These jackfruit crab cakes come together in about 30 minutes and give you a crispy, flaky patty that holds up well whether you pan-fry or bake. The homemade vegan tartar sauce takes two minutes to stir together and is genuinely good enough to use on other things all week. If you cook a full batch, you’ll have an easy lunch or dinner ready to go for the next couple of days.
The short version of why this works
Two things make or break this recipe. First, squeezing the jackfruit as dry as you possibly can — excess moisture is what causes patties to fall apart in the pan or come out soggy from the oven. A clean kitchen towel works better than paper towels here; wring it hard. Second, the breadcrumbs do double duty: half goes into the mixture as a binder, half coats the outside for crunch. Getting that ratio right is what gives you a patty that’s firm enough to flip without crumbling and crisp enough on the outside to feel satisfying. Everything else — the Cajun seasoning, the capers, the sautéed peppers — builds flavor on top of that solid foundation.
Ingredient notes
- Canned young green jackfruit in brine: Look for it in the international aisle or at Asian grocery stores. Make sure the label says “young” or “green” — ripe jackfruit is sweet and won’t work here. Drain and rinse it well; the brine has a strong smell that fades once cooked.
- Liquid aminos (for the tartar sauce): Bragg’s or coconut aminos both work. It adds a subtle savory depth to the sauce. Soy sauce is a fine substitute — use the same amount but taste before adding salt elsewhere.
- Cajun seasoning blend: Sodium levels vary a lot between brands. If yours is salt-heavy, hold back on the added kosher salt and taste the mixture before shaping.
- Hearts of palm: The recipe card already flags this as a jackfruit swap — it’s a solid one. Drain, shred, and squeeze it dry the same way.
Storage and reheating
Cooked patties keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The tartar sauce keeps separately for up to 5 days, which makes it useful for sandwiches, wraps, or roasted vegetables later in the week — skip the garnish on the sauce if you’re storing it, not worth the extra dish. To reheat patties, a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side gets them crispy again faster than the oven and without drying them out. Uncooked shaped patties freeze well for up to 2 months; freeze them flat on a parchment-lined sheet first, then bag them once solid so they don’t stick together.
If something goes sideways
- Patties fall apart when you flip them: The mixture was too wet or too warm. Next time, squeeze the jackfruit harder and let the sautéed onion and pepper mixture cool completely before combining. If it’s happening right now, slide them onto a baking sheet and finish them in a 425°F oven instead of continuing to flip.
- The coating is burning before the inside is cooked through: Your oil is too hot. Medium-low heat is the right setting for pan-frying — these patties need time to warm all the way through, not just brown the outside fast. Turn the heat down and give them the full 4 to 5 minutes per side.
- The mixture smells strongly of brine even after rinsing: Rinse the jackfruit a second time and let it sit in fresh cold water for 5 minutes before draining and drying. The smell fades significantly once it’s cooked.
- Tartar sauce tastes flat: It needs the full 15-minute rest in the fridge to come together. If it still tastes flat after that, add a small squeeze more of lemon juice — acid is usually what’s missing.
- Patties are dense and doughy rather than flaky: The jackfruit wasn’t shredded finely enough. You want thin, stringy pieces that resemble pulled meat, not chunky bits. Go back in with a fork and pull them apart further before mixing.
Vegan Crab Cakes With Tartar Sauce (Jackfruit)
Equipment
- 10-inch non-stick skillet
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Large mixing bowl
- Fork
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Clean kitchen towel
Ingredients
Crab Cakes Ingredients
- 1 pound canned young green jackfruit in brine thoroughly rinsed and drained
- ½ cup vegan mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- ½ cup onions finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup green bell pepper finely chopped
- ¼ cup red bell pepper finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning blend
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt adjust to taste
- 1 ½ cups dry bread crumbs divided
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for pan-frying (if not baking)
- As needed cooking spray if baking
Tartar Sauce Ingredients
- ½ cup vegan mayonnaise
- ¼ cup vegan sour cream
- ¼ cup sweet pickle relish
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon liquid aminos such as Bragg's or coconut aminos
Instructions
- In a small frying pan, heat the Olive Oil. Once heated, add the onions and peppers. Lightly salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are translucent. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Make sure the jackfruit is thoroughly rinsed and drained. Remove and discard any hard core pieces or seeds. Using a fork or your hands, shred the jackfruit into thin, stringy pieces — you want it to resemble the flaky texture of lump crab meat. Squeeze out as much excess moisture as possible using a clean kitchen towel.
- Add the mayo, lemon juice, Cajun seasoning blend, parsley and Kosher salt. Mix evenly.
- Once the onions and peppers have cooled down, add those to the mix along with the capers.
- Add ½ cup (55g) of the breadcrumbs to the mixture and stir to combine. The remaining 1 cup (115g) breadcrumbs will be used for coating. Shape the mixture into 4 evenly sized patties, about ¾ inch (2cm) thick. If the mixture is too loose to hold its shape, add breadcrumbs 1 tablespoon at a time from the coating portion.
- Once the patties have been moulded, coat them in the remaining breadcrumbs.
- Choose your cooking method below — baking produces a lighter result while pan-frying gives a crispier golden crust.
- If baking: Preheat the oven to 425°F / 220°C (200°C fan-forced). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly coat with cooking spray. Place the coated patties on the sheet and lightly spray the tops. Bake for 10 minutes, gently flip, then bake for another 8-10 minutes until golden and crisp on both sides.
- If pan-frying: Add approximately 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Once the oil is shimmering, carefully place the patties in the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp. Flip only once — handling them too often will cause them to break apart. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- For the tartar sauce: In a small bowl, combine the vegan mayonnaise, vegan sour cream, sweet pickle relish, garlic powder, lemon juice, dry mustard, and liquid aminos. Stir until smooth. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving to let the flavours meld. Serve alongside the warm crab cakes.
Notes
- Storage: Cooked crab cakes keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 375°F / 190°C oven for 8-10 minutes to restore crispiness — microwaving will make them soggy.
- Freezer-friendly: Freeze uncooked shaped patties on a parchment-lined baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Cook from frozen, adding 3-4 extra minutes to the bake time. Keeps for up to 2 months.
- Make-ahead: Shape the patties and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before cooking. Chilling actually helps them hold together better during frying.
- Substitution: If you can't find canned young green jackfruit, hearts of palm (drained and shredded) work as a similar flaky substitute.
- Pro tip: Squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the rinsed jackfruit using a clean kitchen towel before shredding — excess moisture is the number one reason vegan crab cakes fall apart.
Nutrition
Common questions
Can I make these ahead of time for a dinner party?
Yes — shape the patties up to 24 hours ahead and keep them covered in the fridge. Chilling actually firms them up, which makes them easier to cook and less likely to break apart.
Do these taste like real crab cakes?
They don’t taste identical to crab, but the texture is genuinely close — flaky, tender, and satisfying in the same way. The Cajun seasoning and capers do a lot of the flavor work that crab would otherwise provide.
Can I use fresh jackfruit instead of canned?
Canned young green jackfruit in brine is strongly recommended here because fresh young jackfruit is hard to find and requires significant prep work to break down. Ripe fresh jackfruit is sweet and will not produce the right result.
Is baking or pan-frying better?
Pan-frying gives you a noticeably crispier crust and is faster. Baking works well if you’re cooking a larger batch at once and don’t want to stand at the stove — just expect a slightly softer exterior.
Try these next
- Fresh Vegetable Spring Rolls
- Spicy North Indian Soya Chunks Curry
- Sweet Corn Chowder
- Classic Mexican Guacamole
