This vegan lobster roll uses hearts of palm for a tender, lightly flaky texture, tossed in a creamy, briny dressing. Serve it in a buttery toasted bun, warm or chilled, for a plant-based version of a classic lobster roll.
A good vegan lobster roll works because of contrast: a buttery, toasted split-top bun with crisp edges, piled with a creamy, briny filling. The key is hearts of palm. When you chop and air fry them, they turn tender and lightly flaky, with edges that echo that classic lobster texture.
From there, it’s all about building flavor that feels both familiar and just a little new. Old Bay brings the New England seafood feel, while celery, capers, and fresh herbs keep everything bright and a little punchy. Toss it all in a creamy vegan mayo dressing, pile it onto that buttery roll—warm or cold—and you’ve got something nostalgic but fresh. It’s easy enough for a weekday but still special enough for a slow, lazy summer weekend.
FEATURED COMMENT
This was AMAZING. I’ve never cooked with hearts of palm before but this recipe is about to be a staple in our home. My husband took two bites before looking at me and saying that it was his new favorite sandwich. Thank you so much for sharing your delicious recipe!
Sophie
Key Ingredients
This recipe leans on a handful of simple ingredients, but it’s the combination that gives you that delicate yet hearty filling with just enough texture to feel like the classic version. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Hearts of Palm: This is your lobster stand-in. When chopped and air-fried, it turns tender with lightly flaky edges that hold up well once mixed with the dressing.
- Old Bay Seasoning: Brings that unmistakable New England seafood flavor. Don’t skip this—it’s what gives the filling its signature taste.
- Vegan Mayonnaise: Creates the creamy base and ties everything together without overpowering the other ingredients.
- Celery and Red Onion: Add crunch and a sharp, fresh bite that keeps the filling from feeling too rich.
- Capers: Small but essential. They add briny pops throughout, helping mimic that ocean-like flavor.
- Vegan Butter + Split-Top Buns: The bun matters here. Toasting it in vegan butter gives you crisp edges and that rich, classic lobster roll vibe. Swap the butter with garlic confit for even more flavor.
How to Make
Making and assembling this vegan lobster roll recipe is simple and ready in under an hour. For full recipe instructions and measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post.
- Step 1: Prep the hearts of palm. Drain, rinse, and gently pat dry. Chop into small, uneven pieces—this helps create a more natural, flaky texture.
- Step 2: Season and cook. Toss with Old Bay, dried dill, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and celery seed. Air fry at 400°F for 10–12 minutes, shaking once or twice, until the edges look lightly dried and just starting to turn golden.
No air fryer? Bake at 400°F for 20–30 minutes on a silicone or parchment-lined baking sheet, stirring occasionally.
- Step 3: Build the filling. Transfer to a bowl and let cool slightly. Add vegan mayo, celery, red onion, capers, and fresh herbs, then fold everything together until evenly coated.
At this point, you can either serve it warm, or chill it for a more classic, cold version.
- Step 4: Toast the buns. Brush split-top buns with vegan butter and toast in a skillet until golden and crisp on the edges. This step matters—it’s what gives you that classic lobster roll contrast and feel.
- Step 5: Assemble and serve. Add the filling into the toasted buns and finish with lemon, chives, and dill.
How To Serve
Serve these in a buttery, toasted split-top bun to provide structure and contrast. You can spoon the filling in warm or chilled, depending on your mood.
Add some sides to keep it simple and add a little more crunch. Potato chips, coleslaw, or a quick cucumber salad balance the creamy filling well without competing with it. If you want something more summery, grilled corn or a light pasta salad fits right in.
Looking to build this into a larger spread? It pairs well with other vegan seafood-style dishes—like our crab cake sliders, vegan shrimp, or beer-battered vegan fish. If you have leftovers, serve them in vegan sushi or a sushi burrito for an extra fun twist!
FAQs
In this recipe, vegan lobster is made with hearts of palm. When chopped, seasoned, and cooked, it turns tender and lightly flaky, making it a good fit for a lobster roll.
