Vegan Cold Crab Dip

Made with shredded jackfruit, blended cashews, spices, and seasonings this cold crab dip is a super creamy, satisfying, spot-on vegan version of the traditional party appetizer.

Memorial Day is just around the corner. Summer is on it’s way. And that means BBQ season is about to begin! If you think a plant based diet doesn’t include hearty, sticky barbecue foods, then you need to keep reading!

This cold crab dip is just one of the amazing recipes fit for a barbecue from the new cookbook, Great Vegan BBQ Without A Grill. And the best part is right in the title – you don’t even need a grill. You can whip up these recipes in your kitchen any time of year and whenever the mood strikes.

Linda and Alex Meyer

Linda and Alex Meyer are the mother-daughter team behind the popular vegan food blog, Veganosity. They became vegan together and have been whipping up delicious plant based recipes ever since.

I had the pleasure of meeting Linda, who lives not too far from me, a couple of years ago. We chatted, bonded, and laughed over great vegan food (along with Vanessa from Vegan Family Recipes). It was a great time!

I haven’t met Alex in person, but I know she has to be awesome because she’s a fellow Hawkeye!

Great Vegan BBQ Without A Grill

Great Vegan BBQ Without A Grill is Linda and Alex’s first cookbook. If you love BBQ, you are going to love this cookbook! They’ve taken all of the traditional favorites and put their vegan spin on them without losing any of the flavor and texture that we all crave.

Just check out some of these photos, taken from the recipes in the book….drool!

Take a Look Inside

There are 7 chapters in this cookbook. All of your BBQ favorites are covered. Take a look at a sampling of the recipes you’ll find inside…

Meat-Free BBQ To Satisfy Meat Eaters ~ Honey BBQ Ribz; Beer Braised Pulled Pork; BBQ Jerk Chik’n

Burgers And Sandwiches: From Way Up North To The Deep South ~ Smoky Chipotle BBQ Black Bean Burger; Chicago-Style Not Dogs; Wisconsin-Style Grilled Bratwurst

Stick Food: Because Eating Food Off A Stick Is Fun ~ Smoky Tofu Bacon and Pineapple Kabobs; Savory Veggie Skewers; Smoky Peach and Bourbon Chik’n Skewers

Stuffed, Foiled and Smothered: Delectable Entrees For A Cozy Dinner ~ Teriyaki BBQ Meatloaf; Smoky Mac ‘n’ Cheese with Coconut Bacon; Loaded BBQ Potatoes

Sides And Salads That Go With A Barbecue ~ Spicy Grilled Corn on the Cob with Cilantro Avocado Sauce; Carolina Coleslaw; Smoky Skillet BBQ Baked Beans

BBQ Dips To Bring To The Party ~ Buffalo Chik’n Dip; Grilled Artichoke Dip; Charred Poblano Pepper Guacamole; and the Jacked Up Crab Dip recipe you’ll find below

Keeping It Saucy; BBQ Sauces and Rubs ~ Big Mama’s Homemade BBQ Sauce; Vegan Buttermilk Ranch Dressing; Homemade Jerk Rub

Personally, I’m a huge fan of all the side dishes at BBQ’s. I could make a meal out of those alone.

In fact, the day I made this cold crab dip, I ate if for lunch and I did indeed make a meal out of it.

The shredded jackfruit resembles the texture of crab perfectly. The creaminess from the blended cashews, the spices and seasonings, and the jackfruit are the ideal combo to fool even the carnivores in your life.

Potato Salad, Bean Dip, Pasta Salad, Vegetable Salad – they’re all so good and so filling. But after seeing all of the offerings in this cookbook, I might just have to keep the sides to the side and pile up the entrees as well!

What will you try first?

I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment below with your feedback.

Be sure to sign up for my FREE Newsletter to be the first to get my NEW recipes! You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.

For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!

Don’t forget to pick up a copy of Great Vegan BBQ Without A Grill for yourself!

Jacked Up Crab Dip

Linda and Alex say, “Crab dip is one of our favorite party dips. It’s so creamy and mild in flavor, perfect for spreading on crackers or for dipping with your favorite veggies. Our vegan version is every bit as good as the conventional version. Shredded young jackfruit is surprisingly similar in texture to crab, and the flavors of the Dijon, Old Bay seasoning and the other spices are spot on. In case you’re not familiar with Old Bay seasoning, let us acquaint you. Old Bay is a fragrant mix of spices, such as celery salt, mace, cloves, ginger, cardamom and more. It’s what gives most crab cakes their flavor, and it’s what brings this crab dip to life. To get the texture and mouth feel of crab, we used shredded jackfruit, and the creaminess of mayonnaise comes from cashews. It’s the ultimate party food. Bring this, and your appetite, to your next get together. You and your friends are going to love it! Serve with crackers, toasted sliced bread or corn chips.”

5 from 2 votes

Print Rate

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: dairy free, gluten free, oil free, refined sugar free, vegan

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 230kcal

Author: Jenn Sebestyen

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 cups (300 g) raw cashews (soaked in 2 cups {480 ml} water overnight)
• ▢ 1 large clove garlic
• ▢ ¼ cup (60 ml) unsweetened cashew milk or other vegan milk
• ▢ 2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
• ▢ 2 tbsp (30 ml) Dijon mustard
• ▢ ½ tsp Old Bay seasoning
• ▢ ½ tsp ground sea salt
• ▢ ¼ tsp ground paprika
• ▢ ⅛ tsp onion powder
• ▢ 14 oz (400 g) can young jackfruit packed in water (or 1½ cups {400 g} fresh jackfruit)

Instructions

• Drain and rinse the cashews and put into a high-powered blender or food processor. Add the garlic, cashew milk, lemon juice, mustard, Old Bay seasoning, salt, paprika and onion powder and blend for approximately 2 minutes (scrape the sides frequently), or until it’s smooth and velvety. You shouldn’t see or taste pieces of solid nuts.
• Scrape the cashew mixture into a medium bowl.
• Drain and rinse the jackfruit well. Shred the jackfruit with a fork or in a food processor and put in the bowl with the cashew mixture. Gently fold until fully combined. Serve with crackers, toast or sliced vegetables.

Notes

*Total time does not include soaking time for cashews. 

Reprinted with permission from Great Vegan BBQ Without a Grill, copyright © 2018 by Linda & Alex Meyer. Published by Page Street Publishing Company.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 356mg | Potassium: 12mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin C: 3.3mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 2.7mg

Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.

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