These Keto Crab Cakes are light, flavorful, and perfectly crisp, without the unnecessary carbs, offering a delightful alternative to traditional crab cakes. Perfectly seasoned and cooked to crispy perfection, these Keto Crab Cakes taste just like the classic dish. Made with keto crackers in place of breadcrumbs, they deliver all the flavor in a low carb, gluten-free package. Whether you air fry or pan fry, they are fast, fuss-free, and utterly delicious.
Why Air Fry Crab Cakes?
Air fryers make food prep so simple and these low carb crab cakes are a perfect example. They are fast and easy, with less mess, and they don’t splatter oil everywhere as you cook. By making them in the Air Fryer, you cut out a significant portion of oil without sacrificing any flavor. You also have almost no clean up, which makes these perfect for a fancy weeknight dinner!
What Makes These Crab Cakes Special?
- Two easy methods: Whether you air fry or pan fry, these keto crab cakes are always delicious.
- Classic flavor: The seasonings complement the sweet lump crab meat perfectly.
- Crispy golden exterior: No bread crumbs necessary to achieve that perfect crust and tender interior.
- Low carb and gluten-free: Using almond flour, pork rinds, or keto cracker crumbs make these ideal for keto diets.
- Versatile: They make great appetizer or light meals.
- Quick and easy: With minimal prep work, you can easily make these on a busy weeknight.
- Minimal Fillers, Maximum Crab: These air-fried crab cakes have minimal fillers and focus on crab meat.
Ingredients You'll Need
Here is a quick snapshot of the ingredients you'll need.
- Lump crab meat: Use good quality crab meat, as it will make a difference. You don’t have to buy expensive fresh crab meat, but get good canned crab. Buy fresh jumbo crab lump meat at your seafood market from your grocery store.
- Keto cracker crumbs: I used keto cracker crumbs and it worked so well. But you can also use almond flour or crushed pork rinds. 1⁄4 cup almond flour* (I used Organic Almond Flour by the brand Prozis. Pork Rind Panko gives you the signature crunch of a classic crab cake without the carbs, as well as being gluten free!
- Mayonnaise: Mayo adds moisture and a little tanginess to the keto crab cakes. Light Mayo - 1 tablespoon of mayo.
- Fresh herbs: Parsley and green onion add a bit of color.
- Old Bay seasoning: you can use Cajun seasoning as well. Old Bay - 1 teaspoon, or to taste.
- Salt and pepper: Go easy on the salt, since the crackers and the seasoning contain salt. You can always add it after they are cooked.
- Egg: Egg plus a starch binder is required.
- 2 large eggs
- Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Worcestershire sauce
- Lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoon Greek yogurt
- Season salt
- 1 tablespoon season salt
- Paprika
- ½ tablespoon paprika
- Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- Horseradish
- 1 teaspoon horseradish
- Garlic
- 2 cloves garlic
Preparing Your Keto Crab Cakes
- Prepare the mixture: In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients except for the butter. Combine all of the crab ingredients in a bowl. Combine in a large bowl the crab lump meat, bread crumbs, parsley, Old Bay seasonings, mayonnaise, egg white, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix very well, until combined. Mix ingredients very gently using a spatula or wooden spoon. Stir all the ingredients together.
- Form the cakes: Use your hands to form the mixture into 4 even patties. Using your hands, form 8 large balls and press down into patties. Divide the crab mixture into four equal portions and form into patties. Separate and pat the mixture into 6 crab cakes. Using a cookie scooper, scoop out 7 to 8 large size patties. 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.
- Refrigerate: The mixture will be quite wet and soft when you form it into patties, and so you want to refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before air frying. An hour is even better. Form into patties and place them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Form 5 evenly sized crab cakes and place them on a plate or small baking sheet. Place them in the freezer for ten minutes to firm up.
- Make the mayo: Whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl and serve with the crab cakes. Mix up all remoulade ingredients and set aside until ready to use.
If you are using canned crab, be sure to look at the DRY WEIGHT on the label, rather than the total weight. The total weight often includes some liquid and you need to know the true weight of the meat.
Air Frying Instructions
- Spray or brush the air fryer rack with oil (I used avocado oil spray). Lightly spray the air fryer basket with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray. Spray your air fryer with some nonstick spray. Be sure to brush or spray the rack with oil to keep things from sticking.
- Brush melted butter over both sides of the crab cakes and place on the rack. Add the crab cakes to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Place the patties in the basket in a single layer.
- Air fry at 350F for 10 minutes, carefully flipping halfway through cooking. Cook at 370 degrees for 5 minutes. Flip halfway through the cooking time, and cook an additional 5 minutes at the same temperature. First, preheat your air fryer to 380 degrees for 2-3 minutes. Cook for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway or until desired crispness. Cook for about 10 minutes at 370F or until desired crispness. Cook the crab cakes until they are a golden brown. Cook time is 10-15 minutes depending on how crispy you like them.
- If cooking from frozen, cook for 12-13 minutes at 380 degrees. If you have thawed your patties, then cook for 8 minutes and then check them.
Pan Frying Instructions
- Generously grease a non-stick pan and place it over medium heat.
- Once hot, add the patties and cook for 5 minutes, before carefully flipping and cooking a further 5 minutes.
- Repeat the process until all the patties have been cooked.
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.
Serving Suggestions
These Air Fryer Keto Crab Cakes are super easy to make and will definitely create a taste explosion in your mouth! Top with some fresh lemon juice and enjoy! Serve the crab cakes immediately, or let them cool to room temperature.
