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I really love a good crab cake but let’s face it, good crab is expensive and often hard to find if you aren’t on a coast. So, I thought I’d “play” with a substitute for the crab but keep all the same flavors of a crab cake. My thought was, if spagetti squash can stand in for pasta and eggplant can stand in for meat in bolognese sauce, why wouldn’t mushrooms work as “crab”? Truth be told, I wasn’t sure this would work. But, I was more than willing to try. (Spoiler alert, it works!) Food costs are skyrocketing and I, like everyone else, am looking for more affordable options. Plus, I love adding to my meatless Monday recipes so I have more options in my rotation.
I could have used a mix of mushrooms and and a more elegant choice like shitake, cremini or oyster, but I wanted an affordable and easy to create recipe so I stuck with basic, white mushrooms. I knew they’d pick up the flavors from all the spices and if the tartar sauce was good, they’d get another flavor boost.
I cooked the mushrooms first to get them soft and to add even more flavor with a little butter. I roughly chopped them… I didn’t want the pieces to small. I cooked them until they were pretty dry and let them cool to room temperature before adding them to the mix.
I turned this into four cakes. They could be served as a simple appetizer (one per person) for two per person for a light lunch.
You’ll note I used light mayonnaise and fat-free Greek yogurt which are my go-tos. Feel free to use full fat products and you can use all mayo if you prefer. I like the tang that yogurt brings to the party so I almost always cut the ingredients in half (yogurt and mayo).
These cakes are soft so they have to be handled gently. I find that if I put them in the freezer for just 15-20 minutes, they set up and get a little firmer so they aren’t as likely to fall apart. Be gentle when flipping and if they do break, don’t sweat it. They’ll still taste great.
I really like to get the outsides super crispy so I use a cast iron skillet. These could be cooked in a regular skillet with great results.
If you like sliders or sandwiches, these would be great on a bun. Obviously, if making sliders, you’ll make your patties smaller. Add some crunchy lettuce and a slice of tomato and you’ve got a great bite.
Before you think “come on, just give me crab”, give this a shot. I dodged making or trying spagetti squash as a pasta substitute for years. I just couldn’t believe that a veggie could substitute for pasta. Once I tried it, I loved it. That’s when I realized, what I loved more than the pasta was the sauce and flavors of Italian food. The same is true of these “crab cakes”. You’ve got all the same flavors and textures of crab cakes with none of the crab.
I have a brother and a few friends that won’t eat shellfish so this is the perfect solution for them. Meatless Mondays makes this another reason to try them. And, of course, if you are looking to cut expenses, this is a great substitution for crab. Let me know what you think. Send me an email and let me know.
Like this recipe? Try some of my other lighter appetizer recipes using veggies as the star like my Baked Artichoke Hearts with Marinara, my Three Bean Hummus and my Crab Guacamole Dip.
If you liked this recipe, leave a rating and comment below. I’d love to hear from you. Looking for other starter and appetizer recipes? Check out my starters page for inspiration.
