I love a good grab cake, but rarely do I take the time to make them for myself since my family isn’t as much of a fan. These Aldi crab cakes in the air fryer are my perfect solution, since I can buy them, store them in the freezer, and make one for myself quickly and easily any time!
Why Make Aldi Crab Cakes in the Air Fryer
Making Aldi frozen crab cakes in your air fryer offers several advantages, which is why it’s my favorite cooking method for them!
Crispy Texture
The air fryer gives the crab cakes a crispy, golden-brown exterior that is hard to achieve in a conventional oven or microwave.
The circulating hot air ensures an even cook, which helps the crab cakes develop that perfect crunch.
Quick and Convenient
Using an air fryer significantly reduces cooking time compared to baking in an oven, even more so once you factor in the long preheating time for a traditional oven.
It’s an efficient way to prepare a quick meal or snack, especially when you’re short on time.
Less Mess
Cooking frozen crab cakes in an air fryer is much cleaner than frying them in a pan.
There’s no need to deal with hot oil splatter or excess grease, making clean-up a breeze.
Retains Flavor
The air fryer locks in moisture while achieving a crispy exterior, ensuring that the crab cakes remain juicy and flavorful on the inside!
These benefits make the air fryer an excellent choice for preparing Aldi’s frozen crab cakes, allowing you to enjoy a delicious dish with minimal effort and maximum flavor.
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What You’ll Need: Ingredients
- 6 ounce box Aldi Specially Selected frozen crab cakes (2 per box)
- Dipping sauce, such as tartar, remoulade, or cocktail sauce (optional)
Notes About Aldi Frozen Crab Cakes
Aldi makes a few different types of frozen crab cakes, and they all work well in the air fryer, but here are the differences:
- Boardwalk Style. This Specially Selected comes in a package of 2, and features lump crab with the addition of peppers, onions, and seafood seasoning
- Maryland Style. Also Specially Selected label, these frozen crab cakes are thicker, have bigger lumps of crab, less bread crumb filler, and a buttery flavor profile
- Fremont Fish Market. This is Aldi’s other label brand, and the Fremont crab cakes come frozen in a bag of 4. They are a mix of real and imitation crab, and are breaded (I like this version if I’m making a sandwich from them)
All of the options contain egg, shellfish, fish (there are anchovies used for seasoning in the Specially Selected ones), and gluten, so be aware if you have allergies.
How to Cook Aldi Crab Cakes in the Air Fryer
- Remove frozen crab cakes from all packaging and place them into your air fryer’s basket or rack in a single layer. Allow air space between them to promote even cooking
- Cook on the air fry setting at 380°F for 10-12 minutes, pausing halfway through to flip the crab cakes over, until they are golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 165°F
- Serve with dipping sauce if desired, or pair with a brioche bun and lettuce for a sandwich!
What to Serve With Crab Cakes
- Corn salad
- Grilled vegetables
- Fried okra
- Corn chowder
- Roasted red pepper soup
- Cream of crab soup
- Fried green tomatoes
- Green salad
- Corn on the cob
- Macaroni salad
- Coleslaw
- Cucumber salad
- Succotash
- French fries
- Lemon rice
- Orzo
- Quinoa
- Grits
- Chardonnay
- Citrus cocktails
There are lots of great starches, sides, and even drinks to pair with your Aldi crab cakes!
I like to serve mine with my Air Fryer Fried Green Tomatoes, fresh Cucumber Onion Salad, crispy Air Fryer Ore Ida Fries, garlic and cheese Microwave Grits, Crown Royal Peach Sangria in the summer, or a Blood Orange Gin Fizz in the winter.
Recipe FAQs
Can You Cook Aldi Crab Cakes Without Thawing Them First?
Yes, you can cook Aldi crab cakes directly from frozen in the air fryer.
There is no need to thaw them first, and they will still turn out crispy and delicious.
What Temperature Should I Use to Air Fry Aldi Crab Cakes?
Set your air fryer to 380°F for the best results. This temperature will cook the crab cakes through while giving them a crispy, golden-brown exterior.
If that setting is not available on your air fryer, anywhere between 360°F and 400°F should work fine. For lower temperatures, plan to add a few minutes to cooking time, and for a higher temperature, lower it by 1 minute to start and adjust as needed.
How Long Do I Air Fry Aldi Crab Cakes?
Air fry Aldi crab cakes for about 10-12 minutes.
Flip them halfway through the cooking time to ensure they cook evenly on both sides.
Are Aldi Frozen Crab Cakes Pre-Cooked?
Most Aldi frozen crab cakes are pre-cooked, which means you just need to heat them until they’re warmed through and crispy on the outside.
Always check the packaging for specifics, as if yours are raw, you’ll want to make sure they cook through to a safe food temperature.
How Do I Ensure Aldi Crab Cakes Get Crispy in the Air Fryer?
To achieve a crispy texture, avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket and cook the crab cakes in a single layer.
While not necessary, for an extra crisp, you can lightly spray the crab cakes with cooking oil (such as olive oil) before air frying.
Can I Use Parchment Paper When Cooking Aldi Crab Cakes in the Air Fryer?
Yes, you can use parchment paper or air fryer liners to prevent the crab cakes from sticking to the basket, and for easier cleanup.