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
Air Fryer Crab Cakes are usually served with saltine crackers, a lemon wedge, or a sauce like tartar sauce or hot sauce. They can also be dipped in a tasty garlic aioli or remoulade sauce. They are wonderful as an appetizer for steak or other seafood or as a main dish with salad.
- Try this Simple Arugula Salad for the perfect start to any meal!
- Check out this post for a recipe for a Chipotle Mayo sauce, which is perfect for putting on top of your crab cakes!
- If you aren’t keto, these Air Fryer Fries, Baby Potatoes or a Classic Cornbread Salad would go perfectly with this easy meal.
- If you are watching your carbs, try this Cauliflower Risotto, Cheddar Roasted Broccoli or Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts.
- love eating a plate of crab cakes with a little tartar sauce, spicy mayo, or keto honey mustard.
Tips and Tricks for Perfect Crab Cakes
- Buy high-quality crab meat! The crab is the star of the show and big chunks of fresh crab are a signature quality of this dish.
- Be gentle when mixing. The crab doesn't like it like when you're rough! Don’t overmix. Otherwise, the crab meat will lose its chunky texture.
- Don’t crowd the pan. Too many crab cakes in the pan will lower the oil’s temperature and cause them to fry unevenly.
- Chill them before frying.
- Add more breadcrumbs. If the crab meat is especially juicy, add an extra 1-2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs.
- Experiment with different flavors. You can add finely diced green pepper or green onion to the mixture for something different. For something different, you can add finely diced red bell pepper or green onion to the mixture. This Air Fryer Crab Cake is a classic Maryland-style crab cake but don't be afraid to experiment.
- Make a homemade tartar sauce. Nothing pairs better than crab cakes and tartar sauce.
Storing and Reheating
- Storage: Store cooked crab cakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days. Crab cakes should be stored in the refrigerator and covered.
- Freezing: You can also freeze them. Once they’re completely cool, place them in freezer bags and freeze them for up to three months. Crab cakes can be frozen, cooked, or uncooked. Wrap each crab cake in plastic wrap and freeze for up to one month. 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. Wrap each crab cake in plastic wrap, and then freeze for up to one month. Patties can also easily be frozen before or after cooking.
- Reheating: Reheat in either the microwave or air fryer. To reheat in the air fryer, cook at 370 degrees for a minute or two. I do recommend reheating these in the oven or air fryer though rather than the microwave because they will lose their crispiness! To reheat in the air fryer just cook at 370-degrees for a minute or two.
Common Questions
Can I eat crab cakes on the keto diet?
With a few easy substitutions, you can enjoy crab cakes while following a keto diet. Instead of using breadcrumbs, swap out with keto cracker crumbs, almond flour or crushed pork rinds. And use real crab meat! Don’t use imitation crab, as it contains a surprising amount of carbs.
How long do keto crab cakes last?
Store cooked crab cakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them. Once they’re completely cool, place them in freezer bags and freeze them for up to three months.
How many carbs are in a keto crab cakes?
This keto crab cake recipe has 2.4g of carbs and 1.1g of fiber per serving. That comes to 1.3g net carbs per crab cake.
What causes crab cakes to fall apart?
Not having enough binder. While crab is naturally moist, the key is to have a proper balance of binders to keep it together. Egg plus a starch binder is required. Be careful, though…. too much binder will create a not-so-tasty texture. Be careful not to overwork the mixture as this will make the crab dense and it may fall apart.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
How do you eliminate the fishy taste of crab cakes?
You can soak the crab in milk for 20 minutes, then drain and pat dry to eliminate a fishy taste. The casein in milk binds to TMA, which is the fishy culprit and is drained away. However, be sure the crab is fresh it shouldn't smell bad.
Can you cook crab cakes in the air fryer?
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.
Are crab cakes healthy?
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. Healthy air fryer crab cakes made with lump crabmeat and simple yet healthy ingredients make them the best dinner or appetizer!
How long do I cook crab cakes from frozen?
If they are frozen, add an additional 3-5 minutes to the recipe's cooking time. There is no need to have them thawed prior to air frying, although you can if desired.
What time and temp do you air fry crab cakes?
I've found that 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.
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto
Can these be baked in the oven?
Cook them in the oven at 400F for 10-15 minutes per side. Broil for the last few minutes to crisp up the outside.
Is it better to fry them or to bake them?
Air frying is a cooking method that marries the best of both worlds, giving you that crisp on the outside but without the heavy frying. It uses fewer calories and fat to air fry or bake them than to deep fry. Pan-frying crab cakes is also an option for a delicious crab cake!
Nutritional Information (Per Serving)
Servings 7
Serving Size 1 2.3 oz. crab cake
Amount Per Serving
Calories 119kcal
% Daily Value
Total Fat 4.4g7%
Saturated Fat 0.6g3%
Cholesterol 33.6mg12%
Sodium 345.3mg15%
Total Carbohydrate 2.8g1%
Dietary Fiber 1.1g5%
Sugars 1.1g
Protein 16g32%
- Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
A Recipe to Enjoy
These Air Fryer Keto Crab Cakes are perfect for a crispy, light dinner! These Air Fryer Crab Cakes are deliciously crispy on the outside, while being perfectly tender on the inside! Now I don’t follow a keto diet or anything. However I do try and limit my carb intake, because I find it makes me feel lighter and less bloated. These keto crab cakes come out so flaky and delicious, you won’t believe they aren’t fried! If you prefer, you can also use these cooking instructions for a store bought frozen crab cake. If you are making homemade patties, you could use lobster meat instead of crab, or make a combination of both!