Vegan Crab Melts ~
Hearts of palm are a satisfying stand-in for crab in these plant-based and open-faced sandwiches.
Perfect for a light dinner, lunch, or brunch!
Shredded hearts of palm are combined with vegan mayo and cheddar cheese, celery, red onion, lemon juice, and seasonings then piled onto lightly toasted English muffins.
Next, a quick trip under the broiler, just enough to melt the cheese, and these super easy melts are ready to serve.
The weather is warming up here which has me dreaming of our next beach trip and craving the flavors I’ve always associated with summer.
Back in my pre-vegan days, I used to LOVE lump crab seasoned with lots of Old Bay. Crab cakes, crab melts, crab-stuffed mushrooms – you get the idea.
While I’m happy to no longer be ordering actual crab (here’s to 3 1/2 years vegan!), I have to admit I do sometimes still crave the flavor. That’s where the hearts of palm come in.
Did you know that hearts of palm are an excellent substitute for crab?
It’s true!
The texture and mild flavors are spot-on making them an easy swap for veganizing all sorts of traditionally crab-based recipes.
How to get the texture of shredded crab with hearts of palm:
You could rough chop them with a knife or, if you want to save a few minutes of prep time, use a mini chopper or food processor.
Just a few pulses is all it takes and the hearts of palm are ready to go in the recipe.
What to serve with Vegan Crab Melts:
- roasted veggies
- corn on the cob
- baked potato
- cold pasta salad
- french fries
Ingredients for Vegan Crab Melts:
- vegan mayonnaise
- celery
- red onion
- garlic powder
- seafood seasoning – I recommend Old Bay
- cayenne pepper sauce
- hearts of palm
- vegan cheddar cheese
- dried dill
- English muffins
How to make Vegan Crab Melts:
STEP ONE: Preheat the broiler.
STEP TWO: Into a medium-size mixing bowl, add vegan mayonnaise, celery, red onion. garlic powder, seafood seasoning, and cayenne pepper sauce. Stir to combine.
STEP THREE: Fold in the hearts of palm and vegan cheddar cheese.
STEP FOUR: Onto each of the toasted English muffin halves, add the hearts of palm mixture in an even layer.
STEP FIVE: Arrange onto a baking sheet and set under the broiler. Allow broiling just until cheese is melted.
STEP SIX: Garnish with dill and serve hot.
Enjoy!!
More recipes to satisfy a seafood craving:
Hearts of Palm Lobster-Style Rolls – Super easy to make and packed with all the flavor of a traditional lobster roll.
Vegan Crab Cakes – A savory chickpea and tempeh alternative to traditional crab cakes.
King Oyster Mushroom Cioppino – King Oyster mushrooms, with their remarkably similar size and texture to scallops, are seared and added to a hearty and fragrant, vegetable-rich and protein-packed, stew seasoned with lots of garlic and Old Bay.
Vegan Crab Melts
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup vegan mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup celery finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons red onion finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon seafood seasoning recommend Old Bay
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper sauce
- 1 cup hearts of palm shredded and well drained
- 2/3 cup vegan cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
- 6 English muffin halves toasted
Instructions
- Preheat broiler.
- Into a medium-size mixing bowl, add vegan mayonnaise, celery, red onion. garlic powder, seafood seasoning, and cayenne pepper sauce. Stir to combine.
- Fold in the hearts of palm and vegan cheddar cheese.
- Onto each of the toasted English muffin halves, add the hearts of palm mixture in an even layer.
- Arrange onto a baking sheet and set under the broiler. Allow broiling just until cheese is melted.
- Garnish with dill and serve hot.
Kendra
I liked this recipe but it was a bit sour. Maybe rinse the palm hearts first? Our family will make it again. 😊
thiswifecooks
Hi Kendra ~ I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Yes, rinsing the hearts of palm will cut down the tanginess. Just make sure to pat them dry before chopping so the melts don’t get watery.😊