Just make sure the parchment paper is perforated to allow air circulation.
How Do I Know When Aldi Crab Cakes Are Done in the Air Fryer?
Aldi crab cakes are done when they are golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
They should also feel firm to the touch when fully cooked.
Recipe Pro Tips For the Best Air Fryer Aldi Crab Cakes
- You do not need to add any oil before cooking. The crab cakes have plenty already in them, and will get brown with crispy edges without it
- I do not preheat my air fryer since I flip my crab cakes. I found that 12 minutes total was ideal for the Boardwalk flavor, whereas the Maryland flavor needed 15 instead (they are slightly thicker and denser, as you can see in my photos). I verified the temperature with a thermometer. Other air fryers may vary slightly, so adjust as needed for your specific model
- For flipping the crab cakes, I highly recommend a flat spatula, since the cakes will become a bit more delicate. Tongs will squish them and make the cakes fall apart
Storage and Reheating Tips For Frozen Crab Cakes
- Store any leftover crab cakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Do not refreeze after they have been cooked from frozen once
- To reheat crab cakes in the air fryer, cook at a reduced temperature of 350°F for 5-6 minutes, flipping halfway through, until recrisped and warmed through. Time can vary slightly between air fryers and based on the thickness of your specific crab cakes, so adjust as needed
- Aldi Artichoke Stuffed Chicken in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Aldi Donut Sticks
Aldi Frozen Crab Cakes Review
I made both the Boardwalk and the Maryland style Aldi frozen crab cakes in my air fryer. These are the Specially Selected label, and each one comes with 3-ounce crab cakes per box.
Both cooked up perfectly in the air fryer with very little tending on my part (just one flip)! The edges were just the right amount of crispy, with the centers still being moist, flavorful, and delicious.
The Boardwalk version is slightly flatter and wider, while the Maryland cakes are thicker and a little smaller width wise (but they equal the same weight). Thus, the Maryland style took about 3 extra minutes over the Boardwalk when I made them.
Flavor wise, I was pleased that both really had visible crab in them! The Maryland crab cakes are very crab-forward with little filler and a light, buttery flavor.
Boardwalk has the addition of peppers, onions, and seafood seasoning, which blend with the crab (though they don’t over power it). It isn’t spicy, but has more flavor beyond just crab compared to the Maryland ones.
Maryland cakes stuck together much better – the Boardwalk variety was softer and fell apart more easily so I had to be more careful with transferring them. I did find small shell bits in both (a common problem in crab cakes) so expect that as well.
All in all, I would eat both again! They’re delicious on their own, but you could also add your crab cakes to a salad, or put them on a bun with some lettuce and remoulade for a tasty meal. They’re easy enough for a weeknight meal or weekday lunch.
If I had to pick, I’d choose the Maryland style as my favorite, but I realize a lot of that is personal preference! I had no complaints overall about either, and would happily enjoy both again in the future.
Final Thoughts
These Aldi frozen crab cakes in the air fryer are one of my favorite easy meals! They cook up perfectly in 15 minutes or less, directly from frozen.
Enjoy them solo, top a fresh salad, put them on a bun with your favorite sauce, or add a huge variety of sides to make a meal! Prepared crab cakes are easy enough for a weeknight dinner, and even convenient enough for lunch.
Aldi does a great job of packing these Specially Selected crab cakes with real crab meat, and not hiding it behind mostly filler. The air fryer is the perfect cooking method in my opinion because the cakes are perfectly browned, moist inside, and super easy to make.
Katie’s tip
If you’re looking for a little less “real” crab, then check out Aldi’s Frozen Crab Rangoons in the Air Fryer for a tasty snack or appetizer.
Aldi Crab Cakes Air Fryer Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 ounce box Aldi Specially Selected frozen crab cakes (2 per box)
- 1 Tbsp dipping sauce if desired (remoulade, tartar, or cocktail sauce)
Instructions
- Remove frozen crab cakes from all packaging and place them into your air fryer’s basket or rack in a single layer. Allow air space between them to promote even cooking6 ounce box Aldi Specially Selected frozen crab cakes
- Cook on the air fry setting at 380°F for 10-12 minutes, pausing halfway through to flip the crab cakes over, until they are golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 165°F
- Serve with dipping sauce if desired, or pair with a brioche bun and lettuce for a sandwich!1 Tbsp dipping sauce if desired
Notes
- You do not need to add any oil before cooking. The crab cakes have plenty already in them, and will get brown with crispy edges without it
- I do not preheat my air fryer since I flip my crab cakes. I found that 12 minutes total was ideal for the Boardwalk flavor, whereas the Maryland flavor needed 15 instead (they are slightly thicker and denser, as you can see in my photos). I verified the temperature with a thermometer. Other air fryers may vary slightly, so adjust as needed for your specific model
- For flipping the crab cakes, I highly recommend a flat spatula, since the cakes will become a bit more delicate. Tongs will squish them and make the cakes fall apart
- Exact nutritional values will vary based on brand and flavor of ingredients, any sauces or sides added, and quantity consumed, so please consider this a guideline only. Included nutritional values represent the Aldi Maryland style crab cakes
Nutrition
