Easy Air Fryer Crab Cakes (Ready in Minutes!)

These Air Fryer Crab Cakes are so easy to make thanks to the Air Fryer. Every bite is full of delicious, juicy crab meat.

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Full Recipe/Instructions are available in the 
recipe card at the bottom of the post. 
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.

There is nothing like a delicious, golden-on-the-outside, moist, and flavorful crab cake on the inside. Thanks to the Air Fryer, I can make delicious crab cakes with less mess and less stress.

I call myself a bit of a crab cake snob as I have eaten a ton of crab cakes over the years. If I see it on a restaurant menu, I order it and sample it. Here’s what I’ve learned:

• The best crab cakes taste like crab, lol. Meaning you don’t want too many fillings or ingredients that overpower the taste of the crab.
• Less bread crumbs and more crab makes a supreme crab cake.
• Use lump crab or jumbo lump crab meat when making crab cakes. You should be able to find this in the seafood section of your local grocer. It ain’t cheap (Mine was $14 for 8 oz) but it’s so worth it.
• No eggs needed for this recipe. You want a moist crab cake, but crab meat by itself is moist, and since it’s made in the Air Fryer, you won’t need to flip it, and you’ll still get that nice golden crust. 

Ingredients for Air Fryer Crab Cakes

Ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions are on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• Lump crab meat: The main ingredient, providing rich flavor and texture. I suggest using lump crab meat rather than claw meat for best results.
• Mayonnaise and Dijon mustard: Adds moisture and helps bind the mixture. Dijon provides a tangy flavor.
• Worcestershire sauce: Adds umami depth.
• Fresh parsley: Offers a fresh, herbaceous note.
• Old Bay seasoning: Traditional seasoning for seafood, adding spice.
• Egg: Helps bind the ingredients together.
• Panko breadcrumbs: Adds a crispy texture.
• Non-stick cooking spray: Ensures the crab cakes don’t stick while air frying.

Tools Needed

• Mixing bowls
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Air fryer
• Non-stick cooking spray
• Air Fryer Liners (optional)
• Spatula or spoon (for mixing and shaping the crab cakes)
• Small baking sheet or tray (to form crab cakes)

How to make Air Fryer Crab Cakes (Step-by-Step Photos)

Start by finely chopping your red bell pepper and green onion.

Next, add your crab meat, red bell pepper, green onions, mayonnaise, dijon mustard, breadcrumbs, and old bay seasoning to a bowl. Stir until combined.

Gently form 4 patties with your crab meat mixture. Don’t smoosh them together too hard. Just a light and gentle squeeze to ensure they are together.

Place them in your Air fryer basket. I use these parchment paper liners to line my basket first. It makes for easier clean up and it ensures my basket is non-stick.

If using a liner, please place the crab cakes on the liner before starting the Air Fryer. It would be best if you had the weight of the crab cake to hold the liner down so it does not fly up into the fan and heating element.

Slightly spray the top of the crab cakes with your favorite cooking oil. I used canola but vegetable, avocado, olive oil will all work.

Close your Air Fryer basket and cook on 370 degrees fahrenheit for 10 minutes. Once done, open air fryer and remove crab cakes and paper liners if using.

That’s it! So easy. I recommend this homemade remoulade sauce for the perfect dressing for this crab cake.

How to Store

To store your air fryer crab cakes, place any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze uncooked crab cakes on a tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.

Tanya’s Top Tips

• Chill the mixture: Refrigerate the crab cake mixture for 30 minutes before shaping to help it firm up and hold together.
• Don’t overcrowd: Leave space between crab cakes in the air fryer so they cook evenly and get crispy.

I love how these crab cakes are made from scratch, so you control all the ingredients.

Looking for more Air Fried Seafood Recipe appetizers? Try these out:

• Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Shrimp
• Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp
• Air Fryer Scallops
• Air Fryer Crab Legs
• Air Fryer Salmon Patties

Find the full Video tutorial on YouTube. Don’t forget to click the thumbs-up button and Subscribe on YouTube for more recipe videos.

If you have tried this or any other recipe on my blog, please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!

This post was originally published on June 11, 2019. It has been updated with new information.