You won’t believe how easy it is to make frozen crab cakes in the air fryer! This recipe is perfect for the popular Aldi crab cakes and ready in 15 minutes.
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Need a crowd-pleasing appetizer or an easy meal you can whip up fast? Just throw some frozen crab cakes in the air fryer, get out the tartar sauce or remoulade, and be ready to go in 15 minutes flat!
I love using this method to make the popular Aldi brand of frozen crab cakes. My whole family is hooked! But you can also use any brand you like.
Even homemade frozen crab cakes if you have them!
Crab cakes are perfect for snacking, entertaining guests, or a light meal any time of day. And when it’s this easy to make them, you might find yourself enjoying air fryer crab cakes all the time!
How to Make Frozen Crab Cakes in the Air Fryer
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Place the frozen crab cakes in a single layer in the basket. Lightly spray the crab cakes with oil.
STEP TWO: Air fry at 380 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until heated through.
STEP THREE: Serve hot with lemon wedges and tartar sauce or remoulade.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Frozen Crab Cakes
- Air Fryer Avocado Fries
- Air Fryer Corn on the Cob
- Air Fryer Cornbread
- Air Fryer French Fries
- Air Fryer Fried Pickles
- Air Fryer Hush Puppies
- Air Fryer Radishes
- Air Fryer Stuffed Mushrooms
- Remoulade
- Tartar Sauce
How Long to Cook Frozen Crab Cakes in the Air Fryer
Cooking frozen crab cakes in the air fryer will only take about 8-10 minutes. Once they’re golden on the outside and hot all the way through, they’re ready to serve!
If you’re making mini crab cakes, keep in mind that those will cook faster. I recommend cooking mini frozen crab cakes in the air fryer for 5-7 minutes and checking on them until they’re golden and hot in the center.
Best Storebought Brands of Frozen Crab Cakes
I can’t get enough of the Aldi brand of frozen crab cakes. You can use Maryland style, which is just crab and seasonings, or Boardwalk style with bell peppers, onions, and green onions. Both are delicious!
This recipe will work for any other brands of frozen crab cakes as well. Feel free to grab whatever you find at your local store, because I can pretty much guarantee it’s going to be tasty.
Tips for Making the Best Air Fryer Frozen Crab Cakes
- Don’t thaw the crab cakes for this recipe. You want to cook them from frozen for the most accurate cooking time.
- Lightly spray the basket to prevent the frozen crab cakes from sticking to the air fryer.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket. Some touching is okay, but you want the hot air to circulate around each frozen crab cake.
- Spray the tops of the crab cakes to help them crisp up as they cook and get that gorgeous, golden exterior.
- Check on the crab cakes after 8 minutes to see if they’re ready. You don’t want to overcook the cakes and dry them out, but you want them to be hot all the way through.
More Delicious Crab Recipes
More Air Fryer Seafood Recipes
- Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Scallops
- Air Fryer Calamari
- Air Fryer Cod (and Frozen Cod)
- Air Fryer Oysters
- Air Fryer Salmon Bites
- Air Fryer Scallops
- Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos
- Air Fryer Shrimp with Lemon and Pepper
- Air Fryer Tilapia
- Frozen Shrimp in the Air Fryer
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Frozen Crab Cakes in the Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 4 frozen crab cakes
- Cooking oil
Instructions
- Place frozen crab cakes in a single layer in the air fryer basket or rack. Lightly Spray the crab cakes with oil.
- Air fry at 380 for 8-10 minutes, or until heated through.
- Serve with lemon wedges and tartar sauce or remoulade.
Nutrition
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
New to air frying. Followed the directions for Aldi frozen crab cakes. Fried for 8-10 minutes and they weren’t crispy. Put them under the broiler on my toaster oven and still were not crispy. I did spray with cooking spray before hand.
They still tasted good but I was missing the crunch. What can I do so this won’t happen again.
Thank you,
Kathy
Next time, I would recommend making sure the crab cakes are evenly placed with separation between each one in the air fryer. I’m not sure if you may of overcrowded them but that can effect the crispiness. If that is not the issue, I would say to add to the crispiness of the crab cake you could always broil them for 1-2 minutes. Keep a close eye on them though as they will get crispy quickly this way. Happy air frying!