Vegan Crab Cakes

Recipe by Bonnie Shuman, Weavers Way Executive Chef

Ingredients

Vegan Crab Cakes

  • 15 oz. chickpeas, drained and rinsed (1 can)
  • 2-15 oz. artichoke hearts (2 cans)
  • 2 cups panko breadcrumbs, divided
  • ¼ cup vegan mayonnaise
  • 1 large shallot, fine dice
  • ½ yellow bell pepper, fine dice
  • ½ red bell pepper, fine dice
  • 8 oz. Earth Balance vegan butter
  • 3 tsp. Maine Coast dulse flakes
  • 4 tbsp. fresh chopped parsley
  • 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice
  • 1-½ tsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce, such as Annie's brand
  • 1-½ tsp. Old Bay seasoning
  • 1 tsp. granulated garlic
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ¼ cup safflower oil for frying only

Vegan Tartar Sauce

  • 1 cup vegan mayo
  • 2 tsp. pickle relish
  • 2 tsp. dried dill
  • 2 tsp. capers, finely chopped
  • fine zest of a whole lemon
  1. In a food processor, add chickpeas and artichoke hearts — do this in smaller batches to achieve best consistency. Pulse this mixture a few times, until you have a coarse, crab cake-like texture. Set aside.
  2. Add Earth Balance to a small sauté pan and melt it thoroughly. Add diced shallots and peppers. Sauté on medium heat until the vegetables are tender.
  3. Add the sautéed vegetables, including the extra Earth Balance in the pan, to the crab cake mixture from step 1. Add 1 cup of the panko plus all other crab cake ingredients, except the safflower oil.
  4. Mix all ingredients until well combined. Taste for salt and seasoning; add more if needed. Freeze mixture for 20 minutes — this will help bind the crab cakes.
  5. Place the other cup of panko on a sheet tray.
  6. After 20 minutes, remove the mixture from the freezer. Scoop out a heavy ¼ cup of the mixture and form into a patty shape. Repeat until all the patties are formed. Coat each patty on both sides with the panko bread crumbs.
  7. In a large skillet, heat the safflower oil over medium heat, about 3 minutes. Place 4-5 patties in the hot oil and cook 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown. Transfer cooked patties to a plate lined with a paper towel. Repeat process with remaining patties, adding more oil if necessary and removing any excess bread crumbs from the oil.
  8. Prepare the tartar sauce by placing all ingredients in a bowl and combining thoroughly.
  9. Serve the crab cakes hot with vegan tartar sauce and a wedge of lemon.