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    Home » Low Carb Appetizers & Snacks » Air Fryer Crab Cakes – Keto Recipe

    Published: Apr 15, 2019 by Carolyn

    Air Fryer Crab Cakes – Keto Recipe

    This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    4.8K shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Cooking crab cakes in your air fryer means less mess and less clean up. This keto air fryer crab cake recipe is easy to make and absolutely delicious. You wouldn’t know they are grain-free and healthy!

    Air Fryer Crab Cakes in a stack on a white plate

    Air fryers are definitely changing the game in the kitchen and this crab cake recipe is proof. Fast and easy, with less mess and fuss, and no splattering oil everywhere as you cook. I find myself using my air fryer multiple times a week these days. Check out my air fryer fish sticks for another great recipe.

    I do love a good crab cake and I am always eyeing them on menus, wondering if there is any chance they might be made without gluten and carbs. But there’s little hope for that, most of the time. Traditional crab cakes are made with either bread crumbs or crushed crackers as a binder, and most restaurants don’t stray far from that formula.

    So I have to make my own keto crab cakes at home. Thankfully, this turns out to be quite easy, and it’s even easier if you own an air fryer. But don’t worry if you don’t, I will also include instructions on how to fry them in a pan.

    A dollop of spicy mayo on keto crab cakes

    How To Make Keto Crab Cakes

    The basics are pretty similar to traditional crab cakes, the only really difference is what you use for binding the ingredients together. You want something that will absorb the moisture but not too much.

    I chose almond flour over coconut flour, as coconut flour can make things overly dry when used as a binder. You could also use crushed pork rinds for this recipe. An egg is critical to help everything hold together properly, and the almond flour gives the egg more to hold onto.

    Do treat yourself to good crab meat, as it will make a difference. You don’t have to buy the super expensive fresh crab meat but get the cans of good lump crab meat. If it doesn’t say “lump crab meat”, then it’s finely shredded crab and won’t have great flavor or texture.

    And if you are using canned crab, be sure to look at the DRY WEIGHT on the label, rather than the total weight. The total weight often includes some liquid and you need to know the true weight of the meat.

    Please, whatever you do, do not get imitation crab. That stuff is full of junk and actually contains quite a few carbs!

    The mixture will be quite wet and soft when you form it into patties, and so you want to refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before air frying. An hour is even better.

    Go easy on the salt. If you’re adding Old Bay to your crab cakes, it has plenty of salt as it is.

    Two keto crab cakes on a white plate with a striped blue napkin

    Cooking Crab Cakes in the Air Fryer

    Air fryers are fabulous for making meals with less mess. I love frying in a pan too, of course, but it always results in a dirty pan and a splattered stove. Most of the time, that doesn’t stop me. But sometimes popping things into the air fryer is simpler and just as tasty.

    And these keto crab cakes are a case in point. I was impressed at how well they turned out.

    I’ve learned that the air fryer rack really should be sprayed or brushed with oil. And because I wanted a true fried flavor, I brushed both sides of the crab cakes with melted butter as well. I simply brushed them one side and set that side down on the rack, and then I brushed the other side.

    Another trick to getting the most out of your air fryer is to flip things over partway through cooking. I’ve found that it does a fabulous job of getting the top crisp, but the underside is sometimes not quite as crisp as you might like. Flipping the crab cakes over helped them be browned and crisp on both sides.

    I also whipped up some spicy mayo to serve with them, for an added kick of flavor. Absolutely delicious! If you own an air fryer, you simply have to try this easy crab cakes recipe.

    Taking a forkful of air fryer crab cakes

    Looking for more great easy keto meals?

    Here’s a great list of Easy Keto Dinner Recipes for busy weeknights!

    Be sure to check out this 4 Week Keto Meal Plan from eMeals.

    And in case you didn’t know, I have a whole cookbook devoted to Easy Keto Dinners, available from many retailers! Grab your copy now.

