• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Kathleen's Cravings
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
    • Recipe Index
    • All Recipes
    • Air Fryer Recipes
    • Appetizer and Snack Recipes
    • Breakfast Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Drink Recipes
    • Grilling Recipes
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • Main Dish Recipes
    • Meatless Recipes
    • Pasta Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Side Dish Recipes
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Soup Recipes
    • How To
  • Welcome!
    • Welcome!
    • Work With Me
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Welcome!
  • Recipe Index
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Welcome!
    • Recipe Index
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » All Recipes

    Air Fryer Crab Cakes

    Published: Apr 13, 2022 by Kathleen Hansen · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    Air Fryer Crab Cakes are an easy appetizer that cook in less than 15 minutes. They are crunchy on the outside, tender and moist on the inside, and super flavorful.

    crab cakes with tartar sauce

    Why I love It:

    • Crunchy Outside - Rolling them in extra Panko Breadcrumbs gives them a crunchy crust.
    • Cooks in 15 Minutes - The air fryer cooks crab cakes so quickly!
    • Flavorful - From the crab meat, the lemon (zest and juice), and the old bay seasoning these crab cakes are loaded with flavor.
    inside of a crab cake

    Ingredients You'll Need For Air Fryer Crab Cakes :

    Here's what you need:

    • Lump Crab Meat - You can buy this in a container in the seafood section at most grocery stores.
    • Mayonnaise
    • Egg
    • Fresh Parsley
    • Green Onions
    • Spices - Old Bay seasoning, kosher salt
    • Lemon - the juice and zest
    • Worcestershire sauce
    • Dijon Mustard
    • Panko Breadcrumbs - You'll put this both in the crab cake mixture and use extra to roll the sides in for extra crunch.
    • Cooking Spray
    uncooked crab cakes on a plate

    How to Make Crab Cakes in the Air Fryer :

    1. Mix Crab Cakes - Mix together the crab cake mixture, except for the lump crab meat and breadcrumbs, until combined. Then fold in the crab meat and panko.
    2. Form Crab Cakes - Shape the crab cake mixture into 4 patties.
    3. Roll in Panko Breadcrumbs - Add the extra Panko Breadcrumbs to a plate and press each patty into the Panko - you want to coat all the sides.
    4. Chill - Place the coated crab cakes on a plate and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
    5. Air Fry - Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray and add the chilled cakes. Lightly spray the tops of the crab cakes with more cooking spray. Air fry at 375 degrees F for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
    uncooked crab cakes in air fryer
    cooked crab cakes in air fryer

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How long does it take for crab cakes in the air fryer?

    The cook time will vary slightly based on how thick the patties are, but these crab cakes cook in 15 minutes or less in the air fryer.

    Can you air fry store bought crab cakes?

    You can air fry store bought crab cakes! Just add them to the air fryer basket and cook at 375 degrees F until warmed through and golden. You can cook frozen crab cakes in the air fryer but they will take a few minutes longer.

    egg, mayo, parsley, green onions, old bay in a bowl
    crab meat and Panko Breadcrumbs
    crab cake mixture

    Recipe Tips:

    • Use High Quality Crab - It's best to use fresh, refrigerated crabmeat. You can buy lump crabmeat in a container in the seafood section. I don't recommend using imitation crab.
    • Fold in Crab Gently - Be gentle when folding in the crab meat and when forming into patties so the pieces of crab don't break apart.
    • Don't Skip the Chill Time - Chilling the patties helps keep them from falling apart.
    crab cakes on a plate with lemon and parsley

    Serving Suggestions

    I love serving them with extra lemon wedges for spiriting and tartar sauce for dipping.

    Variations

    • Cook in the Oven - If you don't have an air fryer, you can bake these in the oven at 375 degrees F for about 25 minutes.
    • Cajun Seasoning - Try adding some cajun seasoning to the mixture for slightly spicy crab cakes.
    • Mini - Instead of four larger crab cakes, you can make them smaller. Just adjust the cook time down by a few minutes.

