Easy, Oil-Free, Plant-Based Vegan Crab Cakes
These vegan creole crab cakes use Hearts of Palm and corn for a sweet-spicy base. Creole flavors come from bell pepper, celery, garlic, paprika, and other key spices. This makes the perfect spicy plant-based dinner. Or, enjoy for a tasty appetizer!
What are in Traditional Crab Cakes?
Traditional crab cakes are a classic dish served throughout the US. Recipes vary from New England to the Gulf. However, the basics are the same: crab meat, egg, breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, and often some sort of aromatic vegetables (like onion or bell pepper). My favorite version always add a spicy Creole theme. Paprika, onion, garlic, celery, and bell pepper make a delicious base for adding spicy-savory flavor.
What’s in Creole seasoning?
Creole seasoning is a mix of spices that includes paprika, black pepper, garlic, onion, oregano, and sometimes cayenne. You can find pre-made creole seasoning mixes in the spice aisle (or sometimes near the meat and seafood counters) of most groceries. However, these pre-made spices may have a lot of salt. For a salt-free blend, you can make your own batch. You’ll find a simple recipe here.
How to make a Plant-Based Vegan Crab Cake
For a whole foods, plant-based version of crab cakes, we have to find a vegan substitute for seafood. Hearts of palm has a texture similar to crab meat. Plus, they have a neutral flavor, which does well to soak up the bold creole flavor in this recipe. For other plant-based options, you can swap out the hearts of palm for diced jicama, chickpeas, or cooked corn.
How to make Oil-Free Baked Vegan Crab Cakes
Besides using Hearts of Palm for this plant-based recipe, I wanted to create a healthy, oil-free recipe. However, typical crab cakes are pan-fried in oil. This gives them a crunchy outer layer. To achieve this crunch, I recommend coating these crab cakes in a vegan alternative. Panko, gluten-free breadcrumbs (I recommend Ian’s brand), or coarse cornmeal will help you achieve a crunchy coating…minus the oil.
How to Eat these Vegan Hearts of Palm Creole Crab Cakes:
Serve these vegan creole crab cakes as an appetizer for a dinner party. Or, enjoy with creole-spiced sweet potato wedges and a simple salad for a hearty plant-based dinner. I love serving these with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Garlic Shallot “Buttah”, or whole grain mustard.
Are Hearts of Palm Sustainable?
Hearts of palms have notoriously been over-harvested in a method that kills the entire plant. However, new cultivation and harvesting regulations have created a more sustainable method for enjoying hearts of palm.
Chef’ Katie’s Plant-Based Cooking Tips
Using Breadcrumbs: If you want a crunchy coating to these vegan crab cakes, I recommend using Panko or gluten-free breadcrumbs (like the Ian’s brand). You can also use coarse cornmeal. If you want to keep these 100% whole foods, simply omit the breadcrumbs. They’re still delicious!
Buying Hearts of Palm: Canned Hearts of Palm often comes in a few options. You can usually buy whole, pieces, or salad cut. If possible, choose whole. This gives you the most flexibility for chopping the Hearts of Palm into bite-sized pieces. If possible, avoid salad cut. There are often very small and skinny pieces in these cans, which isn’t ideal for mimicking chunks of crab meat.
Oil-Free Mission: I’m on a mission to get rid of empty calories, and oil is the most calorie-dense food. For this recipe, the Vegan Crab Cakes are baked in the oven, not fried in oil. Use parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat to line your baking pan.
You can find canned hearts of palm near the canned olives and canned artichokes in most groceries 
Always rinse canned hearts of palm before using in recipes 
The heart of a Hearts of Palm 
Chop or tear Hearts of Palm into pieces that resemble shredded crab meat 
Sweet corn helps balance the spicy flavor and provide body to these vegan crab cakes 
Cajun seasoning add spicy flavor to roasted sweet potato fries, hummus, or vegan crab cakes 
Creole seasoning contains paprika, oregano, garlic, thyme, black pepper. 