    Air Fryer Crab Cakes Recipe

     

    Two keto crab cakes on a white plate with a striped blue napkin

    Air Fryer Crab Cakes Recipe

    Cooking crab cakes in your air fryer means less mess and less clean up. This keto air fryer crab cake recipe is easy to make and absolutely delicious. You wouldn't know they are grain-free and healthy!
    5 from 12 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: air fryer crab cakes, crab cakes recipe, keto crab cakes
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Chill Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 185kcal

    Ingredients

    Crab Cakes

    • 8 ounces lump crab meat (canned is fine, but drain well)
    • ¼ cup almond flour
    • 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
    • 1 green onion, sliced
    • ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning (or other fish seasoning)
    • ½ tsp salt
    • ¼ teaspoon pepper
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
    • 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
    • 2 tablespoon melted butter

    Spicy Mayo

    • ¼ cup mayonnaise
    • 1 teaspoon sriracha
    • ½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning (more to taste - it can be very salty)
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • In a large bowl, break up the crab meat with a fork. Stir in the almond flour, parsley, green onion, Old Bay, salt, and pepper until well combined.
    • Stir in the egg, mayo, and mustard until the mixture is well moistened. Use your hands to form into 4 patties, each about ¾ inch to 1 inch thick. Place on a waxed paper lined plate and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
    • Spray or brush the air fryer rack with oil (I used avocado oil spray). Brush melted butter over both sides of the crab cakes and place on the rack. 
    • Air fry at 350F for 10 minutes, carefully flipping halfway through cooking. 
    • For the mayo, whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl. Serve the crab cakes with lemon and a dollop of spicy mayo. 

    Notes

    To fry these crab cakes in a pan, simply melt the butter over medium heat and fry the crab cakes for 3 to 4 minutes per side. 
    Nutrition Facts
    Air Fryer Crab Cakes Recipe
    Amount Per Serving (1 crab cake)
    Calories 185 Calories from Fat 119
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 13.2g20%
    Carbohydrates 2.4g1%
    Fiber 1.1g4%
    Protein 13.5g27%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    4.8K shares

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    Nutritional Disclaimer

    Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.

    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Cherri Allen says

      May 24, 2023 at 5:45 pm

      5 stars
      I absolutely love this recipe! Very easy and tastes great.

      Reply
    2. Amy says

      March 05, 2023 at 7:47 pm

      5 stars
      These are delicious and easy to make. My entire family (including the picky ten year old) love them. Thanks for all your amazing recipes!

      Reply
    3. C J Broadway says

      March 19, 2022 at 6:41 pm

      Have you ever tried Pork Panko or crushed pork rinds instead of almond flour?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        March 19, 2022 at 6:46 pm

        Please read the how to section as I already address that.

        Reply
    4. Pat Kaufman says

      October 12, 2021 at 7:57 am

      5 stars
      Perfect adaptation if traditional recipes which use bread crumbs or panko. I don’t have an air fryer so sauté them stove top. But now I use butter instead of oil!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        October 12, 2021 at 8:07 am

        So glad you like them!

        Reply
    5. Lori says

      September 21, 2021 at 4:46 pm

      Tried this with fresh shrimp. I pan fried but the cake was too loose and broke apart. Next time I will add a bit more flour. Great flavor husband really enjoyed them even though they turned in to bites.

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        September 21, 2021 at 9:33 pm

        Fresh shrimp doesn’t flake the way cooked crab does, so yes… I imagine that they would fall apart.

        Reply
    6. Carole Galassi says

      July 20, 2021 at 2:09 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! This is the best tasting low carb crab cakes i’ve ever made and that includes a high carb version! I used the plastic container crab from Costco which to me taste fresher then the one in the canned. I will also not add the salt the next time as mine came out just a tad saltier than I would like, but still good though. Carolyn you are a genius and I love your recipes! I already own 2 of your cookbooks and will be buying more for sure. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        July 20, 2021 at 2:53 pm

        So glad they turned out so well!

        Reply
    7. Teresa says

      November 24, 2020 at 3:16 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely loved these crab cake

      Reply
    8. diana says

      August 08, 2020 at 12:54 pm

      Thank you for this recipe! I agree about using top quality crab meat. I’ve been using crushed pork rinds for binding and pork rind/Parmesan mixture to coat–haven’t tried using almond flour, so I’m going to try that. Sounds delicious.
      Best tip I ever had for making crab cakes was to put the crabcake mixture in a sieve over a bowl when refrigerating to drain out the liquid that accumulates–either refrigerate for several hours to overnight or press on the mixture in the sieve to extract as much liquid as possible. Helps make them cook up super crispy!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        August 08, 2020 at 1:54 pm

        Great idea!

