Perfectly seasoned and cooked to crispy perfection, these Keto Crab Cakes taste just like the classic dish. Made with keto crackers in place of breadcrumbs, they deliver all the flavor in a low carb, gluten-free package. Whether you air fry or pan fry, they are fast, fuss-free, and utterly delicious.
My husband enjoyed a lot of my recipes, but these crab cakes were a particular favorite of his. He always ordered the high carb version when we were out a restaurants, but he liked the ones we made at home even better. If Tim found a sale on lump crab meat, he would come home triumphantly and we would whip them up for dinner.
Once we got an air fryer, we began to make them even more often. Air fryers make food prep so simple and these low carb crab cakes are a perfect example. They are fast and easy, with less mess, and they don’t splatter oil everywhere as you cook.
If you love cooking in an air fryer, you will also want to try Air Fryer Steak Bites and Keto Pretzel Bites.
One reader says…
“Delicious! This is the best tasting low carb crab cakes i’ve ever made and that includes a high carb version! 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” — Carole
Why you will love this recipe
- Two easy methods: Whether you air fry or pan fry, these keto crab cakes are always delicious.
- Classic flavor: The seasonings complement the sweet lump crab meat perfectly.
- Crispy golden exterior: No bread crumbs necessary to achieve that perfect crust and tender interior.
- Low carb and gluten-free: Using almond flour, pork rinds, or keto cracker crumbs make these ideal for keto diets.
- Versatile: They make great appetizer or light meals. They’re also delicious served with a fried egg for brunch.
- Quick and easy: With minimal prep work, you can easily make these on a busy weeknight.
Ingredient Notes
- Lump crab meat: Use good quality crab meat, as it will make a difference. You don’t have to buy expensive fresh crab meat, but get good canned crab. If it doesn’t say “lump crab meat”, then it’s finely shredded crab and won’t have the right flavor or texture.
- Keto cracker crumbs: I used keto cracker crumbs and it worked so well. But you can also use almond flour or crushed pork rinds. Don’t use coconut flour, as it makes them too dry.
- Egg: An egg helps the cakes hold together properly.
- Mayonnaise: Mayo adds moisture and a little tanginess to the keto crab cakes.
- Dijon mustard: This adds some zing to the flavor!
- Butter: Brushing the crab cakes with some melted butter before adding them to the air fryer helps brown the exterior nicely.
- Old Bay seasoning: You can also use any other fish seasonings or some Cajun seasoning.
- Fresh herbs: Parsley and green onion add a bit of color.
- Salt and pepper: Go easy on the salt, since the crackers and the seasoning contain salt. You can always add it after they are cooked.
Overview: How to make keto crab cakes
- Prepare the mixture: In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients except for the butter. Mix well.
- Form the cakes: Use your hands to form the mixture into 4 even patties.
- Refrigerate: Refrigerate at least 30 minutes to firm up a bit before cooking.
- Air Fry: Brush melted butter over both sides of the crab cakes and and air fry for 10 minutes.
- Pan Fry: Melt the butter over medium heat and fry the crab cakes for 3 to 4 minutes per side.
- Make the mayo: Whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl and serve with the crab cakes.
Expert Tips
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.
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.
Be sure to brush or spray the rack with oil to keep things from sticking. Brushing the air fryer crab cakes with butter on both sides also helps them crisp up nicely and adds additional flavor.
Stovetop Directions: 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
With a few easy substitutions, you can enjoy crab cakes while following a keto diet. Instead of using breadcrumbs, swap out with keto cracker crumbs, almond flour or crushed pork rinds. And use real crab meat! Don’t use imitation crab, as it contains a surprising amount of carbs.
Store cooked crab cakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them. Once they’re completely cool, place them in freezer bags and freeze them for up to three months.
This keto crab cake recipe has 2.4g of carbs and 1.1g of fiber per serving. That comes to 1.3g net carbs per crab cake.
Keto Crab Cakes Recipe
Ingredients
Crab Cakes
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) lump crab meat , (canned is fine, but drain well)
- 1/4 cup (28 g) keto cracker crumbs, (can sub almond flour or crushed pork rinds)
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 (1) green onion, sliced
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) Old Bay seasoning, (or other fish seasoning)
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp ) salt
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) pepper
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp melted butter
Spicy Mayo
- 1/4 cup (56 g) mayonnaise
- 1 tsp sriracha
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) Cajun seasoning , (more to taste – it can be very salty)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, break up the crab meat with a fork. Stir in the cracker crumbs, 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 3/4 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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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.
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Didn’t have the cracker crumbs but I did have good keto bread so I hard toasted it and blitzed it in the food processor. It worked really well and the cakes from this recipe were delicious.
Hi! I’m curious about this recipe, but can’t eat crab. What would be a good shellfish-free substitute? I was thinking some sort of fresh fish. It’s been decades since I had crab, so I’n not sure what texture fish would work best for it. I was thinking swordfish or tuna, maybe? Suggestion?
You are welcome to experiment! 🙂
love this and just a tip I learned growing up in Maryland. To not break up the lump crab, do NOT stir the crab, spread it out on a piece of parchment paper, then spread your bread crumbs or crackers over the crab. Mix all other ingredients in a bowl, then pour it over the crab. To mix, keep folding the parchment in opposite directions until all is incorporated.
Great recipe. Will be sure to make them again. They are all crab with only enough fillers to keep them from falling apart. I was short on time; so, they were in the freezer for 10 minutes rather than the refrigerator for 30 min. I used Italian flavored bread crumbs because that’s what I had in my pantry! Very easy to make and tasty. Best eaten right out of the fryer. Still good even after they cooled.
can’t rate since I haven’t made these w/this recipe, yet….wondering if they actually are crispy on the outside? TIA!
When first cooked, yes. If you let them cool and re-heat them, it’s harder to get the crisp again.
i love crabcakes. how great to be able to eat them again.
Delicious- tue crab flavor without the fillers. Very easy!
these are on my birthday dinner menu
Made these 3 days ago from leftover crab from the day before to go with our lemon shrimp for dinner.. They were so very easy to make and absolutely delicious. My brother enjoyed these immensely and he is not keto. We will be making these again.
This is an excellent recipe! I used leftover redfish and added some chopped jalapeños and will definitely make these again!
This is a quick light meal, packed with flavor. I served it along with an arugula salad with a lemony dill dressing. Since I don’t live in the PNW anymore, I used canned crab. I suggest, rinse it under cold water, and allow it to drain (uncovered) overnight in the fridge. This helps to dry it out. Another great recipe from All Day I Dream About Food!
Do you find you need to preheat your Air Fryer? Every time we used our Air Fryer, the food came out cold or under cooked, nothing like fried. Since we started pre-heating our A.F. oven, we had more success in using it..
Air fryers differ quite a bit but none of the ones I’ve owned need preheating.
Another great recipe, Carolyn, thank you! I’d like to get a new air fryer, as the one I have with my Instant Pot, just is too cumbersome and small to use. Do you have a favorite that you would recommend? Thanks!
I absolutely love this recipe! Very easy and tastes great.
These are delicious and easy to make. My entire family (including the picky ten year old) love them. Thanks for all your amazing recipes!
Have you ever tried Pork Panko or crushed pork rinds instead of almond flour?
Please read the how to section as I already address that.
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!
So glad you like them!