Vegan lobster rolls are made by preparing a hearts of palm filling, tossing it with a creamy, seasoned dressing, and serving it in a toasted bun. The flavor comes from ingredients like Old Bay, lemon, and herbs.
It’s mild and slightly briny, with most of the flavor coming from the seasoning. Old Bay, lemon, and capers create that classic lobster roll profile.
More Vegan Seafood Recipes To Try
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Vegan Lobster Roll
Looking for a plant-based twist on a summer classic? This vegan lobster roll uses hearts of palm to mimic the tender, briny texture of traditional seafood. Seasoned with Old Bay and served in a buttery bun, it’s the ultimate vegan indulgence for sunny days. Perfect for picnics, barbecues, or a laid-back lunch, this recipe brings the taste of the ocean to your table, no fish required.
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 rolls
Ingredients
for the vegan lobster
- 2, 14.1-oz. can of hearts of palm, coarsely chopped, rinsed and soaked in cold water for 20 minutes
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/4 cup vegan mayo
- 1 stalk celery, mandolined or finely sliced
- 2 tablespoons minced red onion
- 2 teaspoons capers
to serve
- 4 hot dog buns
- 2–4 tablespoons vegan butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced
- lemon wedges
Instructions
to prepare the vegan lobster
- Drain the hearts of palm, taking care not to crush or mush them.
- Combine the Old Bay, dried dill, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and celery seed in a small bowl. Then season the drained hearts of palm, tossing to coat evenly.
- Place into an air fryer set at 400 for 10-12 minutes, giving them a shake once or twice and checking them towards the end to ensure they don’t brown.
- If you don’t have an air fryer, preheat your oven to 400 and place the seasoned hearts of palm on a silpat- or parchment-lined baking sheet for 20-30 minutes. stirring two or three times. They are done when they show the first signs of a slight golden color around the edges. Don’t let them brown all over.
- Transfer the hearts of palm to a bowl and toss gently with the remaining 4 ingredients and place into the refrigerator to chill completely. Or, you can also serve it while still warm.
to serve
- When ready to serve, preheat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Brush both sides of a hot dog bun with the butter and toast face down until it’s nice and golden.
- Spoon the desired amount of hearts of palm into the toasted buns and garnish with the fresh chives and dill. Serve with lemon wedges and an extra sprinkle of salt, if desired.
Notes
Storage Tips
- Refrigeration: Store leftover vegan lobster rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Keep the filling and buns separate to prevent the buns from getting soggy.
- Preparation in Advance: You can prepare the hearts of palm mixture up to a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator. Assemble the rolls just before serving for the best texture and flavor.
Prep Tips:
- Quick Chilling: If you’re short on time, speed up the chilling time for the hearts of palm mixture by spreading it out on a baking sheet and placing it in the refrigerator. This allows the mixture to cool evenly and rapidly.
- Seasoning Options: Add a sprinkle of smoked paprika or nori flakes on top of the assembled rolls for an extra layer of flavor and a touch of visual appeal.
- Toasting Trick: Use a garlic-infused vegan butter or garlic confit when toasting the buns for an extra layer of savory goodness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Air Fried, Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
This recipe was originally posted in 2017 and updated in 2026 with clarified instructions and serving suggestions.
5 stars from us! So delicious – the capers were so good. This did not disappoint. My husband and I both aren’t celery people so we just did extra red onion. I did add lemon and vegan fish sauce to the mayo sauce mixture and then mixed in some nori flakes for extra fish flavor at the end. But this recipe is gooood! Will make again. Also, this was WILDLY quick to make.
(I hope I am giving you 5 stars, the first start won’t let me click it.)
Nicci, I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for your kind feedback!
This was one of the best things I have cooked in quite a while! Such a simple recipe that packs a flavorful punch.
I’m so happy you enjoyed, Meg! Thanks for your kind feedback.
These sandwiches were AMAZING! I am already planning on making more tomorrow, mange double the batch so we all can have two. It was also so simple to make.
Thank you,
Trina
Trina,
Thanks for your kind feedback … so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
First time making this and it was so delicious… I didn’t use celery/celery seed, or capers. Probably would have been even better if I had. Thanks so much for this recipe!
