These air fryer crab cakes are crispy and tender on the outside and juicy on the inside. I love how they cook up in just 8 minutes.
One of my favorite snacks or light meals is Maryland crab cakes, but I only fry them up most of the time. As the master of the air fryer, I had to see how it would do in the air fryer. I have to say, you’ll be amazed at how well they turn out!
Crab cakes are a delicious and popular appetizer that can be found on menus across the country While traditionally pan-fried, crab cakes can also be cooked to crispy, golden brown perfection in an air fryer Air frying crab cakes results in a healthier dish by using little to no oil, as well as an easy clean up with less mess.
When cooking crab cakes in an air fryer, there are a few key things to keep in mind, with temperature being one of the most important. Finding the right temperature ensures the crab cakes get crispy and browned on the outside while staying moist and tender on the inside.
In this ultimate guide, we will cover everything you need to know to make foolproof crab cakes in your air fryer including
- Benefits of cooking crab cakes in an air fryer
- Choosing the right crab meat
- Preparing the crab cake batter
- Shaping the crab cakes
- Finding the perfect air fryer temperature
- Monitoring cook times
- Serving suggestions and condiments
- Storing and reheating leftover crab cakes
By the end of this guide, you’ll be able to make restaurant-quality crab cakes from the comfort of your own kitchen. So let’s get cracking!
Benefits of Cooking Crab Cakes in an Air Fryer
Air fryers have surged in popularity in recent years, and for good reason. Some of the benefits of using an air fryer include:
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Uses little to no oil: Air frying relies on super heated air rather than submerging food in oil, resulting in a healthier cooking method.
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Quick cook times: The rapid air circulation cooks food fast, with most items taking 15 minutes or less.
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Crispy exterior: The high heat from the air fryer gives foods a crispy, crunchy exterior.
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Moist interior: Food cooked in an air fryer stays tender and moist on the inside.
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Easy clean up: With no messy oil splatters, air fryers are much easier to clean after cooking.
When it comes to crab cakes specifically, the air fryer can deliver a crispy golden exterior while keeping the delicate crab meat inside tender and juicy. The lack of submerging in oil also allows the fresh flavors of the crab to really shine through.
Choosing the Right Crab Meat
Not all crab is created equal when it comes to making the perfect crab cake. For the best texture and flavor, you’ll want to use lump or jumbo lump crab meat. Here’s a breakdown of the most common types of crab meat:
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Lump crab: Large pieces of broken down crab meat from the body and claws. Provides nice big chunks in each bite.
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Jumbo lump crab: The largest grade of lump crab from the two biggest muscles. Premium quality with the best texture.
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Backfin or special crab: Shredded and smaller pieces of body meat. Often used as a more budget-friendly alternative to lump.
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Claw crab: Meat extracted from crab claws, legs, and shoulders. Can be stringy but full of flavor.
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Imitation crab: Fake crab made from fish like pollock or hake. Low quality and often high in additives.
For the most decadent crab cakes, lump or jumbo lump crab is the way to go. But you can use a combo of lump and backfin or claw meat too. Just avoid the imitation crab if you want real crab flavor.
Preparing the Crab Cake Batter
A basic crab cake batter consists of the crab meat plus binders, seasoning, and fillers. Here are some tips for preparing crab cake batter:
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Use about 1 pound of crab meat for 4 large or 8 small crab cakes.
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Gently fold the crab meat into the batter rather than mixing vigorously to keep the chunks intact.
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Chill the formed crab cakes in the fridge for 1-2 hours before cooking to help them hold their shape.
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Resist overmixing or compressing the crab cake mixture, which can result in dense or rubbery crab cakes.
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Good binders include egg, mayo, sour cream, or Greek yogurt.
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Add fillers like panko breadcrumbs, cracker crumbs, or cubed potatoes.
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Season with Old Bay, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, herbs, etc.
Taking a delicate hand when mixing the ingredients and not overworking the crab meat will lead to the lightest, fluffiest texture.
Shaping the Crab Cakes
When forming the crab cakes, you’ll want to gently shape them while still retaining the chucks of crab meat. Here are some tips:
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Make indentions in the tops of the crab cakes using your thumb to create crevices for crisping.
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Shape into rounds or patties that are about 1-inch thick for ideal cooking.
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For larger crab cakes, use a 1/3 cup measure to scoop the batter and shape by hand.
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For mini crab cakes, use a cookie scoop or melon baller for easy shaping.
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Place shaped crab cakes on a parchment lined baking sheet and chill before cooking.
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Lightly coat your hands with oil if the batter sticks while shaping.
Taking time to shape the crab cakes properly will mean they hold together better during cooking.
Finding the Perfect Air Fryer Temperature
Here comes one of the most important parts – finding the ideal air fryer temperature to achieve crunchy golden crab cakes that are cooked through.
The right cooking temperature for crab cakes in an air fryer is 400°F.
Cooking at 400°F gives the crab cakes enough time to heat through while getting maximally crispy and browned on the outside.
Lower temperatures around 300-350°F may seem appealing to avoid overcooking. However, crab cakes cooked at these cooler temps will turn out pale and limp rather than nicely browned.
On the flip side, temperatures over 400°F can cook the crab cakes too quickly, resulting in dry, rubbery meat.
So for the perfect balance of crisp exterior and moist interior, be sure to preheat your air fryer to 400°F before cooking the crab cakes.
Monitoring Cook Times
In addition to preheating your air fryer, you’ll also want to pay close attention to the cook times.
Here are some general guidelines for air frying times when cooking at 400°F:
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4-6 minutes per side for mini (2-inch) crab cakes
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6-8 minutes per side for standard (3-4 inch) crab cakes
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10-12 minutes per side for jumbo lump (5-inch) crab cakes
No matter the size, you’ll want to flip the crab cakes over midway during cooking to ensure even browning.
