The fake crab, vegetables, and herbs in this crab salad are all mixed together in a simple creamy dressing. A quick and easy salad that’s perfect served over lettuce, with crackers, or in a sandwich.
I’m always looking for new lunch ideas. Some of my favorites are Greek pasta salad, chicken club sandwiches, rainbow veggie pinwheels, and bagel dogs. This crab salad tastes great, takes less than 10 minutes to make, and is full of protein. You can never have too many salad recipes.
Those pre-made salads at the deli counter are always calling my name, but buying them all the time can get expensive! This crab salad is a copy of the seafood salad my grocery store makes. It’s inexpensive to make and tastes even better than the store bought version.
You will need celery, red onion, Old Bay seasoning, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, mayonnaise, and fresh dill to make this recipe. Or you can use fake crab meat.
Crab meat salad is a light and refreshing salad that is perfect for lunches, parties, or just a simple weekend meal. With its sweet crab meat, crunchy vegetables, and creamy dressing, this salad is a crowd-pleasing classic. Learn how to make the best crab meat salad with this simple step-by-step guide.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Crab meat salad requires just a few simple ingredients that can be found at any major grocery store.
- Imitation crab meat or real crab meat
- Celery
- Onions or scallions (optional)
- Mayonnaise or salad dressing
- Lemon juice
- Dill
- Salt and pepper
- Old Bay seasoning (optional)
You can use imitation crab sticks or chunks in this salad for convenience and affordability However, real crab meat like jumbo lump crab will provide the best flavor
In addition to crab, chopped celery and onions give the salad a nice crunch. Lemon juice brightens up the flavor while mayonnaise or your favorite salad dressing acts as the creamy base.
Fresh or dried dill adds aromatic flavor, and Old Bay seasoning can be used to give it some extra craby zing. But the seasonings can be customized to suit your tastes.
Step-by-Step Instructions
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Chop the crab meat – For imitation crab sticks, simply chop them into small pieces. For jumbo lump crab meat, carefully pick through and chop the lumps into bite-sized pieces.
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Dice the vegetables – Thinly slice about 2 stalks of celery. Finely dice 1/4 cup of onion or scallions. The veggies should be small enough to mix through the salad.
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Make the dressing – In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon dried dill (or 2 tablespoons fresh dill), 1/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste.
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Toss everything together – In a large bowl, mix the chopped crab meat, diced celery and onions. Pour the dressing over the top and gently toss until fully combined.
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Chill before serving – For best flavor, cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Then give it one final toss before serving.
And that’s it! With just 5 easy steps, you’ll have a fresh, tasty crab salad. The basic ratio is 1 pound of crab to about 1 cup of dressing and veggies. But feel free to adjust the ingredients to suit your preferences.
Handy Tips for Making Crab Salad
Here are some useful tips to help make crab meat salad even better:
- Use high-quality mayonnaise for optimal creaminess and flavor. Hellmann’s mayo is a top choice.
- Add diced avocado or mango for a sweet, creamy addition.
- For extra crunch, stir in diced cucumbers, bell peppers, or radish.
- Customize the dressing with mustard, hot sauce, herbs, or other seasonings.
- Garnish with fresh dill or parsley right before serving for color.
- Chill the salad for 1-2 hours before serving for the best texture.
- Serve crab salad piled on top of lettuce, stuffed in tomatoes or avocados, or on crackers.
Simple Variations
One of the great things about crab salad is how easily you can change it up. Try these fun variations for new flavors and styles:
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California crab salad – Add diced avocado and almonds with ranch dressing.
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Mediterranean crab salad – Use Greek yogurt dressing with cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley, and feta.
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Curry crab salad – Stir in curry powder, raisins, and mango chutney for an Indian-inspired salad.
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Tropical crab salad – Mix in pineapple and red bell pepper with a dressing of mayo, lime juice, cilantro, and honey.
