Vegan Clam Strips (Soy Curls)

I used to love fried seafood. Again, I was raised in Georgia by parents from Alabama so I was born eating fried chicken and drinking sweet tea, no questions asked.

I don’t even know the first time I ate a non fried seafood item, or even knew that it was an option! So after giving up all other meats, and even dairy, the one animal food I still found myself really missing and craving was fried seafood!

Recently my friend Lane accidentally bought 6 bags of soy curls, thinking she had just ordered one. So she asked me if I had any recipes on the site using them. I did not. I have had soy curls in various preparations here and there but had not made them myself. I also recently had the most delicious vegan clam strips from a food truck that is not in town very often and had been craving more ever since. They used mushrooms in theirs, but I decided after Lane dropped off a bag of curls, there was no reason not to try and make a clam strip out of them!

They had the basic shape, and a chewy enough texture, and logic said it would work. And work it did! These vegan clam strip are crispy, chewy, and delicious! The best part is how darn easy they are to make. Just soak, coat, fry and eat!

So If you have a bag of soy curls laying around and have never fried some up, I can not suggest it enough. Lane was super happy with the outcome and I will now be making soy curls a pantry staple in my house! I have also added an air fryer option at the bottom of the page if you are into that kind of thing!

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INGREDIENTS:

• 8 oz bag soy curls

• 3 cups hot water

• 1 teaspoon Vegetable Better Than Bouillon

• 1 cup all purpose flour (or you favorite gluten free flour)

• 2/3 cups tapioca starch

• 1/3 cup corn meal

• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• oil for frying (I use grapeseed or canola)

Vegan Extra Dilly Tatar Sauce:

• 1 cup vegan mayo

• 2 tablespoons finely diced dill pickles

• juice from one small lemon

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 teaspoon dried dill

• 1/2-1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Pour hot water along with Better than Bouillon into a large bowl, whisking in the bouillon until it has dissolved. Add the soy curls and let them soak for 10 minutes.

2. While the curls are soaking, whisk together the flour, starch, corn meal, and seasoning in a large bowl.

3. Drain the soy curls in a colander over the sink, return the curls to the bowl they were soaking in.

4. Begin adding a handful of curls at a time to the flour mixture, making sure to fully coat the curls. Place coated curls on a baking sheet pan, and repeat with remaining curls.

5. Line another baking sheet pan with paper towels and place a wire cooling rack on top.

6. Heat a large deep skillet or dutch oven with a few inches of oil, over medium heat. You can poke a chop stick or wooden skewer into the pan, if small bubbles form around the stick the oil is ready. Once the oil is nice and hot begin adding batches of curls to the pan, making sure not to over crowd them. Using a pair of metal tongs, keep the curls moving around in the pan so they cook evenly. Allow the curls to fry for several minutes until golden brown and crispy. Place finished curls on the wire rack and repeat with remaining curls. I like to sprinkle a little extra salt and old bay on the finished curls.

7. To make the tartar sauce, whisk all ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Adjust seasoning to taste.

8. Server “clam” strips while still hot with homemade tarter sauce.

* To air fry clam strips; lightly spray with oil, set the air fryer to 375 degrees and fry for about 10 minutes, checking halfway through and giving the basket a shake. My fryer is pretty small and it seems to take longer for things to cook. So cooking times may vary depending on fryer size and amount of strips being fried.

If you like this recipe, try these:

Beer Battered Vegan Fried Fish Filets (Fish and Chips)

Jackfruit Crab Cakes

Vegan Beer Battered Fish Tacos

Crispy vegan fried clam strips using soy curls

Jackfruit Crab Cakes

If ever you were a fan of crab cakes before going vegan, then I have just the recipe for you!

When we first became vegan I kept seeing recipes for vegan crab cakes made from hearts of palm and artichoke hearts. Both would give you that crabby texture, but so would jackfruit, even more so in my opinion than an artichoke heart, and you would get a hint of sweetness that crab has.

So I decided to split the difference and use canned jackfruit in brine, paired with hearts of palm to get the perfect texture and taste for a seriously delicious vegan crab cake!

These vegan crab cakes have the perfect crab meat texture with a just a hint of fishy flavor accomplished with some seaweed flakes and old bay seasoning! They are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside!

I have fried these both in oil and in my air fryer with success. Actually when I created the recipe I did not own an air fryer. When I later purchased one, I was far too excited to try these out in it! Well, it works just fine and cuts back on all the extra calories you get from oil frying. Not that I am anti oil frying because I am not. I do however love the ease and convenience of my air fryer. I also love the how easy it is to clean. That might be my most favorite thing about it acutally.

You can serve these vegan crab cakes on their own with a salad and a side or make the best crab cake sandwich with them! Either way I think you will be pleased and glad you made them!

So get crackin…not literally, because there are not actual crabs required to make these!

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INGREDIENTS:

• 1 can of jackfruit in brine

• 1 can hearts of palm sliced

• 1/4 cup vegan mayo

• 1 flax egg

• 1 celery stalk finely chopped

• 1 small yellow onion finely chopped

• 2-3 teaspoons dulse flakes (seaweed flakes)

• 2 teaspoons old bay seasoning

• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 1/3 cup of panko bread crumbs

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• pepper to taste

• preferred oil for frying

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COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Drain jackfruit and hearts of palm. Add both along with the seaweed to you food processor and pulse until pieces are broken up and resemble crab meat.

2. In a bowl combine the mixture from the food processor, flax egg, mayo, onion, celery, garlic, old bay, salt and pepper. Mix well.

3. Using a medium sized scoop or a 1/3 measuring cup, scoop mixture and form a patty shape. You will get 8-10 crab cakes depending on scoop size.

4. In a shallow bowl or dish, add bread crumbs and carefully coat the crab cakes, lightly pressing the crumbs into the cakes without flattening them.

5. Line up crab cakes on a cookie sheet and pop in the freezer for half and hour. This helps them firm up so they will be easier to handle and fry.

6. Heat 1/2 to 1 inch of oil in a medium skillet until oil is good and hot. It should sizzle when you put your first cake in.

7. Fry the cakes for a few minutes on each side, before flipping. You want them to get golden brown and crispy. Work in batches careful not to overcrowd the pan.

8. Once done frying, place the crab cakes on a cooling rack with some paper towels underneath to cool and remove excess oil.

9. Serve crab cakes on their own or as a sandwich with horseradish aioli.

Serving size 6-8

Horseradish Aioli

• 1/3 cup vegan mayo

• 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish

• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 1 scallion finely chopped

• Juice from 1/2 lemon

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and serve