So happy you enjoyed the recipe, Randiah, even without the celery and capers!
Hi there! I want to try this recipe but I only have celery salt. I was wondering if I could replace the celery seed and the salt by celery salt and if so by how much? Thank you!!
Celery seed and celery salt are very different. I would just add a small amount and adjust to taste … I hope you enjoy!
I made this today and we really enjoyed it! It’s been many years since I had actual lobster, and I think my favorite part was the melted butter; never had a lobster roll. Anyway, this version is fine with us and we will definitely have it again soon. Thank you!
Heather, I’m so happy you enjoyed! Toasted buttery buns are the best, aren’t they? Thanks for your kind feedback.
OMG! The flavor! This recipe has such a great flavor profile. I have made vegan lobster role in times past using baked tofu, but was recently looking for an alternative to the tofu. I’ve used HOP to mimic scallops in a scampi recipe before, so I was excited to try this. It exceeded my expectations. This is a recipe I will definitely make often. Thank for this!
Sharkie, so happy to hear your kind feedback and that you’ll be making again! xo
This was AMAZING. I’ve never cooked with heart of palm before but this recipe is about to be a staple in our home. My husband took two bites before looking at me and saying that it was his new favorite sandwich. Thank you so much for sharing your delicious recipe!
Sophie, I am so happy you and your husband enjoyed — thanks so much for your kind feedback!
We make this all the time and absolutely LOVE it.
Allie, I am so happy to hear! Thanks for your feedback.
Hey Erin! I’m stunned with your ideas, they look sooooo good! I have a question tho – do u have a good recipe for hot dog bun? Thanks in advance and thanks for all the sharing!
Thank you, Aga! I have never made hot dog buns — many are already vegan, and I just buy off the shelf.
I printed this recipe in May. I finally got to make it today. Ended up I only had some of the ingredients (someone finished the celery and capers went MIA) Despite these small hurdles I have decided I can’t wait to make it again because I really liked it!! I am newly to vegan and plant based cooking so anything I can find that replaces the old way of eating is A-OK in my book! Thanks for an AWESOME web site!!!
P.S. I also LOVE the Raw Almond and Chickpea Miso Spread.
I am eating this as I type…I keep having to convince myself that these are hearts of palm and not bits of lobster. The flavors are absolutely on point. Pure magic.
Linda,
I’m so happy that you like! Thanks for your kind feedback.
This was delicious! Though, the instructions in the ingredient list to use chopped hearts of palm soaked in cold water don’t match your directions. That threw me a bit and I missed your instructions to bake the seasoned pieces before mixing them with the rest of the ingredients. Can’t wait to try it again the right way!
This looks fantastic! What if you don’t have an air fryer? Can they be broiled?
Danielle, I haven’t tried this is in the oven, so I can say for sure whether it will produce the same results or not. If you do bake, I would suggest doing it at a slightly lower temp (300 or 350), and giving them a little shake every now and then. I would keep an eye on them to ensure the edges down brown or burn — you simply want to just dry them out here. Good luck!
I’m thinking of recreating this with jackfruit since I have that on hand! Thanks for the idea, I love lobster rolls and anything old bay?
This is so good! I’ve made it 3 times now and love it. I like it best when the “lobster” is chilled overnight. This week when making the the “lobster,” I left out the dill, added about a teaspoon of dulse flakes with the mayo, and used it as the star of a Niçoise salad. It was perfect! Thank you.
Sherala, I love to hear that … so happy you enjoyed and were able to modify it to your liking!
This was a really delicious and EASY recipe to make! Thank you, it certainly hit the spot for the craving! We didn’t chill the “lobstah” after we baked it and tossed it in the mayo mix, I loved it warm, maybe I’m just weird!
Martina, Thanks so much for your feedback, and I’m so happy you enjoyed. Good to know it’s tasty warm … I’ll update the recipe now to include that option! 🙂 Thanks.
Great idea! I want to make these for a concert in the park this summer!!!