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Spicy crab salad – Add sriracha, chipotle peppers, and cayenne pepper for some heat.
Serving Suggestions
Crab salad is versatile enough to be served in many different ways for any occasion:
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Scoop crab salad onto a lettuce leaf for a healthy wrap or lettuce cup.
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Serve it in one half of an avocado as an easy appetizer.
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Stuff into a tomato or bell pepper for a colorful presentation.
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Layer onto crackers or bread as tasty open-faced sandwiches.
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Fold into pieces of naan or pita bread for a portable crab salad sandwich.
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Mix with hot cooked pasta for a quick crab pasta salad.
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Present in cored pineapple halves or hollowed cucumbers for unique serving vessels.
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Top blini, crostini, or mini toasts for easy crab salad appetizers.
FAQs
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about making crab meat salad:
What kind of crab can you use?
Imitation crab and real crab like jumbo lump, snow crab, or king crab all work well. Avoid canned crab meat, which tends to be mushier in texture.
Can I use frozen crab?
Yes, frozen crab can be used if thoroughly thawed and drained. Make sure to pick through for any pieces of shell.
Is Old Bay seasoning necessary?
While Old Bay adds signature crab flavor, it can be omitted if you don’t have it or want a simpler seasoning blend. Simply use a bit more salt instead.
How long will crab salad last in the fridge?
Crab salad will keep well for 3-5 days in the refrigerator. The lemon juice helps preserve the freshness.
Can I use crab salad on sandwiches?
Absolutely! Crab salad makes an amazing sandwich filling paired with shredded lettuce on rolls or bread.
Crab Salad for Any Meal
Crab salad is the perfect light meal for lunch, snacking, or summer gatherings. With its buttery crab, crisp textures, and customizable dressing, it’s no wonder this salad is so popular. Whip up a batch using this easy how-to guide and enjoy crab salad for any occasion.
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Tips For Crab Salad
- They are already cut into bite-sized pieces, so I use fake crab flakes. You can also buy the fake crab on a stick and cut it yourself. I use fake crab in this recipe because it’s cheap and easy to find, but real crab meat tastes great too.
- I strongly advise using fresh dill because it tastes better than dried dill. Just use 1/2 teaspoon of dried dill instead of fresh dill if you need to.
- If you want to cut back on calories, you can use low-fat mayonnaise.
- This salad can be kept in the fridge for up to two days in a container that doesn’t let air in.
Make sure the red onion is chopped up very small so that you don’t get big chunks in every bite. You can also use sliced green onions instead of red onion for a milder flavor.
This salad is delicious as-is, but you can add other ingredients to customize the flavors to your tastes.
- It’s possible to make this salad with different kinds of seafood. For a seafood salad, I sometimes mix half crab and half shrimp. Or, for a fancy lobster salad, go all out with lobster.
- If you want to add more finely diced vegetables, you can. Some ideas are scallions, cucumber, bell peppers, jalapeños, or even fresh corn kernels.
- Seasonings: Feel free to add other seasonings to the salad. Changing the Old Bay seasoning to Cajun seasoning or adding spices like garlic powder, onion powder, or smoked paprika are all great ideas. You can also put in sriracha, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, fresh parsley, or Dijon mustard.
People often use fake crab in crab salad because it’s cheap, available all year, and easy to find at almost all grocery stores. Imitation crab is made from mild white fish, usually Alaskan Pollock, mixed with other things to make a product that looks and tastes like real crab. If you want, you can use real crab in your crab salad, but fake crab is much easier to work with.
Crab salad is made with fresh crab or fake crab, chopped vegetables and herbs, and a dressing made of mayonnaise and lemon.
How Do You Make Crab Salad?
In a bowl, mix together the crab, celery, red onion, Old Bay seasoning, lemon juice, salt, pepper, mayonnaise, and dill. Stir everything gently until it well combined. Garnish with additional fresh dill. Serve immediately, or place the salad in the refrigerator for later use.