    Storage and Reheating

    • Storage - Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
    • Reheating - Leftovers can be eaten cold or you can reheat it for just a few minutes in the air fryer.
    air fryer crab cakes on a plate

    Other Air Fryer Recipes:

    • Air Fryer Green Beans - Just toss the green beans with oil and spices then air fry.
    • Air Fryer Salmon - Takes only minutes to cook, is flavorful, healthy, and perfect for a weeknight dinner. Mix up a simple salmon seasoning to rub on the salmon filets then pop in the air fryer.
    • Baked Potato in the Air Fryer - Super crispy skin, but tender and soft on the inside.
    • Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets - Made by breading chicken breast pieces with Panko and Parmesan cheese.

    Like this recipe? Sign up for my e-mail list so you get a weekly e-mail with new recipes from the week as well as occasional ‘bonus’ content not found on the blog! E-mail link sign up!

    Those ads on the page? A portion of all ad revenue is being donated to Warrior Dog Rescue. A MN-based dog rescue that I foster and volunteer with.

    Print

    Recipe

    Air Fryer Crab Cakes

    crab cakes on a plate with lemon and parsley
    Print Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 1 reviews

    Air Fryer Crab Cakes are an easy appetizer that cook in less than 15 minutes. They are crunchy on the outside, tender and moist on the inside, and super flavorful. 

    • Author: Kathleen
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 15 minutes
    • Total Time: 50 minutes
    • Yield: 4 crab cakes
    • Category: Appetizer
    • Method: Air Fryer
    • Cuisine: American

    Ingredients

    • ¼ cup mayonnaise
    • 1 egg
    • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
    • 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
    • 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
    • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
    • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
    • 1 cup lump crab meat
    • ½ cup Panko Breadcrumbs, plus extra 1 cup for breading

    Instructions

    1. Mix Crab Cakes - Mix together the crab cake mixture, except for the lump crab meat and breadcrumbs, until combined. Then fold in the crab meat and ½ cup of panko.
    2. Form Crab Cakes - Shape the crab cake mixture into 4 patties. They should be about 1 inch thick.
    3. Roll in Panko Breadcrumbs - Add the extra Panko Breadcrumbs to a plate and press each patty into the Panko - you want to coat all the sides.
    4. Chill - Place the coated crab cakes on a plate and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
    5. Air Fry - Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray and add the chilled cakes. Lightly spray the tops of the crab cakes with more cooking spray. Air fry at 375 degrees F for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.

    Keywords: Air Fryer Crab Cakes, Easy Crab cakes, Crab Cakes in the Air Fryer

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @KathleensCravings on Instagram

    Share this:

    • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
    • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
    • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)

    More All Recipes

    • Ninja Creami vanilla ice cream with sprinkles in a bowl
      Ninja Creami Vanilla Soft Serve (with Low Fat Milk)
    • Ninja Creami peach sorbet scooped in bowl
      Ninja Creami Peaches & Cream Sorbet
    • Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream in a bowl
      Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream (Two-Ingredient)
    • bbq chicken on a plate
      Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Did you make this recipe? Let me know! Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    1. Melissa says

      November 09, 2022 at 11:59 pm

      So I had store-bought crab cakes, and the cooking instructions worked really well! I did 375°F for 12 minutes, turning halfway. Thanks so much!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kathleen says

        November 11, 2022 at 8:13 am

        Glad that it worked well for you!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi! I'm Kathleen and welcome! My favorite place to be has always been in the kitchen and I love creating recipes that are easy and approachable. Simple ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions!

    More about me →

    Popular Recipes

    • moist banana bread with chocolate chips
      Extra Moist Banana Bread with Oil
    • French onion pasta with thyme
      One Pot French Onion Pasta
    • hand holding pb pumpkin dog treat in front of puppy
      Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dog Treats
    • bowl of vegan creamy tomato pasta with bread crumbs
      Vegan Creamy Tomato Pasta

    Summer Recipes

    • stack of s'mores bars with mini marshmallows
      S'Mores Bars
    • carrots with parsley on a plate
      Grilled Carrots
    • Everyday Quinoa Salad
    • Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream in a bowl
      Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream (Two-Ingredient)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • About Me
    • Work With Me

    Copyright © 2023 KATHLEEN'S CRAVINGS ON THE SEASONED PRO THEME

     

    Loading Comments...