Ok, so if you follow along you already know that Mondays = Salads. If this is your first time here, welcome & now you know! Vegan Crab Cake Salad sounds perfect! Usually I focus solely on trying to get as many fruits or vegetables in the salad bowl as possible, but today not so much. Today I needed protein! Sure I could have just thrown on some tofu or beans (which I have done on plenty of salads so not shaming any previous meals) but today I just felt like I needed something a little bit elevated. Crab Cakes seemed just right. But how do you make a crab cake vegan? Simple, chickpeas & hearts of palm! Cue the happy food dance!
So chickpeas, if you aren’t aware, are miraculous bites of joy! Super versatile! Puree & make amazing hummus. Mash & add chocolate for a vegan cookie dough. Roast & they turn into crispy, crunchy snack bites. And now…crab cakes! The chickpeas make these crab cakes form the perfect patty & crisp up so nicely while keeping the interior creamy. And the hearts of palm gives both that flaky, seafood texture & adds a bit of a briny taste. Just perfect!
Need some other salad ideas? Here are other recipes you might enjoy!
Vegan Crab Cake Salad
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup cooked chickpeas, rinsed & drained
- 1 can hearts of palm, rinsed & drained
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs divided
- 1 lemon (divided 1 tsp crab cake, rest for vinaigrette)
- 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp white miso paste
- 1 tbsp vegan mayonnaise or cream cheese
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 – 1 tsp old bay seasoning
- 1 green onion, chopped
- 1 tsp fresh dill
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp preferred cooking oil (avocado, olive or vegetable) to cook
- 2-3 cups favorite greens
- 1 tbsp olive oil for vinaigrette
Instructions
- Drain & rinse chickpeas & hearts of palm.
- In a food processor add chickpeas & hearts of palm. Pulse for about 10 seconds. Add the mayo or cream cheese, 1 tsp lemon juice, dijon, miso, garlic powder, old bay, dill, green onion & 1/2 cup of the breadcrumbs. Pulse for another 30 seconds. You may need to stop & scrape down the sides during this process. You want a chunky, mashed mixture that you can form into patties. Taste & season with salt & pepper if needed.
- In a bowl or plate place the remaining breadcrumbs for coating the patties. Scoop out about 2 tbsp of the mixture. Form into a tight ball & then flatten to form a small patty. Gently place the patty in the breadcrumb mixture to coat both sides forming a crust. Place the coated patty on a flat surface that will fit in your freezer. Repeat the process until no mixture remains. Freeze the patties for 10 minutes to firm up.
- While the patties chill, wash & prep your greens. Make a simple vinaigrette by combining the juice from half the lemon & a tbsp of olive oil. Set aside.
- Heat cooking oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Remove the patties from the freezer & gently add to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side until, it crisps & turns a light brown. Remove from pan & place on a paper towel to absorb any extra oil.
- Arrange salad by tossing greens with the vinaigrette. Top with crab cakes.
