Who doesn’t love a good crab melt? This recipe is perfect for seafood lovers, and it’s easy to make in your air fryer. Crab meat is sandwiched between two slices of cheese and toasted in the air fryer until melted and golden brown. Serve with a side of tartar sauce or your favorite dipping sauce. Enjoy!

Air Fryer Crab Melts are amazing! Today, I made a batch for my kids, making for a great quick lunch or snack!
Crab melts are amazing, and if you have ever had a crab sandwich with a great topping, you know that they are so good and addicting.
I love a great and easy sandwich, and these crab melts prepared and cooked in the air fryer fit the bill.
If you are looking for even more Air Fryer Sandwiches, some of my favorites are AIR FRYER HARDEE’S BIG HOT HAM ‘N’ CHEESE, AIR FRYER PATTY MELT, AIR FRYER BLACKBERRY & GOAT CHEESE SANDWICHES, and AIR FRYER TURKEY CLUB SANDWICH.
What Are Crab Melts?
Crab melts, like tuna melts, are simple sandwich that is added on top of bread and then heated until the cheese melts, and you get a great open-faced sandwich.
A crab melt usually contains lump crab, mayonnaise, diced celery, and onions, and is smoothed with cheese. Or the cheese is mixed in, depending on how you are preparing them.
While I used English Muffins today, these are usually prepared on bread. Any bread will suffice.
Ingredients Needed For Air Fryer Crab Melts
- Celery
- Onions
- Mayonnaise
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Tabasco Sauce
- Lump Crab Meat
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- English Muffins
How To Make Air Fryer Crab Melts

Mix the cream crab meat, mayonnaise, diced celery, diced onions, salt, and pepper in a small mixing bowl. Mix in the shredded cheddar cheese.

Then separate your English muffins. Spread the crabmeat mixture on top of the English Muffin. As you make them, place them in your air fryer basket or on your air fryer tray.
Set the temperature to 300 degrees F for 5 to 7 minutes. (air fryer setting)
Tips For The Best Crab Melt:
- If you want crunchy bread, toast the bread first, and add it to the Air Fryer for 2 minutes at 300 degrees F.
- You can use canned crab for this recipe, although it will taste much fresher with fresh crab meat.
- Add a sliced tomato on top for extra flavor.
- Season and season again, right before serving.
- My son loves eating it with more hot sauce for extra spice.
Best Bread For Crab Melts:
The best bread is thicker bread. Today, I used English Muffins which really hold their shapes, some other great options:
- Sour Dough Bread
- Rye Bread
- Texas Toast
- Hawaiin Bread
- Artisan Bread
What Crab To Use For Air Fryer Crab Melts
Today, I used lump crab meat, but you can easily switch it out for canned crabmeat.
If you use canned crabmeat, some of my favorites are Bumble Bee Lump Crabmeat, Crown Prince Fancy-White Crabmeat, and Reese all-white Crabmeat.
Other Great Air Fryer Sandwich Recipes
- FROZEN CHICKEN PATTIES IN THE AIR FRYER
- AIR FRYER BLT WITH HARD-BOILED EGGS
- AIR FRYER HARDEE’S BIG HOT HAM ‘N’ CHEESE
- EASY AIR FRYER BACON AND TOMATO GRILLED CHEESE
- THE BEST AIR FRYER GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH
Don’t Forget To Pin-


Air Fryer Crab Melts
Description
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup celery, diced
- 2 tablespoons onion, diced
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, or adjust to taste
- 6 ounces lump crab meat
- 1/3 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 4 whole English Muffins, sliced
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, mix the cream crab meat, mayonnaise, diced celery, diced onions, salt, and pepper.
- Mix well.
- Mix in the shredded cheddar cheese.
- Then separate your English muffins.
- Spread the crabmeat mixture on top of the English Muffin. Please place them in your air fryer basket or on your air fryer tray as you make them.
- Set the temperature to 300 degrees F for 5 minutes. (air fryer setting)
- Plate, serve, and enjoy!
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Cooking Spray, or Parchment paper
Nutrition
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