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Hearts of Palm Crab Cakes {vegan, GF}

Hearts of palm crab cakes are your new favorite vegan appetizer. Canned hearts of palm, when shredded, have a texture and taste that is remarkably like crabmeat. Making them into crunchy “crab” cakes is the natural next step!

Vegan Hearts of Palm Crab Cakes

Oh, friends…I have a game changer recipe for you today.

Crisp, crunchy, succulent crab cakes. Made without crab.

Instead, these “crab” cakes are made with a single can of hearts of palm, which, when shredded, has the texture and taste of crab.

No joking. I like to call them HOP Cakes :). Check out the interior of these lovelies:

Vegan Hearts of Palm Crab Cakes

That’s not all. These cakes are:

  • vegan
  • gluten-free
  • made with just FIVE ingredients (excluding salt & pepper)
  • baked, not fried
  • the perfect make-ahead appetizer (or entrée)
  • utterly irresistible

I’ve even provided a grain-free option. I don’t want anyone to miss out on these.

Vegan Hearts of Palm Crab Cakes

Ready to make these? Let’s get started!

What are Hearts of Palm

First up, hearts of palm. The heart of palm is a vegetable harvested from the inner core and growing bud of cabbage palm trees (they are more commonly known as Florida palm trees). They may have shown up on a hotel salad at some point in your life, to which you most likely thought “what is that?!” and pushed it aside. But they actually have a pleasant, firm texture.

You may not have purchased these, before now, but they are shelved with other canned vegetables at the grocery store. They are not cheap (typically $3 to $4 dollars per can) but (1) you only need one can, and (2) the remaining ingredients are inexpensive pantry items.

They are also fibrous, so simply cutting into shorter lengths and pressing apart, they resemble flake crab meat.

Vegan Hearts of Palm Crab Cakes Ingredients

Adding to the resemblance, canned hearts of palm are packed in a light brine, giving them a taste of the sea.Shredded Hearts of Palm Vegan Crab

How to Make Hearts of Palm Crab Cakes

It is typically easy to flake the hearts of palm into shreds, but I have come across one or two cans where the hearts were quite firm and difficult to “shred” with my fingers. Several pieces of hearts of palm shot across the room as I tried to squish them apart! (I think I found all of them…).

So, I ended up cutting the hearts of palm lengthwise into very thin strips (I had already cut them crosswise into short pieces), and then used my fingertips to further shred.

The shredding is the only time-consuming part, and it only takes about 5 minutes. One 14 to 15-ounce can yields 1-1/2 cups of shredded “crab”–quite a yield!

Next, simply mix and form. The Old Bay seasoning is key to giving these a quintessential crab cake flavor, but if you do not have it, you can use your favorite seasonings (you can taste the mix “raw” to get the flavor just right before baking). Added, too, are mayonnaise (use the brand of your choice, vegan, Paleo, etc.), green onions and gluten-free panko crumbs. 

Can I Make these Without Mayonnaise?

Regarding the mayo: it is essential. I am not a mayonnaise fan, AT ALL, but it is important as an ingredient in many recipes, including this one. Don’t skip it here. These don’t taste like mayonnaise, it just becomes part of the dish. Trust me.Vegan Hearts of Palm Crab Cakes Before Baking

 

 

Shape, Bake and Broil the Cakes

I used my #40 size cookie scoop (it’s a medium size scoop, about 2 tablespoons) to portion these, which yields exactly 14 cakes. Press the cakes into some of the reserved panko to coat and give the cakes a spritz with cooking spray. Finally, slide the cakes into a preheated (400F/200C) oven for 18 to 22 minutes.

To get them perfectly golden-brown, I bake the cakes until  light golden brown, and then I turn the oven to broil. Don’t walk away! Depending on your broiler, it only takes 30 to 90 seconds for them to turn a deep golden brown.

Here’s the mouthwatering result:

Vegan Hearts of Palm Crab Cakes on Cooling Rack

These are crispy-crunchy on top and bottom, despite being baked instead of fried!

Plate of Vegan Hearts of Palm Crab Cakes

Now, eat! 

Vegan Hearts of Palm Crab Cake

Can the Hearts of Palm Cakes be Prepared in Advance?

You can prepare the cakes up to 12 hours before baking them. Store them in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Alternatively, freeze the prepared cakes on a cookie sheet. Once frozen, store in an airtight container until ready to defrost and bake (hello, holiday parties and quick dinners!). Like I said at the start, these are game changers, on many fronts.

Let me know if you try these, ok? 

Happy Wednesday, all!

