These air fryer crab cakes are every bit as delicious as the fried version, but so much healthier in the air fryer! You won’t believe how easy it is to make them, either.
Pin this recipe now to save it for later
Pin RecipeTraditional crab cakes are a seafood dish made of shredded or lump crabmeat, egg, mayonnaise, and seasonings; the mixture is formed into patties that are fried in lots of oil. This makes them crispy and delicious, but not exactly healthy. Enter: air fryer crab cakes.
Oh yes, friends! These air fryer crab cakes have that perfect crispy texture and all the delicious flavor of the original, but because they’re made in the air fryer, you don’t have to cook them in a ton of oil.
Easy Air Fryer Crab Cake Recipe
Air fryer crab cakes are a great way to enjoy the delectable taste of crab cakes without the added calories from deep frying. Instead, air fryers use hot air to cook foods, giving them that classic fried texture without needing oil or other fats for cooking. This makes air fryer crab cakes a much healthier alternative to the traditional crab cakes.
And did I mention that making air fryer crab cakes is incredibly easy? Yep, that’s another bonus! Just combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, then form the mixture into cakes and place them in the preheated air fryer. Cook for about 10 minutes, flipping once halfway through for even heat distribution.
Once your crab cakes are done, you can serve them with your favorite dip or condiment, or serve them up the East Coast way with a lemon wedge. You can also make them into crab cake sandwiches!
Grab My Favorite Tools
Click on the products below to see my favorite tools for making this recipe!
Ingredients
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Egg – Here’s the best way to crack an egg!
- Mayonnaise
- Lemon
- Old Bay seasoning – Old Bay seasoning is essential here. It’s so common in seafood recipes that it’s kind of what makes seafood taste like seafood!
- Dijon mustard
- Worcestershire sauce
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper – Freshly cracked black pepper will add the most flavor.
- Fresh chive
- Celery – Chop this finely so you don’t get big chunks in your air fryer crab cakes.
- Lump crab meat – Don’t use imitation crab meat! While imitation crab meat will work in a pinch for salads and other raw recipes, it doesn’t work as well when it needs to be cooked.
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Nonstick cooking spray
How to Make Air Fryer Crab Cakes
- Prepare: Preheat your air fryer to 375ºF.
- Make the crab cake mixture: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Old Bay, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, celery, chives, salt, and pepper until everything is well-combined. Fold in the crab meat and breadcrumbs.
- Form the patties: Divide the mixture into 4 portions and form them into patties. Spray both sides with cooking spray.
- Cook: Place the crab cakes in the basket of an air fryer and cook for 14 to 16 minutes, or until the cakes are cooked through and golden brown on the outside.
Quick Tip
Depending on the size of your air fryer, you might have to cook your crab cakes in two batches. Don’t crowd them, or your crab cakes won’t get crispy!
How to Store Leftover Air Fryer Crab Cakes
Leftover air fryer crab cakes can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They can also be frozen for up to 1 month. To reheat, simply place the crab cakes on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350ºF oven for 10 minutes or until heated through. You can also reheat them in the air fryer for 5-7 minutes at 375ºF.
Serving Suggestions
There are so many ways to enjoy your air fryer crab cakes. Try serving them with a side of tartar sauce or a zesty remoulade dip, adding them to salads and sandwiches, or pair them with air fryer French fries seasoned with Old Bay, roasted asparagus, macaroni salad, or coleslaw.
FAQs
Store-bought crab cakes should be cooked in the air fryer for about 10 minutes at 375ºF. Flip them over once halfway through the cooking time.
Air frying is a great alternative to deep frying or baking crab cakes. Air fryers use less oil than traditional frying methods and they heat up much faster, making them an energy-saving option compared to baking. Additionally, air fryer crab cakes come out crispier than baked versions.
Air fryer crab cakes are done when they are golden brown and cooked through. You can also use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of the crab cakes—they should reach an internal temperature of 165ºF.
More Air Fryer Favorites
Main Dishes
Crab Cake Sandwich
Recipes
Air Fryer Eggs: 3 Ways!
Recipes
Air Fryer Tilapia
Appetizers & Snacks
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Chips
Air Fryer Crab Cakes
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives minced
- 1 stalk fresh celery finely chopped
- 1 pound lump crab meat
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- Nonstick cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat an air fryer to 375 F.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Old Bay, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, celery, chives, salt and pepper until well combined.
- Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the crab meat and bread crumbs into the mayonnaise mixture. Only mix until combined so as not to break down the crab meat too much.
- Form into 4 equal sized patties. Spray the outside of each with nonstick cooking spray, then arrange them in an even layer in the basket of the air fryer. Cook for 14 to 16 minutes until cooked through and golden brown. Depending on the size of your air fryer, it may be necessary to cook in two batches.
