How to Make the Perfect Crab Sandwich

Crab sandwiches are a delicious and simple meal that are perfect for lunches, picnics, or light dinners. With fresh crab meat, the right bread, and simple additions, you can make an incredible crab sandwich at home. Here’s a complete guide on how to make the best crab sandwich and enjoy this tasty classic.

Choosing High Quality Crab Meat

The key to an amazing crab sandwich is using high quality fresh or pasteurized crab meat. Skip the imitation crab and head to the fish counter or seafood section of your grocery store.

Some top options for crab meat include

Jumbo Lump – These are the largest chunks of crab from the body. They are impressive and delicious in sandwiches.
Lump – Slightly smaller chunks than jumbo lump but still solid pieces Also a great choice
Backfin – Shredded and broken pieces of lump crab meat. More affordable but still tasty.

No matter what type you choose, be sure to pick through the crab meat and remove any stray shells or cartilage. Keep the crab meat chunks as intact as possible when making your sandwich to maximize texture.

Choosing the Right Bread

A crab sandwich can be served on different types of bread, but generally a soft white bread or roll works best. The tender interior crumbs complement the crab salad without overpowering it.

Some excellent options include:

Brioche – The rich, eggy interior provides softness without being too airy or crumbly.
Potato rolls – Sturdy enough to contain the filling but still pillowy soft.
Slider buns – Small and perfectly portioned for individual sandwiches.
Hot dog buns – Top split rolls are traditional for Maine-style crab rolls.
Baguette – A crusty baguette can work but may overpower the delicate crab.

Whatever you choose, lightly toast or grill the bread to add warmth and crunch without drying it out.

Making the Crab Salad

A basic crab salad starts with just a few ingredients: crab meat, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and seasonings. Gently fold the ingredients together rather than heavily mixing to prevent the crab chunks from breaking down too much.

Start with about 4 ounces of crab meat. Use 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise and 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice per 4 ounces of crab. This binds the salad lightly without drowning the flavor. Add a pinch of salt and pepper for basic seasoning.

Consider additions like diced celery, scallions, parsley, tarragon, whole grain mustard, or hot sauce. But go easy on mix-ins so the crab remains the star.

Chill the crab salad for 15-30 minutes before assembling sandwiches to allow flavors to meld.

Sandwich Assembly

When ready to serve, lightly toast your bread of choice. On one piece, layer lettuce or greens, a heaping spoon of the crab salad, and sliced tomatoes. Top with the second piece of bread.

Butter lettuce, arugula, sprouts, spinach, or mixed greens all work well. Ripe tomato provides needed moisture. And additions like avocado, bacon, sliced cucumber, or pickled onions can provide extra flavors and textures.

For an open-faced sandwich, skip the top layer of bread. Or cut the entire sandwich diagonally and secure each half with a decorative toothpick.

Serve crab sandwiches right away for optimal freshness and texture. But the crab salad can be made 1-2 days in advance if needed.

Elevated Additions

Once you’ve mastered the basics, try these ideas to take your crab sandwiches to the next level:

Compound butter on the bread – Flavored butters like lemon, chive, bacon, or sriracha.
Advanced mix-ins – Minced shallot, capers, mango, or crisp vegetables.
Sauce drizzle – Aioli, honey mustard, or chili sauce for dipping.
Toppings – Microgreens, fried shallots, tobiko, bacon crumbles.
Bread options – Pretzel rolls, sourdough, croissants, or bagels.

Pairing and Serving Suggestions

Here are some great options for sides and drinks to accompany your stellar crab sandwiches:

Chips – Potato chips, plantain chips, tortilla chips. Provides crunch.
Fries – Shoestring, waffle, or steak fries. Classic sandwich partner.
Slaw – Creamy coleslaw complements the crab salad.
Corn on the cob – In season sweet corn is a perfect summer side.
Watermelon – Fresh slices or watermelon agua fresca to drink.
Iced tea, lemonade, or beer – Refreshing lighter drinks that work well with crab.