More Easy, Plant-Based Meat Recipes to Try:

Vegan Oat Mushroom Ground Beef

3-Ingredient Almond Flour Vegetable Nuggets

Mushroom Almond Flour Ground Beef (2 ingredients)

Vegan Lentil Taco Meat

Lentil & Mushroom Meatballs

Lentil & Vegetable Kefta

Grain-Free Lentil Loaf

Hearts of Palm "Crab" Cakes {vegan, gluten-free, grain-free option}

Yield: 14 patties/cakes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Total Time: 23 minutes

Your new "wow" recipe: "crab" cakes made with shredded hearts of palm! Light, crispy, tender, and utterly delicious, these will dazzle you, as well as family and friends.

Ingredients

  • 1 can (14 to 15 ounces) hearts of palm, drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon Old Bay or other seafood seasoning
  • 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
  • 1 cup gluten-free panko (Japanese bread crumbs), divided
  • Optional Accompaniments

Optional Accompaniments

  • Lemon wedges
  • Chopped fresh parsley
  • Cocktail sauce

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400F (200C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Thinly slice hearts of palm lengthwise; cut slices crosswise into 3/4-inch lengths. Transfer to a medium bowl and, using fingers, gently press and break apart into shreds.
  3. In another medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Old Bay seasoning, salt and pepper until well blended. Stir in hearts of palm and green onions until well combined (I like to get my hands in, to further break up hearts of palm).
  4. Sprinkle half the panko over hearts of palm mixture and mix in thoroughly (do not mash). Form into fourteen 1.2-inch thick patties (I used a #40 cookie scoop to portion).
  5. Spread the remaining panko in a small dish. Dredge patties in panko, pressing gently to adhere. As they are dredged, place patties on prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly. Spray with cooking spray. Discard any excess panko.
  6. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until light golden brown.
  7. Turn on broiler to HIGH. Broil for 30 to 90 seconds (keep checking, it happens fast!) until deep golden brown. Serve immediately with suggested accompaniments, as desired.

Notes

Grain-Free Option: Replace the panko with the following: 1/3 cup almond flour + 1-1/2 tablespoons coconut flour + 1/4 teaspoon baking powder + 1/8 teaspoon salt. Stir ingredients in a small bowl. Add half to the hearts of palm mixture (same as panko) and use the other half for dredging.

Options: If you are not following a vegan or gluten-free diet, feel free to use the mayonnaise of your choice and regular panko.

Nutrition Information
Serving Size 1 cake
Amount Per Serving Calories 47Total Fat 2.6gSaturated Fat 0.3gCholesterol 0mgSodium 71mgCarbohydrates 4.7gFiber 0.62gSugar 0.29gProtein 0.86g

Did you make this recipe?

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Michelle Hermann

Friday 20th of October 2023

Just an FYI. You can buy canned palomino. (Hearts of palm linguini). This cuts down all of the shredding ....

Camilla

Sunday 22nd of October 2023

Hi Michelle,

Thanks for that, I have never come across that (but will look for it now). Thank you!

Karen

Monday 17th of July 2023

I have made these several times as my go-to-great dinner! Sometimes I put them on a green salad, sometimes they are the main dish, sometimes I make smaller ones for an appetizer. Always great. Thank you so much!

Camilla

Thursday 20th of July 2023

Yay! Aren't they a fun surprise? So glad you are enjoying them, Karen!

Sue B

Wednesday 21st of June 2023

Absolutely wonderful! My husband couldn’t stop raving about them. We added a vegan rémoulade sauce and served on a bed of spring mix and peashoots. Thank you!

Camilla

Thursday 22nd of June 2023

That sounds absolutely wonderful, Sue! So glad that you and your husband like these!

Karlyn

Sunday 23rd of April 2023

I made these for Easter dinner and they were better than real crab cakes! Today I am trying to make them with riced hearts of palm and using cashew homemade mayo. Might be too mushy for cakes but I will eat it anyway. Thank you for this easy recipe.

Camilla

Saturday 29th of April 2023

What a great Easter dinner!!! I am so glad that you like the recipe, Karlyn!!!

LH

Saturday 25th of February 2023

Is there an easy way to reheat these if they need to be made ahead of time?

Camilla

Sunday 26th of February 2023

Hi LH! You could place the cakes on a baking sheet and reheat at 250-300F (regular oven), or same heat in a toaster oven or airfryer. Another make-ahead ideas: assemble the cakes entirely except for the cooking. Freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet. once frozen, you could pop them into a storgae container or bag. When ready to cook, thaw at room temp for about 30 minutes and then bake as directed in the recipe (you may need to add a few extra minutes). Cheers!

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