Air Fryer Crab Cakes with Spicy Aioli

These crab cakes get their crunch from the air fryer instead of traditional pan-frying, which makes them lighter and healthier than the typical version. Topped with spicy aioli and lemon vinaigrette they are as appropriate for date night as they are for an easy yet elegant weeknight dinner.

Close up of two crab cakes staked on a plate drizzled with spicy aioli

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Growing up near the ocean I've always liked seafood and crab cakes are a long-time favorite of mine. Many people seem to reserve them for something they have at a restaurant but I assure you, they are easy to make at home.

In my mind, the key to good crab cakes is good crab meat. You want to use lump crab meat which gives you high-quality crab meat with the right consistency to form the cake. These days crab is pretty pricey but absolutely worth the occasional splurge for something this tasty.

Contents:

Why you'll love this recipe
Recommended Tools
Ingredient Notes
Notes from the Kitchen
How to make crab cakes in an air fryer
How to pan-fry crab cakes
Frequently Asked Questions
More easy seafood recipes
Air Fryer Crab Cakes with Spicy Aioli + Lemon Vinaigrette

Why you'll love this recipe

This recipe is:

Perfect for a weeknight: Since the air fryer is doing a lot of the work this recipe doesn't require much hands-on time, making it ideal for any night of the week. Including cooking time, dinner will still be ready in about 30 minutes!
Slightly elegant: Even though this is a quick and easy recipe, I think of recipes using crab as being slightly more elegant than your typical weeknight meal.

Recommended Tools

Air Fryer - There are lots of different options out there, one of the most popular being this Phillips Air Fryer, but I recently purchased a Breville Air Fryer oven and I've been very happy with it.

Handheld Juicer – I switched to using this juicer about a year ago and it's one of my favorite kitchen tools! The design allows you to extract the juice from the citrus easily, and it works with both lemons and limes.

Small Mason Jar - I'm a huge fan of these for making salad dressings. You can shake and store in the same container!

Ingredient Notes

The full list of ingredients and quantities can be found in the recipe card below.

Lump crab meat: Fresh lump crab meat is usually found in the seafood section at the grocery store. Since this is the main ingredient, I recommend using fresh crab meat instead of canned. Lump crab meat gives you restaurant quality crab cakes.
Bell pepper: I recommend red or orange bell pepper for the slightly midler taste.
Green onion
Panko bread crumbs: Panko breadcrumbs act as an extra binder while providing a bit of crunch.
Egg: The egg ensures the crab mixture binds together. Helps to bind the crab cakes.
Mayonnaise. Adds a bit of creaminess to your crab cakes and helps to bind them together.
Shallot: The more delicate flavor of the shallots ensure you don't overpower the taste of the crabmeat.
Lemon zest and juice: Be sure to zest the lemons before you juice them! The lemon vinaigrette adds a nice tangy flavor to balance out the crab cakes and spicy aioli.
Arugula: The arugula adds a nice peppery taste to this dish.
Balsamic glaze: This is an optional ingredient that adds an intense sweet tangy flavor. While you can make your own, I recommend purchasing it as making it requires a LOT of balsamic vinegar.

Stacks of crab cakes made in the air fryer and topped with spicy aioli

Notes from the Kitchen

Air fry in a single layer - You want to create a single layer of crab cakes in the air fryer. If you use a larger air fryer, you might be able to "fry" them in a single batch, however, with a smaller air fryer you'll probably need to make these in two or three batches.
Keep them small - Making them slightly smaller than the typical crab cake means they are easier to get in and out of the air fryer without falling apart. And since you don't have to flip the crab cakes when using an air fryer they are less likely to fall apart, though you may be a few small pieces that break off when you place them in the air fryer basket.

How to make crab cakes in an air fryer

The full printable recipe card is below, but let’s walk through the details before you start cooking.

Make the crab cakes. You'll start by combining the crab cake ingredients and forming the mixture into cakes. You'll use about ¼ cup of the crab mixture for each cake and form them into patties that are about 1" thick.
Cook the crab cakes. Set your air fryer to 375°F and arrange the crab cakes in a single layer. Lightly spray them with avocado oil. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you'll likely need to cook them in 2-3 batches. They need to cook for about 10 minutes to get nice and crisp.
Make the aioli. While the crab cakes are cooking, mix the aioli ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside until you are ready to serve the crab cakes.
Make the vinaigrette. Add the vinaigrette ingredients to a small mason jar and shake well to combine.
Serve. Once all of the crab cakes are cooked, divide them between two dinner plates. Drizzle the crab cakes with some aioli and lemon vinaigrette. Serve with the arugula on the side.

How to pan-fry crab cakes

If you don't have an air fryer you can still make these crab cakes in a skillet. It's just a little bit of extra work.

First, you'll want to chill the crab cakes in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before cooking them. This helps to keep them from falling apart when you cook them.
Next, add 2-3 tablespoons of avocado oil to a large non-stick skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the chilled crab cakes and cook for 4 minutes. Carefully flip the crab cakes and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes or until golden brown. Repeat if all the crab cakes didn't fit in the pan the first time.
Remove the crab cakes from the pan and place on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I buy an air fryer?

It took me a while to get on the air fryer bandwagon. I thought "do I really need another kitchen gadget?" Especially one that takes up so much room. I'm not gonna lie - most air fryers take up a fair amount of space in your kitchen but if you have the storage space and like crispy foods without the mess of pan frying, I think an air fryer is totally worth it!

Can I use canned crab meat for this recipe?

For the best results, I recommend using fresh crab meat from the seafood market or seafood counter at your local grocery store. You can also use pasteurized lump crab meat, which is typically packaged in a can or tub and found refrigerated in the seafood section at the grocery store. I don’t recommend using shelf-stable canned crab meat in this recipe as the taste and texture will not be the same.

Can I make these ahead of time?

You can make the crab cake mixture and shape the crab cakes up to 2 hours in advance. Refrigerate them in a signle layer on a covered plate.

More easy seafood recipes

Check out this Grilled Salmon with Mustard Sauce, these Margarita Grilled Shrimp Skewers and these Grilled Fish Tacos.

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