Laura's Vegan Table

for the crab cakes

  • 1 15 ounce can of garbanzo beans
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1/2 cup panko or crumbled crackers
  • 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon dulse flakes
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • small bunch of parsley or arugula, finely chopped
  • olive oil for sautéing

for the dill cream sauce

  • 3/4 cup raw cashews soaked water for 20 minutes, then drained
  • 3/4 cup water
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried dill or handful of fresh dill
  • 1 small garlic clove or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

These vegan crab cakes are made with chickpeas and are really simple to make. Legumes are a go to protein for me to use vs. mock meats, just because of the simplicity of aiming for a whole foods, plant based option. It’s also usually more economical to use legumes too. You can buy in bulk and store for a long time, dried or canned. Anyway, I will likely experiment with other versions of vegan crab cakes; but these were really tasty and are perfect with just a little dill sauce on them. You can also make these glutenfree with glutenfree breadcrumbs or crackers.

Note: I tried baking them instead of sautéing, and you can do this as an option and omit the oil; but they do tend to be a little drier this way. If you opt to bake instead of sauté, best to sprinkle the patties with some lemon first, and cook around 350F for about 15 minutes on a parchment lined cookie sheet; turning the patties over halfway through cooking time.

Directions

Drain the can of beans and add to a medium sized bowl. Mash the beans with a fork or masher. Add in the mustard, lemon, panko, seasonings and arugula. Mix until well combined. Form the mixture into about 6 patties. Add the oil to a nonstick pan and set on medium heat. Add the patties, turning them a few minutes each side until lightly browned.

To make the sauce, add the drained cashews to a blender. Add the rest of the ingredients for the dill cream sauce and blend until smooth.

Serve the patties with the dill sauce over fresh salad greens or as a sandwich.