Vegan Crab Cakes with Horseradish Dill Tartar Sauce

Ingredients

• 0.667 cup vegan mayonnaise (For the tartar sauce)
• 1 tbsp horseradish (For the tartar sauce)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (For the tartar sauce)
• 1 tbsp fresh dill (Finely chopped; for the tartar sauce)
• 0.25 tsp ground black pepper (For the tartar sauce)
• 2 cup marinated artichoke hearts (Drained and finely chopped; reserve 2 tbsp of the marinade liquid)
• 2 tbsp reserved artichoke marinade liquid (Reserved from the marinated artichoke hearts)
• 0.25 cup shallot (Finely chopped)
• 0.5 cup celery (Finely chopped)
• 1 tsp lemon juice (For the crab cake mixture)
• 0.5 cup chickpea flour (Mixed into the crab cake mixture)
• 2 tsp coconut sugar or brown sugar (For the crab cake mixture)
• 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning (For the crab cake mixture)
• 0.25 tsp ground black pepper (For the crab cake mixture)
• 0.25 tsp sea salt (For the crab cake mixture)
• 0.25 cup chickpea flour (For dredging)
• 1.25 cup multigrain bread crumbs (For coating the cakes)
• 0.5 cup unsweetened nondairy milk (For the dredging station)
• 1.5 cup vegetable oil (For frying; additional lightly coated oil may be used for reheating leftovers)

Steps

1. 1

   In a small mixing bowl, stir together the vegan mayonnaise, horseradish, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, chopped fresh dill, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate the tartar sauce until the crab cakes are ready to serve.

2. 2

   Drain the marinated artichoke hearts, reserving 2 tablespoons of their liquid. Finely chop the artichoke hearts and place them in a large mixing bowl.

3. 3

   Add the reserved artichoke liquid, shallot, celery, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/2 cup chickpea flour, coconut or brown sugar, Old Bay seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and sea salt to the artichokes. Combine everything well with a fork until the mixture is evenly mixed and holds together.

4. 4

   Heat 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350–360°F (175–182°C). Use a thermometer to monitor the oil temperature so the cakes brown without burning.

5. 5

   Set up a dredging station with three wide, shallow dishes: place the remaining 1/4 cup chickpea flour in the first, the breadcrumbs in the second, and the nondairy milk in a bowl or third dish.

6. 6

   Measure out 1/4 cup of the crab cake mixture and form it with your hands into a round, thick patty. Repeat as needed, preparing only two or three cakes at a time immediately before frying.

7. 7

   Coat each patty on all sides in the chickpea flour. Quickly submerge it in the nondairy milk, then remove it and transfer it to the breadcrumbs.

8. 8

   Use your hands to press breadcrumbs over every surface of each cake, then gently shake off excess crumbs. Handle the patties delicately so they remain intact.

9. 9

   Carefully place two or three coated cakes into the hot oil, depending on the size of the skillet. Fry for about 4 minutes total, turning halfway through, until both sides are evenly golden brown and crisp.

10. 10

    Remove the fried cakes from the skillet and place them on a paper-towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil. Bring the oil back to 350–360°F before frying the next batch.

11. 11

    Serve the crabless cakes immediately with the chilled horseradish-dill tartar sauce.

Notes

The recipe yields 10 cakes. Leftovers can be reheated over medium heat in a pan lightly coated with vegetable oil. The listed frying oil is the amount used for frying; the finished cakes will absorb only part of it.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• appetizer
• vegan
• vegetarian
• dairy-free
• egg-free
• plant-based
• fried