Use the same Creole seasoning on sweet potatoes for oil-free potato wedges 
Puree the vegan crab cake mixture until almost smooth 
Hearts of Palm replaces crab meat for this healthy, whole foods, plant-based recipe 
Panko bread crumbs add a crunchy, crispy texture
Vegan Hearts of Palm Creole Crab Cakes
These vegan creole crab cakes use Hearts of Palm and corn for a sweet-spicy base. Creole flavors come from bell pepper, celery, garlic, paprika, and other key spices. This makes the perfect spicy plant-based dinner. Or, enjoy for a tasty appetizer!
- Medium
- Ready In: 1 hour
- 4 servings
If you like these, you’ll love Vegan Hearts of Palm Ceviche Salad, Southwestern Baked Sweet Potato Fries, Southwestern Sweet Potato Black Bean Veggie Burgers, Mini Vegan Barbecue Lentil Loaves, and Hoppin’ John: Southern Black-Eyed Pea Stew with Rice.
Print Recipe
Vegan Hearts of Palm Creole Crab Cakes
Ingredients
- 2 stalks celery diced
- ½ green bell pepper diced
- ½ red bell pepper diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning mix
- ¾ cup corn kernels frozen, thawed
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- ¼ cup cornmeal
- 1 15-ounce can whole Hearts of Palm, drained and rinsed
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup Panko breadcrumbs or other plant-based breadcrumbs *see note, optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375F.
To make the Creole Aromatic Base:
- In a medium pan, saute the celery with the green and red bell pepper over medium heat. Cook until the celery and bell peppers soften, about 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and Creole seasoning. Cook until you can smell the spices, about 1 more minute. Add the corn and stir well. Cook until the corn is warm and absorbing some of the spices. You want most of the moisture to have cooked off…keep cooking and stirring until the pan is almost dry.
- Transfer the Creole Aromatic Base to a medium mixing bowl.
- Add the Dijon, parsley, and cornmeal. Use an immersion blender to puree the mix until about 80% smooth. You can also do this in a food processor.
To prepare the Hearts of Palm:
- Cut the the Hearts of Palm into ½-inch pieces. Then, chop or tear the pieces into smaller bite-sized pieces. You want the Hearts of Palm to resemble crab meat. Use your knife or hands to achieve this.
To make the Vegan Hearts of Palm Creole Crab Cakes:
- Add the Hearts of Palm to the bowl with the Creole Aromatic Base. Stir well to combine. You want your mixture to be able to hold together in a small ball. If it’s too wet, add more cornmeal. If it’s too dry, add a splash of water or another 1-3 teaspoons of Dijon mustard.
- To shape and bake the Vegan Hearts of Palm Creole Crab Cakes:
- Line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat. Spread the breadcrumbs into a thin layer on the baking pan. If you’re not using breadcrumbs, simply omit this step.
- Portion about ¼ cup of the Vegan Hearts of Palm Creole Crab Cake mixture for one crab cake. Using your hands, flatten the crab cake until about ¾-1 inch thick. Lightly coat both sides with the breadcrumbs. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
- Spread the vegan crab cakes out, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 25 minutes. Use a spatula to flip over. Then, bake 10-15 more minutes, until crispy and golden on the outside.
- Serve immediately!
Notes
Ready In: 1 hour
4 servings
Nutrition Facts
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 4.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 126 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 0 g | 0 % |
| Saturated Fat 0 g | 0 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 0 mg | 0 % |
| Sodium 466 mg | 19 % |
| Potassium 207 mg | 6 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 19 g | 6 % |
| Dietary Fiber 4 g | 15 % |
| Sugars 2 g | |
| Protein 5 g | 10 % |
| Vitamin A | 32 % |
| Vitamin C | 66 % |
| Calcium | 7 % |
| Iron | 6 % |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
Shopping and Gear List
- Ians Natural Foods Gluten Free Panko Breadcrumbs
- Reynolds Kitchens Parchment Paper Roll, 60 Square Feet
- Amazon Basics Silicone, Non-Stick, Food Safe Baking Mat – Pack of 2
- Benoit’s Best Spicy Salt-free Cajun Seasoning (6 OZ)
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It was way too difficult to print a recipe. Not sure this site is consumer friendly for me.
Hi Katie —
Have you tried using the “Print Recipe” above most recipes? It should pop up in a printer-friendly page that you can print. Hope that helps.