Cut into smaller tea sandwiches for an appetizer, or serve the hefty full sandwiches for lunch or a casual dinner. Crab sandwiches make excellent picnic fare as well.

Helpful Tips

Follow these tips for crab sandwich success:

Check the crab meat carefully for any stray bits of shell or cartilage.
Gently fold the filling rather than heavily mixing to keep crab chunks intact.
Chill the salad before assembling for the best texture.
Lightly toast the bread without over-drying or burning it.
Serve crab sandwiches immediately for optimum freshness and flavor.
Store any leftover crab salad tightly covered for 1-2 days max.
Freeze extra bread for future crab sandwiches rather than letting it go stale.

Classic Crab Sandwich Recipes

Once you have the basics down, try your hand at these classic crab sandwich recipes:

Simple Crab Salad Sandwich

Crab salad with just a kiss of mayo and lemon, served on toasted brioche with lettuce and tomato.

Crab Roll

The famous Maine sandwich made with crab salad heaped atop a top-split hot dog bun.

Maryland Crab Cake Sandwich

Pan fried crab cakes served on a bun with traditional tartar sauce.

Cajun Crab Po’ Boy

Crab salad spiced up with Cajun seasoning and topped with shredded lettuce and pickles.

West Coast Crab Melt

Crab, avocado, and melted Monterey Jack cheese on grilled sourdough.

Crab Sandwich Inspiration

Crab sandwiches may seem simple, but they can take on many deliciously creative forms. Play with different seasonings, mix-ins, and toppings to make these iconic sandwiches your own. Use the freshest crab meat and quality ingredients to let the sweet seafood flavor shine. With the right techniques and a little practice, you’ll be able to make incredible crab sandwiches at home.

how to make a crab sandwich

Trevennon Dakota Trevennon is a cookbook author, food writer and recipe developer from Cornwall.

4 slices of sourdough bread
1 100g pot of white and brown crab meat (from a place like The Good Tide Seafood Co. ).
wild rocket
1 x 100g pot white crab meat
2-3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp lime juice
½ tsp olive oil
1 chopped spring onion
4-6 drops Tabasco (optional)

Start by toasting your bread slices briefly. Then, let them cool a bit, or don’t toast them at all if you’d rather. Add the two types of crab meat to the pot and stir them together. Then, spread the mixture on two pieces of toast and top them with a lot of rocket.
Mix the white crab meat in a pot with the mayonnaise, wholegrain mustard, olive oil, black pepper, and a pinch of salt until everything is well mixed together.
Put some of this mixture on top of both beds of rocket. Then, sprinkle some spring onions and Tabasco sauce on top, if you’re using it.
Last, add the last few slices of toast and cut them in half.

More Cornish treats

Marcus learns how to make a Dungeness Crab Sandwich

How do you make a crab sandwich?

Split the roll and toast lightly. Add mayonnaise to the toasted roll, if desired. Fill the roll with the prepared crab. See what other Food52ers are saying. The taste of this Crab Sandwich is so fresh and crisp from the onions, jalapeños and lemon zest and of course, the Dungeness crab itself.

Can you use crab meat in a sandwich?

However, you can also use backfin or claw meat. Canned lump crab meat can be found in most stores and makes the sandwich recipe easy but if you can get your hands on some fresh crab meat, even better! Harder to find but even better, is unpasteurized crab meat. It is sweeter.

How long do you cook a crab sandwich?

Heat the oil and butter and then add the crabs shell-side down. Cook for five minutes on the first side, then flip and cook about three minutes more. Be careful — they spatter sometimes toward the end of cooking. You don’t really need me to tell you how to make a sandwich, but here we go.

How do you make a crab sandwich with buttermilk?

Stir together mayonnaise, pepperoncini and pickling liquid, chives, and dill in a medium bowl; set aside. Stir together cornmeal, flour, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a shallow dish until combined; set aside. Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Remove 1 crab from buttermilk mixture, letting excess drip off.