These Gluten Free Crab Cakes starts with lump crabmeat, flavored with lots of seasoning and cooked to crispy perfection in a skillet or in an air fryer. Add a red pepper sauce to go with these crab cakes and you will have a quick meal with little clean up!
We all have those nights where we need dinner DONE as quickly as possible. These crab cakes are ready in about 15 minutes. And this wouldn't be one of my favorites if it didn't have a savory sauce for dipping! You can even prep everything ahead, store in the refrigerator and cook them when you are ready.
If you are a fan of crab like we are, you'll want to put my Corn and Crab Bisque and Maryland Crab Soup on your Winter menu. Crab Louie is a delicious lunch or light supper.
How to Pan Fry Crab Cakes
Combine all ingredients and mix well.
Form into patties and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour to ensure that they will set up and not crumble apart.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add oil. Add crab patties and fry on each side for 3 minutes until crispy, depending on how large they are.
Place cooked crab cakes on a paper towel lined plate to blot any oil from crab.
Ingredients:
- lump crabmeat
- egg, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce
- coconut flour (or gluten free breadcrumbs)
- celery salt Old Bay, scallions, lemon pepper
- roasted red peppers (jarred)
- olive oil baking spray
- olive oil
- minced garlic
- salt, pepper
How to make Crab Cakes in the Air Fryer?
Lightly spray the bottom of the air fryer basket and crab cakes with olive oil non stick spray. Cook crab cakes in preheated air fryer for 8 minutes. Gently flip, spray the other side and continue to cook the crab cakes for another 8 minutes or until desired crispness. Serve with lemon and roasted red pepper sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lump crabmeat is preferred to use in this recipe. It has a chunkier texture and great flavor. If you want to use canned white crab, just note that it will be a flakier texture like canned tuna. My Crab Louie Salad recipe uses canned crab and it is absolutely delicious. Also, make sure to rinse it well since it is saltier.
Yes, you can form them into the patties, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate a day ahead.
I would take them out of refrigerator about 15 minutes before you're ready to cook.
You can make your own! I would use ¼ teaspoon of: salt, pepper, paprika, dry mustard, allspice, red pepper flakes, onion powder and ½ teaspoon of celery seed. Even though Old Bay has a very distinct flavor, if you don't have all the exact spices, you can combine your favorites and it will be fine.
Cooking Tips
- These crab cakes can be made as the gluten free version as stated with coconut flour. But if you prefer, you can substitute gluten free breadcrumbs as a binder with the egg.
- We love to serve the red pepper sauce along with the crab cakes. But you can also make a quick tartar sauce by mixing some mayonnaise, lemon juice, pickle relish and some mustard.
- Leftover crab cakes should be stored in refrigerator and used within two days.
- You can freeze the crab cakes for up to one month. Either wrap individual crab cakes in parchment and place in a plastic zipper bag or airtight container. Or place the crab cakes on a baking sheet, place in freezer until frozen solid 1-2 hours, then put them in the container. Either way will be great and prevent them from sticking together.
Some other easy seafood recipes to try:
Gluten Free Crispy Crab Cakes
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Description
These crispy gluten free crab cakes are a tasty appetizer or a quick and easy meal. They are cooked in the skillet or air fryer which means easy clean up too. Serve them with a sweet and spicy roasted red pepper sauce.
Ingredients
- 8 oz. container lump crab meat
- l large egg
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon coconut flour* ( or substitute ½ cup breadcrumbs)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons Old Bay seasoning **
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- ½ teaspoon celery seed
- 2 scallions, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons of roasted red pepper, ( drained from jar and finely chopped) or fresh red bell pepper
Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup diced roasted red pepper (from jar)
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the ingredients for crab cakes and stir well.
- Form into 4 patties and place on parchment paper on a plate.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat air fryer to 375°F. Spray bottom of basket with non stick spray.
- Place crab cakes in air fryer and spray tops with the spray.
- Cook for 8 minutes.
- Carefully, flip them over, spray the top and continue cooking for another 7 - 8 minutes, or until they are golden brown.***
- To make sauce: combine the mayonnaise, spices, and red pepper in a spice grinder, mini processor or blender. Pulse a few seconds to mix well and ingredients are smooth.
Notes
* The coconut flour will not be a noticeable or sweet flavor in the crab. You fan also use gluten free breadcrumbs.
** To make your own Old Bay seasoning, combine ¼ teaspoon of the following: salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, dry mustard, allspice, red pepper flakes and ½ teaspoon celery seed.
*** Make sure you carefully flip the crab cakes over in the air fryer. I only flip them once, after they have cooked the first 8 minutes so they are not so soft when I turn them with a spatula.
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