Description

These crispy hearts-of-palm “crab” cakes are a delicious vegetarian twist on classic crab cakes. Flaky, savory, and served with a bright lemon-dill sauce, they make a delicious appetizer or light meal. Gluten-free adaptable.

Ingredients

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Vegetarian Crab Cakes

2 x 14-ounce cans hearts of palm
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 egg, lightly whisked
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/3 cup green onions, finely minced
1/2 cup celery, finely minced
1 teaspoon garlic powder granules ( or sub 1 clove garlic, minced)
3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne- adjust to taste
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs, divided (or sub GF panko)
2-3 tablespoons avocado oil (for frying)

Lemon Dill Sauce

1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced
1 tablespoon green onions, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon capers, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

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Instructions

Shred hearts of palm. Rinse the hearts of palm, drain, and pat dry. Cut into roughly 1 inch peices and shred with your fingers. This may take about 10 minutes depending on the texture of your hearts of palm. They can get slippery- a large bowl is helpful here, so they don’t go shooting off in all directions. You can also do it with a food processor- go easy with just gentle pulses; you want it to have some texture.
Combine. To a medium bowl, add soy sauce, mayo, egg, lemon zest, Dijon, green onions, celery, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, cayenne, and parsley and mix to combine. Fold in half of the panko bread crumbs and all of the shredded hearts of palm, mixing gently until incorporated. Taste and adjust salt.
Shape the patties. Using a 1/3-cup measuring cup, form the mixture into 10 cakes. Add salt and pepper to the remaining panko, then place it on a flat plate or in a bowl. Coat each cake in the panko, pressing gently so the crumbs adhere. Place the cakes on a plate or baking sheet and refrigerate while you prepare the sauce.
Make sauce. In a small bowl, whisk the Greek yogurt, mayo, Dijon, dill, green onions, lemon juice, capers, and salt and pepper. Store in the fridge while you fry the cakes.
Fry the crab cakes. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Gently place the crab cakes in the pan, leaving 1–2 inches between each cake. Work in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding. Cook until golden brown and crisp, then carefully flip and cook the other side until golden brown and crisp.
Serve. Transfer to a serving plate and dollop lemon dill sauce on top. Sprinkle with extra herbs, lemon wedges, and hot sauce if desired.

Notes

Canned hearts of palm can be high in sodium, rinsing before using will reduce sodium.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days. To reheat, warm in a skillet, or on a sheet pan in a 350°F oven, or air fryer until heated through to 145F.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 crab cake without sauce
Calories: 169
Sugar: 1.7 g
Sodium: 352.8 mg
Fat: 10.3 g
Saturated Fat: 1.7 g
Carbohydrates: 14.9 g
Fiber: 1.9 g
Protein: 4.7 g
Cholesterol: 21.8 mg