Always check for doneness before removing by inserting a toothpick or knife into the center. It should come out hot with no traces of raw crab batter.
The total air fryer cook time can range from 8-24 minutes depending on the thickness of your crab cakes. Pay close attention as they cook.
Serving Suggestions and Condiments
Once your crab cakes come out of the air fryer beautifully browned and crispy, it’s time to serve them up. Consider serving crab cakes with:
- Lemon or lime wedges
- Remoulade or tartar sauce
- Cocktail sauce
- Aioli or herbed mayo
- Coleslaw or potato salad
- Fresh greens
Crab cakes also pair well with a crisp white wine or light beer. You can serve them as appetizers by making them mini sized or enjoy as entrees by leaving them larger.
Either way, a squeeze of lemon and dip of remoulade is a must for bringing out the succulent sweet crab flavor.
Storing and Reheating Leftover Crab Cakes
Made too many crab cakes? No need to toss the leftovers. Here are some tips for storing and reheating:
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Let crab cakes cool fully then place in airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
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For longer storage, individually wrap cooled crab cakes in plastic wrap and freeze for 2-3 months.
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To reheat, place frozen crab cakes on air fryer tray and cook at 400°F for 4-5 minutes until heated through.
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Can also reheat refrigerated crab cakes in the air fryer at 350°F for 3-4 minutes.
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Microwaving is not recommended as it can make the texture rubbery.
With proper storage, you can enjoy your homemade crab cakes again and again!
Conclusion
Cooking crab cakes in the air fryer results in a quick and easy appetizer with a crispy browned exterior while keeping the interior delicately moist. Use lump crab meat, shape them with
How to make crab cakes in the air fryer
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post to print out the full recipe instructions and amounts of the ingredients.
Step 1- Prep. Mix all the ingredients, except for the bread crumbs, in a large bowl. Fold them through until combined.
Step 2- Shape. Divide the crab mixture into equal portions and shape them into cake patties. Freeze them for 5 minutes to firm up.
Step 3- Air fry. Spread some cooking spray on the crab cakes and put them in the air fryer basket. Cook for 8 minutes, flipping them over halfway through. Serve with lemon and tartar sauce.
Can I bake these?
Yes, you can bake these crab cakes. To do this, heat the oven to 200C/400F and line a baking sheet or parchment paper with it. Then, go to step 5. Bake them for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping them halfway until baked.
- Don’t over-mix the batter. So as not to break up the crab, only fold the ingredients together until they are well mixed.
- Use slightly wet hands to shape the crab cakes so that the mixture doesn’t stick to them.
- Add a little more panko to the mix if the batter is too thin. If it’s too thick, add a little milk or water.
- Sliced green onion, cooked potatoes, and tomatoes are some other things that will make it taste better.
- To make it low-carb, use crushed pork rinds instead of panko.
To store. Leftover crab cakes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To freeze. When the crab cakes are cool, put them in a shallow container. You can freeze them for up to two months.
Yes, you can air fry store-bought crab cakes. Cook them in the air fryer at 200C/400F for 6 minutes, flipping halfway through.
For gluten-free crab cakes, swap out the panko breadcrumbs for either gluten-free breadcrumbs or gluten-free panko crumbs.
Why I love this recipe
- Quick. These are very easy to make because they only take 8 minutes to cook and a few minutes to prepare.
- Truly crispy. When hot air moves around the crab cake, it always has a crust that is crispy and golden brown.
- Healthier. Air-frying crab cakes is better for you than deep-frying them because you only need a little oil (a spray!)
- Less mess. It can get really messy when you pan-fry crab cakes, but not when you use an air fryer!
- Crab meat. Use jumbo lump crab meat, either in brine or canned. You can use fake crab if you can’t find lump crab meat, but you should add some cornstarch or flour to help hold everything together.
- Egg. Room temperature.
- Panko breadcrumbs. The bigger flakes help the filling stay together and make the outside even crispier.
- Cooking spray. To grease.
- Mayonnaise and Dijon mustard. Fill the crab cakes with water and season them with a little something extra.
- Worcestershire sauce. For that fabulous umami flavor.
- Old bay seasoning. What goes into every good crab cake that no one else does
- Kosher salt and black pepper. To season.
- Celery, red bell peppers, and parsley. Finely chopped, for color.
Air Fryer Crab Cakes
How do you cook crab cakes in an air fryer?
Scoop crab with a 1/3-cup measure and form into 8 patties. Place patties on a plate, cover, and refrigerate until firm, 1 to 8 hours. Preheat an air fryer to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray crab cakes on both sides with cooking spray and place in the air fryer basket. Cook in the preheated air fryer for 5 minutes.
Can You air Fry frozen crab cakes?
Frozen crab cakes are precooked, so you just have to heat them up using the directions below. Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees. Place the frozen crab cakes in the air fryer and air fry crab cakes for 7-8 minutes until warmed thoroughly. Remove the crab cakes from the air fryer and enjoy!
How do you know if crab cakes are cooked in air fryer?
This ensures the cakes gain an even golden color and crispiness. Check the internal temperature: Air fryers vary, so cooking time may vary slightly. The best way to check if the crab cakes are done is by testing with a thermometer. They are done when the internal temperature is 145°F.
How long do crab cakes last in an air fryer?
It’s a quick and easy weekday snack. In the Refrigerator: In an airtight container, your air fryer crab cakes will stay good for up to 5 days. Reheating: My favorite ways to reheat crab cakes are to pop them in the microwave for 1 minute, or in the air fryer at 370 degrees for about 5-7 minutes.