        Reply
    9. Barbara Pampel says

      November 23, 2019 at 10:46 am

      Just found your website this morning quite by accident. I cannot wait to try these crab cakes!!! Will be back to spend a lot of time browsing around for sure. Was just put on a low carb regime and I’m finding it a happy challenge. So glad I found yo.

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        November 24, 2019 at 7:37 am

        I’m glad you like what you see!

        Reply
    10. Lenore says

      May 10, 2019 at 7:20 pm

      What would the cooking time be in a convection oven?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        May 11, 2019 at 6:50 am

        I’m really not sure, this recipe was developed for an air fryer.

        Reply
    11. michelle gawlik says

      April 25, 2019 at 2:39 pm

      I love this recipe! I have a question. I read the nutrition disclaimer. I just wanted to ask what the percentage daily value is based on in the Nutrition Facts? I’m guessing Keto would have a higher percent daily value for fat than a regular diet?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        April 25, 2019 at 3:28 pm

        Keto has a much MUCH higher percentage of fat and much much lower percentage of carbs. I don’t think that the daily values for a standard American diet apply here at all. I just ignore them. I can’t remove them from my recipe card so just ignore that part altogether.

        Reply
    12. Stephanie says

      April 21, 2019 at 11:29 pm

      I hate to ask about substitutions, but do think this could work with tuna or salmon. The recipe looks amazing, but serious shellfish allergy here. 🙁

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        April 22, 2019 at 8:05 am

        It should! Use the search box to see my tuna patties recipe. I can’t see why they couldn’t be made in the air fryer too.

        Reply
        • Susan Pelter says

          May 10, 2019 at 11:42 pm

          I’m piggybacking onto this… I make salmon croquettes with basically the same ingredients and they are yummy! Have never tried tuna but bet that would be good, too.

          Reply
    13. Nova @ The High Strung says

      April 16, 2019 at 5:46 am

      5 stars
      Hey! The serving listed there is for 2 cakes and 1 tbsp of butter used for cooking. If you use butter spray or something you could cut down the calories a good bit and you’d be looking at closer to 150-200 calories per crab cake.

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        April 16, 2019 at 8:46 am

        I have no idea what you mean. The serving is 1 crab cake and it’s already down below 200 calories per cake.

        Reply
    14. Susan Pelter says

      April 15, 2019 at 2:56 pm

      These look amazing! I just made crab cakes the other night; they are a family favorite. As someone from Maryland (which makes me a crab snob) I SO agree about using good crab meat. You get the best taste and texture from lump, unless you can afford backfin. And I find that they stay together better if you really blot the crab dry before assembling the recipe. I pour mine from the container onto paper towels and get it as dry as possible before adding the eggs and seasonings. Another great recipe, Carolyn!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        April 15, 2019 at 4:45 pm

        That’s a great tip! I don’t pretend that these are true Maryland Crab Cakes but they are really tasty!

        Reply
    15. Amy Locurto says

      April 15, 2019 at 11:14 am

      5 stars
      I’m obsessed with my air fryer and these amazing crab cakes!

      Reply
    16. Charity says

      April 15, 2019 at 10:30 am

      5 stars
      My hubby loves crab cakes. Totally making this for his birthday!

      Reply
    17. Toni says

      April 15, 2019 at 10:23 am

      5 stars
      My kids loved them! Really flavorful!

      Reply
    18. Rachael Yerkes says

      April 15, 2019 at 10:02 am

      5 stars
      so delicious! love them!

      Reply
    19. Katerina @ diethood .com says

      April 15, 2019 at 9:21 am

      5 stars
      Oh my, these sound amazing!! I can’t wait to try this recipe!! My family would LOVE this!!

      Reply
    20. Nanabella says

      April 15, 2019 at 7:39 am

      Which air fryer do you use? Am currently shopping for my first…????????????❤️

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        April 15, 2019 at 7:51 am

        I have the Cuisinart air fryer/toaster oven. it’s pricy but it’s been insanely useful to me. https://amzn.to/2KIp4w6

        Reply
        • Nanabella says

          April 15, 2019 at 8:26 pm

          Thank you! Cuisinart products are very good, I have several… ❤️

          Reply

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    Tips and tricks to delicious and healthy recipes!

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