If you’re looking for a cheap and easy satisfying snack, this spicy air fryer imitation crab bites recipe is perfect. It comes together in just 15 minutes with three ingredients.
For more ideas of what to make, check out all of our recipes.
Imitation crab bites have been going viral on social media lately. And good for them. In America you usually just find imitation crab in California rolls. But, in Japan, imitation crab isn’t treated the same way as it is here. It’s a celebrated simple protein.
So, I’m excited to see it getting some recognition as imitation crab bites go viral.
They take less than five minutes to prep and 10 minutes to heat, so you can make this crispy snack as soon as you’re craving it.
They’re sweet and spicy, crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, and really satisfying. So, if you’re looking for a good snack to hold you over until dinner time, make these.
If you bought a lot of imitation crab because it has gone viral and you’re wondering what else to do with it, you should try our spicy kani salad. It’s a really traditional Japanese side salad recipe made with the crab and cucumber.
Spicy Air Fryer Imitation Crab Bites Recipe
Affiliate links are included in this post and Drugstore Divas may make a small commission if you use them.
Spicy Air Fryer Imitation Crab Bites Ingredients:
You can get the full list of ingredients with measurements in the recipe card below.
- Imitation crab sticks – The sticks work better than the imitation lump crab meat because you can cut them into a uniform size so they cook evenly.
- Thai-style Sweet Chili Sauce – We use bottled Thai-style sweet chili sauce because it makes this recipe easy. It’s a sweet and spicy sticky sauce that adds flavor and also helps the Parmesan cheese to adhere to the imitation crab pieces.
- Fancy shredded Parmesan cheese – This adds a little salt to the imitation crab bites and a lot of texture, which is a great contrast. We don’t suggest using grated Parmesan because it doesn’t add the texture that you’re looking for.
How To Make Spicy Air Fryer Imitation Crab Bites:
Cut the imitation crab sticks into three even pieces each.
Making sure they’re cut evenly means they’ll cook evenly in the air fryer.
Put a glass on top of each piece, and, while you’re pushing down on the glass, turn it. This will cause the pieces of imitation crab meat to fan out slightly.
Doing this makes them flatter and thinner, which gives them crispier edges.
I saw this method on social media and was super impressed. So, I didn’t make it up, I’m just sharing the hack.
If you don’t smash the imitation crab, you won’t get the crunch you want. And, if you just try to smash these down with your hand, they’ll puff back up into their original shape. So this method of flattening and twisting helps them stay flat.
Brush the sweet chili sauce across each piece.
A little bit goes a long way because the imitation crab has a really delicate flavor. So, you want to sauce them, but not over-sauce them.
Sprinkle the fancy shredded Parmesan cheese on top of each piece.
Place each piece of crab in the air fryer, making sure to not crowd them. You want there to be enough room for airflow to make these crunchy. If you crowd them, they’ll kind of roast and won’t get that crispness you’re looking for.
Cook them in a preheated 375 F air fryer for 10 minutes until the imitation crab is crunchy and the sauce darkens.
Quick note: We don’t spray our air fryer basket, but if you’re worried about sticking, you can lay down parchment paper or an air fryer basket liner.
The sauce getting dark doesn’t mean it’s burnt. It’s just the sugar in the sauce caramelizing. So, if you’re one of those people who checks the air fryer a dozen times when you’re making a recipe for the first time, don’t let the color of the sauce force you to pull them out early. I promise you it’s fine.
Serve these with a little more sauce for dipping.
Variations:
There are so many flavor combinations for these imitation crab bites. You can experiment with any type of sugary sauce on them, like a hot honey or maple syrup. Melted butter and salt are another really good option.
Instead of topping with Parmesan cheese, you could use everything bagel seasoning or furikake.
Air Fryer Imitation Crab Bites: Frequently Asked Questions
Wait until the imitation crab bites completely cool to room temperature, then put them in an airtight container and store them in the fridge.
You can eat them cold or reheat them in the air fryer at 375 F for two to three minutes until they’re crunchy again. If you try to reheat them in the microwave, they’ll get soggy.
Yes, you can.
You’ll put the bites on a silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet, then cook at 375 F for about 15 minutes.
If you don’t have a baking mat, you can use parchment paper or aluminum foil. We don’t suggest putting them directly on the baking sheet because the stickiness from the sauce can cause them to stick.
There are a few reasons why your bites might not be crispy.
First, if you overcrowd the air fryer basket or tray, you don’t give them enough room for air, so they roast and get soft rather than crispy.
Then, if you don’t flatten them enough, they’ll be crisp on the outside but really soft in the middle.
And finally, if you put too much sauce, which adds excess moisture, these won’t crisp.
You can use frozen imitation crab meat, but you do want to defrost it first. If it feels watery after you defrost it, pat it dry before adding the sauce.
Any brand works.
The only brand we can get in our local grocery stores is the transOcean Seafood Snackers, which is fine with me because it’s $1 for a pack.
More important than the brand is that you’re buying the sticks rather than the lump imitation crab because that doesn’t cook as evenly since the pieces aren’t uniform.
Spicy Air Fryer Imitation Crab Bites
If you’re looking for a cheap and easy satisfying snack, this spicy air fryer imitation crab bites recipe is perfect. It comes together in just 15 minutes with three ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 pack (4 pieces) imitation crab sticks
- 2 tablespoons Thai-style sweet chili sauce (plus more for dipping)
- 1 oz. fancy shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cut the imitation crab sticks into three even pieces each.
- Put a glass on top of each piece, and, while you’re pushing down on the glass, turn it to fan the crab out slightly.
- Brush the sweet chili sauce across each piece.
- Sprinkle the fancy shredded Parmesan cheese on top of each piece.
- Place each piece of crab in the air fryer.
- Cook them in a preheated 375 F air fryer for 10 minutes until the imitation crab is crunchy and the sauce darkens.
- Serve with more dipping sauce.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Yield
2Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 85Total Fat 1gSaturated Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 10mgSodium 274mgCarbohydrates 15gFiber 0gSugar 11gProtein 4g
Have you made these spicy air fryer imitation crab bites yet? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.