Easy Kosher Crab Style Hearts Of Palm Cakes

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I’ve been experimenting with hearts of palm for years, and these fake crab cakes might be my favorite discovery yet. The texture is surprisingly convincing when you shred the hearts of palm just right and squeeze out the excess moisture.

The whole idea started when my daughter came home from college talking about all the amazing seafood her roommates were making. Since we keep kosher, traditional crab cakes weren’t an option, but I remembered reading about using hearts of palm as a substitute. The stringy, flaky texture really does mimic crab meat once you work with it properly. You want to drain those cans thoroughly and then use your hands to break apart the hearts of palm into irregular pieces. Don’t make them too uniform or they’ll look too fake.

Getting Hearts of Palm Texture Right

What makes these cakes work is the right balance of binding ingredients. I use a combination of mayonnaise, egg, and just enough breadcrumbs to hold everything together without making them heavy. The key seasonings are Old Bay seasoning (which is kosher), fresh lemon juice, and a touch of Dijon mustard. The mixture needs to chill for at least 30 minutes before forming the patties, otherwise they’ll fall apart when you cook them.

The Perfect Binding for Hearts of Palm Cakes

These work beautifully as an appetizer with a simple remoulade sauce, or you can serve them as a light lunch with a green salad. They’re also great for Shabbat meals when you want something that feels a bit fancy but doesn’t require too much last-minute preparation. The cakes can be formed ahead of time and refrigerated until you’re ready to cook them.

Easy Kosher Crab Style Hearts Of Palm Cakes - American recipe
I've been experimenting with hearts of palm for years, and these fake crab cakes might be my favorite discovery yet. The texture is surprisingly convincing when you shred the hearts of palm just right and squeeze out the excess moisture. The whole idea started when my daughter came home from college talking about all the amazing seafood her roommates were making. Since we keep kosher, traditional crab cakes weren't an option, but I remembered reading about using hearts of palm as a substitute. The stringy, flaky texture really does mimic crab meat once you work with it properly. You want to drain those cans thoroughly and then use your hands to break apart the hearts of palm into irregular pieces. Don't make them too uniform or they'll look too fake. What makes these cakes work is the right balance of binding ingredients. I use a combination of mayonnaise, egg, and just enough breadcrumbs to hold everything together without making them heavy. The key seasonings are Old Bay seasoning (which is kosher), fresh lemon juice, and a touch of Dijon mustard. The mixture needs to chill for at least 30 minutes before forming the patties, otherwise they'll fall apart when you cook them. These work beautifully as an appetizer with a simple remoulade sauce, or you can serve them as a light lunch with a green salad. They're also great for Shabbat meals when you want something that feels a bit fancy but doesn't require too much last-minute preparation. The cakes can be formed ahead of time and refrigerated until you're ready to cook them.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 185
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cans hearts of palm 14 oz cans, drained and squeezed dry
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 large egg beaten
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs plus extra for coating
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
  • 2 scallions finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil for frying

Method
 

  1. Drain the hearts of palm thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels. Use your hands to shred them into irregular, flaky pieces that resemble crab meat. Place in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly to remove as much moisture as possible.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, beaten egg, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and Old Bay seasoning. Whisk until smooth.
  3. Add the shredded hearts of palm, scallions, parsley, salt, and pepper to the bowl. Gently fold together until just combined.
  4. Gradually add the panko breadcrumbs, starting with 1/2 cup and adding more if needed to bind the mixture. The mixture should hold together when pressed but not be dry.
  5. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the mixture to firm up.
  6. Form the mixture into 8 small patties, about 2 1/2 inches wide. If desired, lightly coat each patty with additional panko breadcrumbs.
  7. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the patties for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy.
  8. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and serve immediately with lemon wedges and your favorite sauce.

Notes

These cakes can be formed up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerated. For extra crispiness, chill the formed patties for 15 minutes before cooking. Leftover cakes keep well in the refrigerator for 2 days and can be reheated in a 350°F oven.
Nutrition Facts
4 servings per recipe
Serving size 1 serving
Calories 185
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 17%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 47mg 16%
Sodium 520mg 23%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 6g 12%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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