the crab meat and stirring it into the mixture. You want the lump crab meat to stay in lumps and not shred apart.
- Be careful when flipping the crab cakes over so they don't fall apart.
Nutrition
